WWE 2K18 - Roster Prediction

Image Source: WWE 2K18 News

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Doesn't a year fly by? It only feels like a few months since we were contemplating whether Goldberg's appearance in WWE 2K17 would lead to a proper return to the company (it did, and in grand fashion too), and it doesn't feel like it was that long ago when we were debating the decision to have Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator characters as the pre-order exclusives for WWE 2K16. Hell, even the meltdown regarding the purged WWE 2K15 roster is still fresh in mind.

Getting back to the point of this article: it is that time of year once again where the WWE/2K collaborative team are hard at work preparing this year's flagship game for its annual autumn release. The hype for WWE 2K18 began several weeks ago, and whilst we haven't seen any screenshots of the game yet, it's only a matter of time before we do. Around that time, we should start properly hearing about which wrestlers have made the grade for the nineteenth installment of this hugely-popular yet somewhat flawed series (I'll gripe about the shortcomings of recent WWE games another time).

Make no mistake about it: for WWE fans who have a passion for videogames, this is an exciting time. It's almost as exciting as WrestleMania Season. Seriously, it's a lot of fun to consider what the next game will deliver, where it may repair damage from past editions, and how it might provide innovations to make a massive and positive impact. Sure, there are always bumps in the road, and some would argue that there hasn't been a truly great WWE game in a long, long time. But if the series was truly dogs--t, then we wouldn't still be seeing annual WWE releases, and for all its faults, the WWE 2K series is incredibly important to WWE's financial revenue, as well as a yearly way for WWE fans the world over to create and recreate classic wrestling matches. Of course, this becomes easier when they have a generously large and star-studded roster to play with.

And so we come to the roster for WWE 2K18. Well, let's start with the 2K17 crew: last year's game included a record 177 playable characters, which as ever included a fair number of duplicates. It brought in plenty of new faces amongst the regular roster (AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, The Four Horsewomen, Asuka, Austin Aries etc), as well as returning legends like the aforementioned Goldberg, Brutus Beefcake, Eddie Guerrero and The New Age Outlaws, along with some long-awaited fresh legends via DLC such as Tatanka, Psycho Sid and Papa Shango. This was alongside the usual faces, both current and retro, ultimately resulting in a roster that was both large and varied, making for what was probably the strongest line-up ever in a wrestling game.

But even the 2K17 roster wasn't without its downsides. For starters, Roddy Piper, Batista, Sgt Slaughter and a fair few other legends were removed from 2K16. The game's new legends only came in the form of DLC; The Outlaws, Razor Ramon and Diesel were the only legends on the disc who weren't in 2K16, and they had been in previous games earlier this decade. Plus, managers were much smaller in number; there were only six, compared to more than 20 in the last title, which included Ted DiBiase not being a playable wrestler for the second year in a row. So, whilst it was undoubtedly a strong roster, and the biggest to date, it could have been so much better with a bit of tinkering and a greater sense of logic.

Fortunately, that was last year. This year is a whole new year, and 2K18 has the potential to blow 2K17 out of the water when it comes to the roster. For starters, we've already been told that this year's crew will be by far the largest yet, granted, this has become an annual trend, but it's always reassuring to know that we'll be treated to another record-breaking line-up. And whilst the decision to stop the series appearing on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 will be disappointing for those who still own those consoles, it's fair to say that keeping the game accessible for previous-gen probably held it back in a few areas, and the roster was likely one of them. Sure, the PS3 and 360 versions got the entire 177-strong line-ups, but who's to say that the power of the PS4 and Xbox One (and the new Nintendo Switch) couldn't allow the roster to expand well beyond 200? We're four years into the ninth console generation now, and with rumours that development for the next console generation has at least already been seriously discussed internally, now is as good a time as ever to start really capitalising on the consoles that we have currently.

We also already know a few names who are guaranteed to make it. Cover boy Seth Rollins is obviously in, but so is Kurt Angle. Making his first WWE videogame appearance in 11 years, Angle's inclusion - and his status as the pre-order exclusive - was guaranteed from the second his Hall Of Fame induction was announced, yet that doesn't change the fact that it will be a real treat to once again play as Angle in a WWE game; to underscore the significance of this, Angle's only appearance on a PS3 game was in TNA iMPACT! So, it's been a long time coming, to say the very least. Plus, we've just heard about the Deluxe and Collector's Editions providing pre-order exclusives in the form of John Cena circa 2006 and 2010, as well as Rob Van Dam and Batista. RVD hasn't been in a WWE game since 2K15; Batista missed last year's outing. So, we already have three popular stars from the not-so-distant past confirmed for the game, all of whom weren't in 2K17, so it's a great start to get fans buzzing about WWE 2K18.

