WWE 2K22: Release Date, Roster, New Features and Known Superstar Ratings

Much has changed for WWE and the video game landscape since the previous installment of the WWE 2K series from developer Visual Concepts and publisher 2K Sports was released.

Case in point: WWE 2K22's full roster list, at the time of its March 11 launch, boasts Superstars who have already been released or left the company while the game was in development.

Since WWE 2K20 was released in October of 2019, a launch that sent the series into a hiatus, the promotion has undergone massive roster changes, shaken up brands like NXT, seen major competition arrive elsewhere and so much more.

Much of that will be reflected in WWE 2K22, where some of the usual suspects, plus legends and even released Superstars, rank among some of the game's highest-rated names:

• AJ Styles: 91
• Becky Lynch: 92
• Braun Strowman: 90
• Brock Lesnar: 94
• Demon Finn Balor: 90
• Hollywood Hogan (nWo 4-Life Edition): 92
• John Cena: 92

Everyone on that full roster list has an accompanying rating. That includes variations of the same Superstar, such as the following versions included in the Undertaker Immortal Pack:

• Ministry of Darkness (Undertaker Immortal Pack): 93
• Phantom Mask (Undertaker Immortal Pack): 88
• Boneyard Match (Undertaker Immortal Pack): 91

Pre-ordering one of the game's versions, by the way, gives players access to the game three days early Tuesday. Besides the standard edition, there are nWo 4-Life Edition and Deluxe Edition to consider, with both carrying varying bonuses.

Fittingly, the folks behind WWE 2K have made sure the game itself feels different after the lengthy absence.

First up on any must-know basis is the revamped gameplay. Returning players will feel a marked change the first time they pick up the controller because gone are the old submission and combat systems in place of something that feels more like a modern fighter.

This means players will need to learn combos to execute certain moves and partake in a more timing-based system when it comes to blocks and dodges. It also means the game should feel even more welcoming to new players.

Alongside the revamped gameplay and presentation—which occurs naturally thanks to the next-generation consoles that launched during the series' hiatus—the next biggest thing to know is the long-awaited return of MyGM.

Like the beloved mode of old, players will get to sit in the general manager's chair of Raw or SmackDown. Drafting the brand's roster, managing every Superstar on it, controlling a budget and overseeing entire show layouts while getting feedback in the form of match and television ratings sounds like a mode that is every bit as immersive as some of its best iterations in the past.

While perhaps not as big as MyGM, the arrival of a new mode called MyFACTION could end up being a big hit too.

If card-collecting modes in games like Madden and FIFA are any sign, taking the same approach with WWE Superstars past and present should be a big success for 2K22. This new mode draws inspiration from those modes found in other sporting games, tasking players with collecting a faction while tackling challenges that update on a daily and weekly basis, if not more.

While there aren't a ton of details on the mode just yet, one could argue WWE is positioned better than most to dive deep into wrestling's history and keep the game interesting and varied over the course of its lifespan.

Fittingly, returns are a huge part of pro wrestling. Some of the sport's most iconic moments feature the returns of beloved Superstars. WWE 2K22, partially due to this, has major expectations chasing it to its release date.

While everything sounds great, long-term fan reaction beyond the initial hype will be dictated by how well the above performs in the ring itself. Players will find out soon enough, with the March 11 release date looming.