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We had the chance to talk to the devs of WWE 2K23 and to take the Triple Threat mode online.
Triple Threat online multiplayer impressions (video)
Interview
Shortly before WWE 2K23 was released we had the chance to talk to Visual Concepts’ Creative Director Lynell Jinks and Associate Producer Bryan Williams, Associate Producer VC.
XTgamer: Can you please elaborate on how Universe Mode is playing out differently due to being aligned to MyRise?
Visual Concepts: Universe continues to be a customizable sandbox feature with the lighter Superstar sub-mode.
XTgamer: A lot of modes can now be played online, such as MyGM and MyFACTION. Do you plan to support cross-platform-play?
Visual Concepts: WWE 2K23 supports cross-platform community creations, so you can use custom Superstars, Arenas and more across platforms. MyGM can be played online through remote play on Steam and PlayStation, but we don’t offer full online support at this time.
XTgamer: How do you make the game accessible for newcomers?
Visual Concepts: One new feature that players might find more accessible is the optional pin mechanic that rewards careful timing, rather than button-mashing. Of course button-mashing is still there for players who love the intensity it brings.
XTgamer: Was each wrestler scanned and/or mo-capped before being implemented in the game?
Visual Concepts: We use advanced facial scanning technology to capture the features of WWE Superstars
XTgamer: What are the differences between the last- and current-gen versions of WWE 2K23?
Visual Concepts: There are no differences at the features level. Only performance differences between current and last-gen platforms
XTgamer: The “Cover Star Reveal” trailer showed John Cena button-mashing. Are any of the wrestlers gamers themselves?
Visual Concepts: Yes! Many WWE Superstars are gamers. To name just a few: The New Day, Johnny Gargano, Omos, Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley, Seth Rollins, Zelina Vega, Liv Morgan, Ricochet, Shelton Benjamin, Dominik Mysterio, The Usos, and more!
XTgamer: How much freedom does WWE give you in the development of the game? Are there any guidelines or restrictions WWE loosened during the cooperation with 2K throughout the years?
Visual Concepts: There’s a certain level of trust we’ve had to earn, which has allowed us to use our imaginations and creativity to explore what a WWE video game can be. WWE is a great partner and they work with us throughout the development process to ensure we incorporate their latest brand guidelines and insights.
XTgamer: Any plans on bringing the Showcase mode featuring another wrestler back in next year’s 10th anniversary WWE 2K game?
Visual Concepts: We’re still putting the finishing touches on WWE 2K23! We’ll share more about future iterations of the franchise when the time comes.
WWE 2K23 is available since March 17th, 2023 on Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
The publisher provided us with access codes for the game on Steam and with the screenshots.