But then what? Well, several dozen characters from today's WWE crew are virtually guaranteed to be in, and from the legends who we saw in 2K17, I would estimate that a good 70-75% are extremely likely to reappear in 2K18. Some have already basically been revealed as part of the teasers seen in the 2K18 trailers: items relating to Andre The Giant, Big Boss Man, Bret Hart, Brutus Beefcake, Cactus Jack, Chris Jericho, Diesel, Dusty Rhodes, Edge, Goldberg, Jake Roberts, John Bradshaw Layfield, Mankind, Papa Shango, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Sting, Tatanka, Ted DiBiase (who will hopefully be playable again at last), Triple H, Ultimate Warrior and The Undertaker were seen in the trailers, which almost certainly guarantees that they will be back in the fold for 2K18.

So, since a large number of the characters from 2K17 are most probably going to appear in 2K18, I'll instead focus on those who will be debuting, returning and/or have question marks before jumping to my full predicted roster for the game. Let's start with the newbies: the NXT debutants over the last twelve months have included Bobby Roode, Andrade "Cien" Almas, No Way Jose, Ember Moon, the former members of DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciappa), The Authors Of Pain (Akam and Razar), TM-61 (Nick Miller and Shane Torne), Roderick Strong and Sanity. From Sanity, I only foresee Eric Young and Nikki Cross making it in, at least before DLC. We've also had some returnees to the brand, who I'll cover when I consider DLC.

Prior to the release of last year's game, WWE held the Cruiserweight Classic, which ultimately led to the revival of the Cruiserweight division and the introduction of 205 Live as a weekly show. Regardless of your opinions about all this, this has still led to several performers getting a chance that they may not have previously received, and this includes them potentially appearing in 2K18. Those who I believe will be included are TJP, Rich Swann, Akira Tozawa, Cedric Alexander, Noam Dar and Jack Gallagher. This doesn't comprise the entire division, but these are the names most pushed on Raw/205 Live between September and the spring who debuted via the Cruiserweight set-up.

Then there was the United Kingdom Championship tournament. Honestly, I only see Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne making it in, given that the UK Championship weekly programme has still yet to properly launch, and even then, I think that both will come as DLC. So, we'll come back to these two, and since the Mae Young Classic women's tournament won't be televised until the end of next month, I seriously doubt that anybody who will debut in that competition will be in 2K18 either.

Otherwise, there are only two other completely new faces who will appear on the current roster. One is Elias Samson, who had previously been on NXT but who has moonlighted on Raw for several months now. The other is James Ellsworth, who became the most unlikely hit with WWE fans in many years, perhaps since Eugene in 2004. Even though Ellsworth's role has reduced over time and his popularity is nowhere near what it was in the autumn of 2016, he'll definitely be in the game. As for Mike Kanellis, who recently debuted alongside the returning Maria Kanellis: I will cover those two when focusing on DLC.

We've talked about the new faces who will be on the roster, but let's consider those who won't be in the game that appeared in 2K17. Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Simon Gotch and Stardust all left WWE (Stardust actually left months before 2K17 was released, but he remained in the game), so they'll all be absent this year. Blake and Murphy remain under contract, but they've fallen so far down the radar that I can't see them re-appearing in 2K18. I would have said Tyson Kidd won't be included since his last WWE match occurred more than two years ago, but he has stated that he will be included, so there you go. As for The Dudley Boyz, this could go either way. They officially left WWE after SummerSlam, but D-Von still works for the company; however, Bubba Ray signed with Ring Of Honor in March, reducing his chances of appearing and, consequently, those of D-Von. But did his ROH debut occur too late to have him taken out of 2K18? I'm going to take the pessimistic route and suggest that 2K18 won't retain The Dudleyz, but I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever if they were included after all, especially with a certain extreme tag team having returned to WWE at Mania 33 (more on those two shortly). And I predict that Austin Aries will remain in the game despite him recently leaving the company, since A-Double will have been locked in before this news filtered out.

