WWE 2K16: Latest News and Rumors for Week of Aug. 10

In many ways, WWE 2K16 won't just be an update of last year's game but an overhaul.

The early word on the upcoming WWE video game is that 2K has implemented some significant changes when it comes to gameplay and controls. This should be expected as the ongoing transition from THQ manning the series to 2K holding the reins continues.

A robust roster is the biggest story, though, with nearly double the available wrestlers as WWE 2K15. News of who exactly will comprise that list is coming in pieces. Internet ramblings aplenty center around a reported leaked screenshot, but a rumor-killer puts that to rest right away.

For a look at all the latest info on everything WWE 2K16, read on. A fact sheet 2K sent to PWInsider.com, a game preview from Vince Ingenito of IGN, IGN's weekly roster reveal and Twitter provide a variety of scoops.

Roster News, Buzz

After a collective groan from fans about last year's paltry selection of Superstars, 2K has responded in emphatic fashion. The WWE 2K16 roster will feature more than 120 playable characters, including Superstars, Divas, Hall of Famers, NXT stars and, as the fact sheet notes, "WWE alumni from multiple eras."

The game's official website lists just five Superstars (Steve Austin, Seth Rollins, Bad News Barrett, Paige and Daniel Bryan), so there's clearly still plenty of grapplers in the game to be named later.

Credit: WWE.com

IGN will be revealing a small number of these roster members each week. This time out, the reveal announced the following will be in the game:

• Booker T
• Colonel Mustafa
• Emma
• Eva Marie
• General Adnan
• Kalisto 
• Kane
• Lord Steven Regal
• Sin Cara
• Summer Rae
• Tamina 
• Triple H  

Lilian Garcia looks to be part of the action, too. The ring announcer tweeted she will be involved with the game:

As for those gamers pining for Goldberg to start spearing virtual opponents, they won't be happy. There has been a stray rumor or two about whether the powerhouse would be one of the 120 characters, but he has denied them.

Goldberg told a fan he wouldn't be in the game:

Talk of who else might be in WWE 2K16 is rampant. Unfortunately, some of that is bogus. A screenshot posted by WWE2KNews.com, among other outlets, reportedly taken from a IGN video has some fans believing the full roster has been leaked.

One can see the blacklisted Hulk Hogan in the image. Jake Roberts, Sting, Aiden English, Joey Mercury, Shane McMahon, X-Pac and Bubba Dudley are in the screenshot as well. Whether they are in the game has yet to be confirmed, though.

The screenshot is not a leaked roster; it is actually from SmackTalks' concept roster video. So false alarm there. 

Back in the Mix

A major complaint about last year's game was that 2K took out several modes. It hurt the game's depth and limited options. That appears to be something the developers looked to fix.

For one, the creation suite is getting back some old favorites:

• Create a Diva
• Create a Championship
• Create a Show 
• Create an Arena

2K will also be bringing back Ladder, Handicap and Tornado Tag Team matches. 

The 2K Showcase mode from last year's edition is back. So far, there is no word on who will be featured in it, but with Stone Cold on the cover, it's a safe bet that he's involved.

MyCareer returns as well, but this time players can take their created stars from NXT all the way to the Hall of Fame now. The fact sheet adds that these wrestlers "will train, compete against others, conduct personality-driven interviews, interfere with rivals and/or form the ultimate tag team."

Overall, it sounds like a more in-depth, multilayered version of the mode.

Improvements, Additions

Count on the matches in WWE 2K16 feeling different. Several tweaks will alter gameplay and strategy.

Chain grappling is back, but it will be more complex. Ingenito wrote, "There are more transitions and moves now to reflect the abilities of the wrestlers involved. Chain grapples are also now impacted more by your wrestler's attribute values, and there can even be ties, resulting in breaks or cheap parting shots."

That should allow different wrestlers to play more distinctly, something WWE 2K15 did to a degree.

Credit: WWE.com

2K promises an improved WWE Universe mode, controls, AI and submission system. There will also be an enhanced online matchmaking system.

Managers will play a bigger part of matches. They will now be able to distract the referee or get involved in the action. 

WWE 2K16 also boasts a new pin system. Rather than the bar of old, there will be a circular gauge. Wrestlers will have reactions to near-falls. Dirty pins and rope breaks will be part of the action as well.

A new reversal system limits the amount of reversals a player has. Like a finisher, one has to wait for it to recharge. There will be major and minor reversals for certain moves.

Your virtual wrestler will also be able to execute rest holds. Dubbed "working holds," these moves give the character time to recharge or recover. It certainly adds a touch of realism. 

The fact sheet also notes that loading screens between entrances have been eliminated. That should smooth out the gaming experience some. 

First Substantial Looks

With the game coming out in just a few months (Oct. 27 in the U.S., Oct. 30 internationally), fans have still seen precious few images from the game.

That changed to a degree when 2K released video of Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins. The clips show both their entrances and highlights from a match against each other:

One of the first takeaways is the crowd doesn't look stunning. Both Balor and Rollins look excellent, seemingly on the same level of graphics as last year's game, but it's odd that the audience looks so poor, even on a next-gen console.

The audio isn't impressive either. Crowd reactions remain minimal. 

Fans can see the new pin system at play in the above video. It appears to be more difficult than the old version, but that remains to be seen.

The Lucha Dragons look excellent. The first glimpse of the team came from a screenshot (h/t Attack of the Fan Boy) that has been floating around the Internet. Kalisto's entrance video provides a better look:

While Kalisto may not have shoulders that broad, this is an excellent rendition of him.

Who will be joining him in the game will remain a hot topic as the countdown to the game's release continues. That question will be answered bit by bit as 2K slowly unveils its massive 120-person roster.