The launch of WWE 2K22 is now right around the corner. A real make-or-break chapter in the series' run as the developers behind it attempt to make up for the disaster that was WWE 2K20. Backlash following the arrival of 2K20 was so fierce, development of WWE 2K21 was canceled to allow more time to create a better game, hopefully changing the series for the better in the long term. On March 11, or March 8 if you have early access, it will become clearer whether that has been achieved.
The success of 2K22 isn't only key for WWE games moving forward because of what happened with 2K20. The arrival of AEW's first game is also on the horizon, so if the next WWE game isn't up to snuff, it may well lose a lot of its previously loyal player base to a potentially better wrestling game. That being said, AEW's Kenny Omega has attempted to temper fans' expectations by warning them the fledgling promotion's game won't compare to WWE 2K22, at least not visually.
“We’ll never be able to compete with the production values of WWE’s game. 2K22 is absolutely gorgeous,” Omega admitted during an interview with Wrestling Observer Radio. What 2K has been willing to show off of its upcoming title certainly looks good. Since it will be the first game in the series on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and having twice as much time to work on it, you would certainly hope that would be the case.
As for when we might see a little more of AEW's debut game, The Cleaner tried to not get fans' hopes up on that front either. There was a time when it seemed as if both games would launch around the same time, but that definitely won't be the case. Omega did half-promise that we might see a little more at Revolution next weekend, though. “We were hoping to possibly show a little more of where we’re at and progression and reveal possibly a new character.”
Whatever we get from WWE 2K22 and AEW's first game, this coming year is going to be a big one for wrestling games. Probably the biggest for more than two decades. WWE hasn't really had any real competition in that arena since the late '90s, back when WCW was making games for the N64. Speaking of which, even if AEW's game doesn't look perfect, it is being worked on by the same team who made WWF No Mercy, a title that is still considered to be one of, if not the best wrestling games ever.