Now, then, the fun part: considering which wrestlers who have returned to WWE will be in 2K18. There's plenty to choose from. Jinder Mahal is the obvious one as things stand, which is fascinating considering his status just a few months ago (oh, by the way, I doubt that The Singh Brothers will be in 2K18 since they have only wrestled once on 205 Live, when they were still The Bollywood Boys). Then we have Rhyno, Brian Kendrick, Mickie James and Curt Hawkins. We also technically have Primo and Epico, formerly Diego and Fernando of Los Matadores. I'm inclined to believe that Tajiri may sneak in, since he appeared on 205 Live at the start of the year, and only recently confirmed that he was leaving WWE, so he might just make it on a technicality of sorts. Oh, and then there's the Hardyz, Matt and Jeff, the legendary tag team who are finally back in WWE, and who I believe will be part of the existing roster in 2K18 as a further incentive for fans to buy (as in, they won't be DLC). Finally, I don't envision that either The Spirit Squad or The Headbangers will be in, since they disappeared in late 2016 and are unlikely to return anytime soon.

I'll cover DLC at the end, but now let's talk about the most intriguing aspect of the roster: the legends. As noted, 2K17 was disappointing when it came to completely new legends prior to DLC. A big reason for that was the decision not to have a Showcase mode. At time of writing, 2K haven't yet confirmed whether or not there will be a Showcase mode but, since they've talked about the other modes already, it unfortunately seems more likely that they've chosen to bypass Showcase, aside from the Hall Of Fame DLC, for another year (which is a big mistake, but I'll wait until this information is confirmed before having a rant about it). In the event that Showcase IS back, then there is suddenly potential for a fair number of fresh legends to appear. If not, then this becomes less likely - but not impossible.

Therefore, I have to take the careful step of predicting legends who may or may not appear depending on a Showcase mode which may or may not be included, based on a character or a theme which could literally be anyone or anything. Phew!

Let's think about the legends who weren't in 2K17 or in any recent games, as this may provide the answers. Funny that I should use that expression because it isn't too dissimilar to a phrase used by Roddy Piper, a man who returned in 2K16, only to be taken out for 2K17. I am predicting that he will be in 2K18 regardless, and we already have a teaser that Ted DiBiase is a playable wrestler once more. Otherwise, it becomes more tricky, partly because of the concussion lawsuit against WWE which is supported by many former stars (on the bright side, this is apparently going to be finally settled next month). Therefore, the safest bet may be to focus on legends whose character data could still be used, but who weren't in 2K17: Sgt Slaughter, X-Pac and Ken Shamrock, along with Faarooq and D'Lo Brown. The other Triangle Of Terror members frankly probably won't be included, and there's no need for Kama Mustafa if we have The Godfather and Papa Shango again, right? (Charles Wright played all three in case you're confused.)

I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that the final legend who will reappear in 2K18 will be Hulk Hogan. Yes, the Hulkster, who hasn't been seen in WWE, or in a WWE game, since the racism scandal of 2015 led to his abrupt WWE termination. But WWE has been slowly weaving him back into certain things, such as a WWE Network commercial and the intro for this year's WrestleMania. Let's face it: Hogan's WWE return is inevitable, and if it hasn't happened by this time next year, I will be very surprised. The best way for Hulk to resurface in a WWE game is for it to happen quietly, without much attention, thus reducing the likelihood of a major backlash. If that is the case, then his 1980s, nWo and 2000s personas are all likely to be in. This would round off the updated legends crew prior to DLC nicely, at least if we assume that there won't be a Showcase mode again. If there is, well that changed. As for any completely new legends? Without Showcase, 2K will likely save this for DLC (which I will get to, I promise).

As for legends who won't make it into another game? It's a matter of opinion, of course, but those who aren't particular popular amongst current fans and/or who aren't crying out to be featured in another game are likely to be cut. That means that Bam Bam Bigelow, Tatsumi Fujinami, Larry Zbyszko, The Bushwhackers, Rikishi and The Natural Disasters will probably all disappear this time around, along with Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Stunning Steve Austin. All of the other duplicate versions of legends should remain in, though, including all three Faces Of Foley (incidentally, I predict that Mick Foley is playable as Mick Foley, given his run as Raw General Manager in the preceding twelve months). And all of the 2K17 DLC characters should be back, all of which means that 2K18 should have a weighty line-up, which of course will be even better if we're treated to the return of Showcase.

