WWE 2K16: Latest News and Rumors for Week of Aug. 17

Just who will be doing the dropkicking and clotheslining in WWE 2K16 is not yet fully clear, but fans now know just what tracks will be playing as they issue those virtual smackdowns.

2K has announced the soundtrack for the upcoming video game. There's a blend of rock, rap and country to provide the backdrop for the latest in the WWE 2K series.

Less than a week before SummerSlam, more information has come out about the roster as well. We're a long way from knowing all of the 120 characters set to be in the game, but official announcements and rumors alike point to quite a few new names.

WWE 2K16 won't be in stores until Oct. 27 in the U.S. and Oct. 30 internationally, but there's sure to be an increase in buzz soon. SummerSlam is traditionally the time when developers let more cats out of the bag.

Until then, there is still plenty in the way of new footage, newly announced characters and Internet rumblings to discuss.

Latest Rumors

The massive roster is largely a mystery at this point. That has fans searching for early clues as to who will join Finn Balor, Seth Rollins and others in the game.

A possible hint came courtesy of virtual T-shirts.

As Ben Wilson pointed out for Games Radar, several Superstars' T-shirts can be seen in the crowd in the clip of Rollins' and Balor's entrances WWE posted on YouTube last week. Audience members don merchandise for Baron Corbin, Bret Hart, The Rock and both Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady.

Having these guys' shirts in the game isn't a guarantee the wrestlers themselves are in it, but it's a strong sign.

In addition to which Superstars will be available as playable characters, fans are pining to know more about this year's 2K Showcase. With "Stone Cold" Steve Austin being front and center with the game's ad campaign, one would assume he's in at least one of the rivalries featured in the mode.

There is reportedly leaked video that suggests his feud with Triple H will be in the game.

Wes from the Games Dungeon mentions a clip going around the Internet that looks like a video package for Triple H vs. Austin from No Way Out 2001 in WWE 2K16.

This has fans discussing whether this was actual game footage or something a fan conjured himself. The video keeps getting taking down. It is nowhere to be found on YouTube at the moment. 

For now, don't go banking on the Three Stages of Hell match from that pay-per-view to be in the 2K Showcase mode.

Roster Updates

As for who is confirmed for WWE 2K16, the list just grew a lot longer. There aren't any big surprises on it, but it does feature some Superstars who didn't make the cut in recent years.

IGN released a new set of names this week:

• Adam Rose
• Adrian Neville
• Bo Dallas
• Brie Bella
• Brock Lesnar
• Goldust
• Heath Slater
• Hideo Itami
• Jack Swagger
• Kevin Owens
• Nikki Bella
• Ric Flair
• Roman Reigns
• Sami Zayn
• Stardust
• Sting
• Tyler Breeze
• Ultimate Warrior
• Zack Ryder

That brings the total to 38 confirmed Superstars. And this new batch of names adds a healthy dose of NXT with Itami, Zayn and Breeze all joining the fun.

Ryder and Slater are the kind of wrestlers who often get left off these rosters. Adding even such low-rung stars speaks to how massive the roster will be.

Austin may have revealed a few more names. 2K released a video with The Texas Rattlesnake rattling off possible opponents for him to clash with. 

This comes off as a tease of which Superstars will be in the game with him. Austin called out Dean Ambrose, The Rock, Mick Foley and Mr. McMahon, all of whom are not yet confirmed for the official roster.

Sounds of the Game

While the roster is being revealed bit by bit, the full WWE 2K16 soundtrack is already set. 2K announced the song list for the game's soundtrack on its official website:

• Billy Idol: "Rebel Yell"
• Diplo (feat. Faustix & Imanos and Kai): "Revolution"
• Fashawn (feat. Nas and Aloe Blacc): "Something to Believe In"
• Kid Ink: "Hello World"
• Marilyn Manson: "Deep Six"
• MGK (featu. Victoria Monet): "A Little More"
• Run-DMC: "It's Tricky"
• Skid Row: "Youth Gone Wild"
• Twenty One Pilots: "Heavydirtysoul"
• Yelawolf: "Till It's Gone" (Dan Heath remix)
• Zac Brown Band (feat. Chris Cornell): "Heavy is the Hand"
• Zedd (feat. Logix and X-Ambassadors): "Transmission"

There's a clear goal of mixing old and new here. Run-DMC and Skid Row aren't often on the same list as Kid Ink, for example. It's also interesting that a handful of these acts (MGK, Aloe Blacc and Kid Ink) have performed at WWE events in the past.

New Footage, Screenshots

Thanks to IGN, fans now know what the video game version of Kevin Owens will look like. It posted an entrance video of the former NXT champ.

Owens' haircut and tattoos look great. The details are impressive there. His gait is odd, though, and he is noticeably slimmer than he is in real life.

IGN also released a handful of new stills of the game. They show off the high-quality graphics WWE 2K16 boasts.

Austin and John Cena look particularly good. Like last year, detail and character models look to be a strength.

It looks as well like players are going to be able to add some excellent-looking beards for their created wrestlers. Hair, facial or otherwise, has long been a difficult thing to capture in video game form.

This sneak peak, courtesy of the WWE 2Kdev Instagram account, shows 2K has clearly been working on that issue:

Gamers also got an early look at improved visuals when it comes to attire. When creating a new Superstar, one will now have some choices with ring gear material.

As seen in this video from the developers, attire will feature different textures for attire made from vinyl, matte or something else:

Once you get your bearded, masked heel created, you can then have him steal wins by way of an illegal pin.

The previous update mentioned dirty pins being added to the WWE 2K16 arsenal. The WWE2Kdev YouTube account provides a glimpse of those in action:

Seeing all these details and finer points of the game is promising. They are certain to add to the depth of the experience. Fans, though, are surely eager to hear about some bigger-picture items too.

How will MyCareer be improved? What rivalries will be a part of 2K Showcase? Has gameplay been made more realistic, more fun? 

Those answers are on their way. SummerSlam weekend is certain to be heavy on WWE 2K16 news.