WWE 2K15: New Single-Player Campaign Concept Has Great Longevity

The lifeblood of professional wrestling flows in the veins of its feuds and rivalries. Without them, the show would simply be nothing more than large men performing scripted, acrobatic and brutal maneuvers with no soul. 

WWE 2K15 looks to prove that the lasting appeal a good feud provides in real-life wrestling can be successfully emulated in a video game. 

The 2K Showcase is not an entirely new concept. The Attitude Era and 30 Years of WrestleMania modes from the last two WWE games had a similar historic, task-based system. The difference in 2K Showcase and those other modes is that this year's single-player campaign actually doesn't look to cover as much ground.

From the looks of things early on, less is more. 

The Attitude Era and 30 Years of WrestleMania whisked gamers on a ride that spanned multiple decades in the case of the latter, or years in reference to the former. The 2K Showcase gives gamers one story at a time in what we hope will be  a more detailed, celebrated and exaggerated fashion.

That's the way wrestling stories should be told. The presentation will be key to the immersion. Hopefully, the developers of the game will take every opportunity to deliver the key moments of each feud they have re-created with important details and atmosphere.

Real-life mic work over the top of animated cut scenes similar to the video below would be amazing. The cut scene starts at the 2:01 mark.

In the retail version, you will begin with access to two feuds: John Cena vs. C.M. Punk and Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels. If these were the only options, the impact of the mode would be minimal, and gamers would likely be left feeling a bit empty with the single-player experience.

However, because of the nature of the mode and the inclusion of DLC through the Season Pass program, (see details here) gamers will be able to download new feuds as they become available.

A Christian-themed (the wrestler, not the faith) pack called "One More Match" will be the first new DLC feud available. That'll be followed by Mark Henry's "Hall of Pain," and The Ultimate Warrior's "Path of the Warrior." Previous versions of the Season Pass made content available on a monthly basis after the game's release. 

November, December and January were the months new content was released. This time around, we haven't gotten the schedule for DLC rollout, but the content is more vast. In addition to the new story lines for 2K Showcase, there are additional moves, a WCW and NXT content pack.

This might explain why the price of the Season Pass has gone from $19.99 to $24.99. 

Some may criticize the rivalries, feuds and storylines that were chosen, but the WWE's history is so vast, it's impossible to encompass everyone's favorite in one game. If it's executed correctly, 2K Showcase doesn't have to. This concept shouldn't be treated as a one-off, all-in mode made solely for WWE 2K15. 

Every year it seems as if the makers of the WWE video game franchise labors to find a cool concept to focus on for its single-player campaign. In turn, some of the same stories wind up being covered in different modes. The 2K Showcase could have the sturdiness to continue on for the life of the series.

By simply upgrading presentation, gameplay, task-based assignments and picking from the almost endless supply of WWE rivalries—that are still being added every week—the details associated with the 2K Showcase can be among the most highly anticipated during the game's pre-release hype.

It can help to usher in new and old Superstars and all kinds of new content via unlockables and surprises. It's all about pushing the product to reach the potential of the concept. Hopefully, the developers have channeled their inner Bret Hart and will show their excellence of execution.

Follow Brian Mazique aka FranchisePlay, the Sports Video Game Journalist