So, now let's think about DLC, aside from the pre-order exclusives which have now been confirmed. One DLC pack could be NXT-themed, with appearances for Drew McIntyre, Kassius Ohno, Killian Dain, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay and possibly William Regal. Another DLC pack could have the Future Stars theme for the aforementioned UK names Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne, along with Tony Nese, Mustafa Ali and Gran Metallik for the Cruiserweight division, and maybe Mike and Maria Kanellis too. This year's Legends pack will be most intriguing, as it could potentially offer series debuts and/or returns to some truly classic names. I'd personally love to see Tito Santana and Rick Martel finally join the series, and a series debut for Hacksaw Jim Duggan is long overdue. I would love to see Doink make another appearance; the colourful character has only appeared once, and that was eight years ago, so a return would be very welcome. I don't get why IRS has never been in as a legend since Mike Rotunda a.k.a. Irwin R. Schyster has worked for WWE as a road agent for years, and two of his kids (Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas) have worked for WWE for years as well; maybe this year, Irwin finally gets in. Finally, perhaps this DLC pack could include Chyna, the ground-breaking female competitor who shone during the Attitude Era, but who had a major falling out with WWE and tragically passed away last year. This would at least serve as a tribute to Chyna, and it would also be her first videogame appearance in an astonishing 17 years, making this DLC pack a must-own.

Finally, we come to the Hall Of Fame 2017 DLC Showcase. Angle will already be involved, but he could have an additional attire from 2005 if this Showcase mode were to cover his classic WrestleMania 21 battle with Shawn Michaels (who would have a 2000s-era character slot as a result). The Rock 'N' Roll Express would be included, and it would be a shame if The Midnight Express, backed up by Jim Cornette, were not also involved. In fact, both main versions of Midnight (Bobby Eaton and Dennis Condrey, and Eaton and Stan Lane) could be included, since The Fabulous Freebirds received two matches in the previous HOF Showcase. Elsewhere, Beth Phoenix will be in, and her logical opponent would be Candice Michelle, since Beth beat Candice for her first Women's Championship at No Mercy 2007. Adding to that DDP vs. Christian from WM X8 (since the WCW version of Page is already in) and Rick Rude vs. Ultimate Warrior from WrestleMania V (giving both men additional attires) makes sense too.

The other inductee, besides Warrior Award winner Eric LeGrande (who probably won't be included), is Teddy Long. As a non-wrestler, do you pick one of his gimmicky matches? How about we go down a different route, and choose the one thing he's most famous for with modern fans, so "let's have a TAG TEAM MATCH, PLAYA!" It would be from SmackDown circa 2006, and it could see, say, King Booker and Finlay team up against Batista (Ruthless Aggression era) "AND THE UNDERTAKER! HOLLA HOLLA HOLLA!" Seriously, even though Finlay would be the only different character from those already present, this would be a perfect option, and preferable to playing out a gimmick match involving Long. If it included a pre-match scene of Teddy announcing the format, and he was available as a manager after the match, even better!

Though he wouldn't be wrestling, he could still become a manager in the game, as would Cornette and possibly Queen Sharmell, if we're including King Booker. They would join the managers already in the game, which would include Bobby Heenan, Paul Heyman and Lana from 2K17, as well as (hopefully) returns for Jimmy Hart and Paul Bearer, and also a series debut for Paul Ellering. Maryse will no doubt be a manager this year as well (she wrestled at WM 33, but I don't see her being a playable wrestler this time around), as could Bob Backlund, since he was Darren Young's "life coach" prior to his injury. Elsewhere, we already know that Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton will be the announce team, and JoJo will be the ring announcer. Rounding things off, expect the usual referee characters, though it'd be cool to have authentic officials to choose from, since we could pick referee shirts (which is basically what it was) in the last game.

Before I conclude, I haven't mentioned Owen Hart and CM Punk for the obvious reason: neither will be included for vastly different reasons. It's a real shame in Owen's case, since fans and even fellow Harts would love his memory to be celebrated in a manner such as the annual videogame. As for Punk, while I do believe that he will eventually return to WWE, it won't be for many years, ruling him out of 2K18 and the next couple of games in the series, at the very least.

