Breaking Down Latest News and Rumors Surrounding WWE 2K14 for Sept. 9

Tweets and interviews served as the keyholes for fans to peek into for more WWE 2K14 news.

Those involved with the game, from Corey Ledesma to Bryan Williams, teased more info for the upcoming WWE game. Details about the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode and available arenas found their way out as excitement builds about 2K Sports' first try at the pro wrestling franchise.

A special edition of the game is selling out and more tweaks got discussed. Let's explore those items and more as we leap off the top turnbuckle into the latest word on WWE 2K14.

30 Years of WrestleMania Details

Fans will be able to relive 45 classic matches from WWE's premier event, but won't be able to rewrite history.

When gamers play the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode, they will have to recreate the past. To move onto the next level, the Ultimate Warrior has to defeat Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI and Shawn Michaels has to end Ric Flair's WWE career at WrestleMania 24.

In an interview on MTV.com, Bryan Williams, a lead designer for the game, discussed why the developers ultimately went in the direction they did.

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We didn't want to water down the mode. We set our sights and focus on one area, so it could be as polished and refined as possible. Because the more things you add on the more you need to check and tune.

"

Authenticity was ultimately the developers' goal. Williams says that Hogan's battle against Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III follows history in that Hogan struggles to lift the giant until the famous bodyslam.

Players can't just suplex Andre a bunch of times like with most opponents. Williams says, "We do things on the game design side to make sure certain things are not possible."

These moves will help the game better recreate the WrestleMania moments from the new signature mode. The goal is to be sucked into the past and 2K Sports appears committed to achieving that.

Outdoor Arenas

The backdrop to the action in WWE 2K14 got an upgrade.

Cory Ledesma, the Creative Director for WWE 2K, tweeted the news that the game will include the mega-sized stadiums that have been the home of recent WrestleManias.

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In #WWE2K14 we have 7 different arena types and sizes for #30YearsOfWrestleMania. Including new large indoor/outdoor football stadium sizes.

— Cory Ledesma (@RealCoryLedesma) August 30, 2013"

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To expand on my previous #WWE2K14 tweet, the WrestleMania arenas are unlockable and useable in other game areas similar to previous years.

— Cory Ledesma (@RealCoryLedesma) August 30, 2013"

In addition to an increase in options, the added arena types will help the game in terms of authenticity. When The Rock takes on John Cena at WrestleMania 28 in video game, it will feel a lot more like the real thing.

Hands-on Preview

Richard Walker from XBOX360Acheivements.org shared his experiences after a hands-on preview of the game. Two major things stand out from that article.

One, folks looking for major changes to the franchise are going to be disappointed and two, it appears to be a fantastic game in spite of that.

Walker says that WWE 2K14 "plays almost identically to WWE '12 and '13."

The developers have seemed to focus on streamlining the current engine rather than reinventing it. Fans of the series will be happy to hear while those hoping for more wholesale changes with have to settle for subtlety.

Even if without the company completely transforming the previous games, it sounds mighty fun. Walker writes of the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode that he was "hooked and utterly addicted to the mode right out of the gate."

Insight from the Brand Director

Players can take away a number of intriguing items from Bryce Yang's interview on Viddler.com. The WWE Senior Brand Director talked about the tweaks in gameplay as video clips gave us some peeks at the game.

Yang said that the mechanics are the "smoothest, most fluid" that the series has had to offer so far. He also noted that the game emphasizes the distinctness of each wrestler. He says, "Hogan and Warrior will move and act a lot more like Hogan and Warrior."

The 30 Years of WrestleMania mode will be the key to unlocking past Superstars. Yang tells us that in addition to just winning those matches in the way they were won in real life, bonus historical objectives will lead to additional unlockable content.

Phenom Edition Going Fast

Undertaker's biggest fans will want to pre-order the special "Phenom Edition" of WWE 2K14 soon. Corey Ledesma tweeted that they are going fast.

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Being told that the #WWE2K14 #PhenomEdition is in very limited supply. I see its still available at @GameStop. Get it before its too late!!

— Cory Ledesma (@RealCoryLedesma) September 4, 2013"

Want a tin coffin box, an autographed card, the American Badass version of The Undertaker, a special controller skin and an Undertaker Blu-Ray or DVD with your version of the game? Apparently so do a number of other fans.

The boxed set is an excellent deal for those Undertaker-obsessed folks among us, only costing about $40 more than the standard game price.