As you can see, there are tons of characters who could find their way into 2K18, and bear in mind that there's many not included here, such as The Legion Of Doom and Demolition (who aren't likely to make it into a game so long as the aforementioned concussion lawsuit against WWE is active). We're bound to have a line-up which represents the roster split, as well as the NXT newbies, Cruiserweight competitors and the main UK faces, along with the usual generous supply of Legends. Crucially, the roster has to really blow last year's away if fans are to truly invest in 2K18, but fortunately the early signs are promising. Hopefully, it'll break the 200 barrier for the first time, and with this being the fourth game into the current videogame console generation, there's really no reason why this shouldn't happen. Other elements will determine if this game is truly epic, but at least the line-up has a strong chance of being incredible.

Summarising, then, this is my predicted roster for WWE 2K18, and I have provided the list in its entirety below. It won't be long before we start getting more news on the game, so in a few weeks' time, we will find out how similar the actual line-up is. If it is anything like the roster below, we're in for a real treat with WWE 2K18!

Leave your comments below if you agree or disagree with the choices, and give your feedback about who you would like to see in WWE 2K18!

Playable Characters:

Aiden English
AJ Styles
Akam
Akira Tozawa
Alexa Bliss
Alicia Fox
Alundra Blayze
Andrade "Cien" Almas
Andre The Giant
Apollo Crews
Arn Anderson
Asuka
Austin Aries
Baron Corbin
Batista (2006) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Batista (2010) (Pre-Order DLC)
Bayley
Becky Lynch
Beth Phoenix (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Big Boss Man (1990, 1999)
Big Cass
Big E
Big Show
Big Show (1999, 2000)
Billie Kay (NXT DLC)
Billy Gunn
Bo Dallas
Bobby Eaton (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Bobby Roode
Booker T
Bray Wyatt
Braun Strowman
Brian Kendrick
Brian Pillman (1993, 1997)
Brie Bella
Bret Hart (1997, 1998)
British Bulldog
Brock Lesnar
Brutus Beefcake
Buddy Roberts
Cactus Jack (1992, 1998)
Candice Michelle (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Carmella
Cedric Alexander
Cesaro
Chad Gable
Charlotte
Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho (2001)
Christian (2014)
Christian (2002) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Chyna (Legends DLC)
Curt Hawkins
Curtis Axel
Dana Brooke
Daniel Bryan
Darren Young
Dash Wilder
Dean Ambrose
Dennis Condrey (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Diamond Dallas Page (1992, 1997)
Diamond Dallas Page (2002) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Diesel
D'Lo Brown
Doink (Legends DLC)
Dolph Ziggler
Drew McIntyre (NXT DLC)
Dude Love
Dusty Rhodes
Eddie Guerrero
Edge
Elias Samson
Ember Moon
Emma
Enzo Amore
Epico
Eric Young
Erick Rowan
Eva Marie
Faarooq
Fandango
Finlay (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Finn Balor
The Godfather
Goldberg
Goldberg (1998, 2004)
Goldust
Gran Metallik (Future Stars DLC)
Greg Valentine
Hacksaw Jim Duggan (Legends DLC)
Heath Slater
Hideo Itami
Hollywood Hulk Hogan (2000s)
Hollywood Hulk Hogan (nWo)
Hulk Hogan (1980s)
IRS (Legends DLC)
Ivory
Jack Gallagher
Jacqueline
Jake Roberts (1991, 1996)
James Ellsworth
Jason Jordan
Jeff Hardy
Jey Uso
Jim Neidhart
Jimmy Garvin
Jimmy Uso
Jinder Mahal
John Bradshaw Layfield
John Cena
John Cena (2006) (Pre-Order DLC)
John Cena (2010) (Pre-Order DLC)
Johnny Gargano
Kalisto
Kane
Kane (1998)
Karl Anderson
Kassius Ohno (NXT DLC)
Ken Shamrock
Kerry Von Erich
Kevin Nash
Kevin Owens
Kevin Von Erich
Killian Dain (NXT DLC)
King Booker (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Kofi Kingston
Konnor
Kurt Angle (2001) (Pre-Order DLC)
Kurt Angle (2005) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Kurt Angle (2006) (Pre-Order DLC)
Lex Luger
Lita
Luke Gallows
Luke Harper
Mankind
Maria Kanellis (Future Stars DLC)
Mark Henry
Matt Hardy
Michael Hayes
Mick Foley
Mickie James
Mike Kanellis (Future Stars DLC)
The Miz
Mojo Rawley
Mr. Perfect
Mustafa Ali (Future Stars DLC)
Naomi
Natalya
Neville
Nia Jax
Nick Miller
Nikki Bella
Nikki Cross
No Way Jose
Noam Dar
Paige
Papa Shango
Pete Dunne (Future Stars DLC)
Peyton Royce (NXT DLC)
Primo
Psycho Sid
Randy Orton
Randy Savage
Razar
Razor Ramon
Rhyno
Ric Flair (1988, 1991, 2003)
Rich Swann
Rick Martel (Legends DLC)
Ricky Morton (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Rick Rude (1989) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Rick Rude (1990)
Ricky Steamboat (1991, 1994)
Road Dogg
Rob Van Dam (DLC)
Robert Gibson (Hall Of Fame DLC)
The Rock
The Rock (1997, 2001)
Roddy Piper
Roman Reigns
R-Truth
Rusev
Sami Zayn
Samoa Joe
Sasha Banks
Scott Dawson
Scott Hall
Seth Rollins
Sgt Slaughter
Shane McMahon
Shane Thorne
Shawn Michaels (1997, 1998)
Shawn Michaels (2005) (Hall Of Dame DLC)
Sheamus
Shinsuke Nakamura
Sin Cara
Stan Lane (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Stephanie McMahon
Steve Austin
Sting
Sting (1988, 1991)
Sting (1998, 1999)
Summer Rae
Tajiri
Tamina
Tatanka
Ted DiBiase
Tito Santana (Legends DLC)
Titus O'Neil
TJP
Tomasso Ciappa
Tony Nese (Future Stars DLC)
Triple H
Triple H (1998, 2001)
Trish Stratus
Tye Dillinger
Tyler Bate (Future Stars DLC)
Tyler Breeze
Tyson Kidd
Ultimate Warrior (1989) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Ultimate Warrior (1990, 1991)
The Undertaker
The Undertaker (1991, 1995, 1998, 1999)
The Undertaker (2006) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
The Undertaker (Biker)
Vader
Viktor
Vince McMahon
William Regal (NXT DLC)
Xavier Woods
X-Pac
Zack Ryder

Managers:

Bob Backlund
Bobby Heenan (1989) (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Bobby Heenan (1990)
Jim Cornette (Hall Of Fame DLC)
Jimmy Hart
Lana
Maryse
Paul Bearer
Paul Ellering
Paul Heyman
Queen Sharmell (DLC)
Theodore Long (Hall Of Fame DLC)

Commentators:

Byron Saxton
Corey Graves
Michael Cole

Ring Announcer:

JoJo

Referees:

TBC

A Wishlist For WWE 2K18

Image Source: WWE 2K18 News

Written By: Mark Armstrong

WrestleMania is well in the rear-view mirror now, the ratings have entered their usual spring slump, and Brock Lesnar is resting on a farm somewhere in Suplex City. All of which means that it must be time for the official announcement of the annual WWE videogame!

In all seriousness, late May/early June is usually the point where WWE and 2K begin to hype up their next videogame. Of course, it's hyped up to be the best game of all-time, even if its new features and innovations (and, more notably, its flaws) prevent it from meeting high expectations. Case in point: 2K17 was billed as a beast of a game, only for fans to discover that Showcase was removed, MyCareer remained a slog, the Promo Engine only reached part of its potential, much of the content was recycled from 2K16, and it was rife with glitches. So, whilst the most recent title delivered a lot of entertainment, it had too many limitations for it to be considered anything more than a really good game.

The good news, however, is that wrestling fans - or, at least, fans of wrestling videogames - never completely lose optimism that the next game will be better, and so anticipation has been building for a while concerning WWE 2K18, which is likely to hit stores in October. The development team has been hard at work for months already, and 2K even put out a series of forum topics earlier this year requesting fan feedback and ideas, so hopes are high that 2K18 might be a game to remember.

But what would make 2K18 an all-time great? How can WWE/2K improve upon recent games? Here's my wishlist for suggested changes, improvements and concepts which could make 2K18 stand out from the crowd.

Single-Player Modes

The first aspect of the game which requires the development team to don their thinking caps is the single-player feature set. The removal of 2K Showcase from 2K17 had a big, negative impact upon how much fans enjoyed the game, so Showcase (the ability to play through classic matches through a specific theme such as a wrestler, a feud or even an era) simply has to return. The Brock Lesnar Showcase mode which 2K had hoped to implement in 2K17 could be featured this time around now that Kurt Angle will be in the game (more on him shortly), but The Undertaker is another strong candidate, considering the recent end to his incredible career at WrestleMania 33; Taker has so many memorable moments to choose from that you could definitely build a game around that. Then there's the rise of The Shield and their singles careers, the NXT revolution, a vintage feud in Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels - there are tons of options, and no matter which ones 2K pick, there has to be at least one or two which the team could build the mode around. In a nutshell, 2K Showcase has to return.

But I don't think that would be enough. I believe that a return for the fondly-remembered Season mode is long overdue, and the 2016 revival of the Brand Extension makes it a great time to do so. You could play through a season on Raw and a season on SmackDown (and maybe even one on NXT?), working your way through simple yet exciting storylines. Perhaps you'll be cast as Randy Orton as he joins The Wyatt Family to destroy them from within. Maybe you'll be the focus of the United States Title Open Challenge. It's possible that you will simply look for the basic achievements like winning Money In The Bank, surviving the Elimination Chamber or winning the Royal Rumble and becoming WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Whatever the case, there's a load of storyline possibilities which, with convincing voiceovers from stars on both brands, creates a fun mode which writes itself. It has been so long since the glory days of Season mode on the SmackDown and SmackDown vs. Raw games that the return of this option would create massive anticipation for the game; it is a perfect companion to 2K Showcase, and those two modes alone would make 2K18 something special.

As for MyCareer: three games in, and the mode has only slightly evolved, with the prevailing emotion being one of boredom rather than excitement when playing through it. If 2K want this mode to remain in the game, it either needs to remove the filler content, especially from the early stages of the mode, or the interface and general experience needs to have a fresh coat of paint to make it interesting and worth the hours that a player needs to complete it. I think the general concept is good, but I don't see why it should take 10-12 hours or more when only a fraction of the content is actually entertaining. Personally, I wouldn't mind if MyCareer was scrapped altogether, but I would sooner see it revamped and/or streamlined so that this mode, which many players now avoid, becomes a highlight of the game.

A lot of fans want to see the return of General Manager mode. GM mode provided so much fun back in the day, and after the 2016 Draft brought back the roster split, there could be no better time to do this. However, Universe mode provides around 70% of the elements which GM mode used to have, along with innovations that the old option never did, such as renaming brands, changing shows, holding new PPV events and swopping titles. Therefore, I would like to see the elements of GM mode incorporated into Universe mode in 2K18. Give the player more control over the twists and turns, create a sense of competition between the brands, add the likes of TV ratings and PPV buy rates. In short, combine the Universe mode of 2K17 with the GM mode of the SvR era, and you have one fantastic mode which rounds off an incredible selection of single-player options for fans. It wouldn't take a lot of effort, and it would mostly be reviving old concepts rather than bringing about new ideas. I don't see why this can't be done, so hopefully this will actually happen.

The Roster

Now, we come to arguably the biggest draw of any WWE game, the roster. On the one hand, 2K17 had 177 playable characters in total, of which the DLC delivered quite a few new faces. On the other hand, many of the legends were recycled and, aside from DLC, none of the retro names were making their series debut. That being said, besides those who have left the company (Jack Swagger, Stardust, Simon Gotch etc), there are few wrestlers on the 2K17 line-up who fans would actually want to see taken out of the game. Problem is, WWE has added many new faces in the last 12 months, so for all of these (or even most of them) to make the grade, along with some new legends, a lot of wrestlers will seemingly have to fall by the wayside.

Or do they? After all, the FIFA series has hundreds of clubs with twenty-something players each, and has done since the PS2 era. Plus, the power of modern consoles provides tons more memory to potentially include loads more wrestlers; so is it really unreasonable to believe that 2K18 could have north of 200 wrestlers, or even a figure close to 250?

Let's consider the new faces who should make it in 2K18. Bobby Roode is an obvious one, and other strong contenders are TJ Perkins/TJP, Rich Swann, Kassius Ohno, The Authors Of Pain, No Way Jose, Ember Moon, Tyler Bate and others. Then there's the old faces who are likely to return to the series such as Rhyno, Curt Hawkins, Jinder Mahal and, of course, The Hardyz and Kurt Angle (who, incidentally, is the perfect candidate for the pre-order exclusive treatment; an America-themed promotional campaign for Kurt seems inevitable). Now consider legends who have never been in the series such as Tito Santana, Rick Martel (who was meant to be in 2K17 via the Hall Of Fame DLC), The Rock 'N' Roll Express (2017 Hall Of Famers), The Midnight Express (who could face Rock 'N' Roll in this year's HOF DLC), The Nasty Boys and Hacksaw Jim Duggan (who was in Legends Of WrestleMania, but hasn't ever been in the flagship series). I would love Owen Hart to debut in 2K18 but it seems incredibly unlikely. As for Hulk Hogan: his return to WWE is only a matter of time, so I would say that there's a good chance Hogan turns up in 2K18 (hey, he was featured during the opening video to WrestleMania again this year).

The main thing with the roster, though, is the sheer number. All of those names I have outlined and others would take the line-up to more than 200, and I really hope that 2K realises the roster should never decrease, especially at a time when so many wrestlers are vying for a spot in the game (they really are, if only for the royalty pay-checks). I'm hoping the roster size explodes this year, and that the 2K18 line-up really is the best roster ever in a WWE title.

Another thing that 2K should do is to freshen up the attires of the legends. The current roster will be fine, but we've had the same attire for the original Sting for three years now, we haven't had the modern-day version of Shawn Michaels for years, we haven't had the dreadlocks-wearing British Bulldog for ages, and so on. The thing with alternate costumes is that they can always be reused because fans will always want to use them over and over, but it shouldn't be at the expense of giving the characters new looks. In other words, give us HHH from SummerSlam 1998 (that cool-looking purple costume) instead of his boring costumes from earlier in his career. Give us old-school Brock Lesnar, old-school John Cena and even old-school Randy Orton. Give us Ricky Steamboat from WrestleMania III instead of WCW attires for the second game in a row. In a nutshell, the attires for most legends were lazy re-uses in 2K17, so I am hoping that the development team will freshen things up next time around. That goes for the roster too, obviously, although as I mentioned earlier, there are hardly any wrestlers who anyone would actively want to see taken out of the game (and on that note, Roddy Piper not being in 2K17 made no sense, so Hot Rod has to be back this year too).

Creation Suite, Arenas & Areas

Then there's the creation suite. I felt that this was the highlight of 2K17 due to the plethora of options and incredible depth to each mode. Therefore, I'll quickly summarise possible improvements in this department. We should get the return of Create A Finisher and possibly Create A Story (if Universe and GM mode are merged, as I suggested earlier). More slots for created wrestlers and arenas would be most appreciated since the totals haven't increased for a few years (it's been 100 for wrestlers since 2K14, with a dip for new-gen in 2K15, and it's been 50 for arenas since the mode's introduction back in WWE '12). Create An Entrance could benefit from the same advanced options being applied to stable entrances, and likewise for the new Create A Victory option. More authentic show themes for Create A Show would be nice (e.g. the Raw Attitude Era theme wasn't the real song). And let us create new attires for existing wrestlers in a manner which doesn't reduce the number of slots for completely new created wrestlers, otherwise this option is largely redundant. Oh, and allow users to go above the limit of downloading 20 created items per day, since the frequent loss of server signals already make the process longer than it needs to be for the otherwise superb Community Creations feature.

I mentioned earlier about how the development team were a bit lazy when it came to the roster and legends' attires, but they were even lazier when it came to retro arenas. Only a dozen were available prior to DLC, and basically all of them were rehashes from previous games. Some were logical, like Raw from 1998, but others were head-scratchers; why have the likes of Capitol Punishment 2011 and Fully Loaded 1999 over vintage WrestleManias or Royal Rumbles? The DLC added a couple of new/old venues, but overall the line-up of arenas (and their number, which was around a dozen or so smaller than that of 2K16) was a real let-down. It may not seem like a big deal, but entering classic settings from years gone by is one of the best parts of the game, and considering how WWE is now holding more PPV events and weekly shows (such as 205 Live) than ever before, the game will nearly be cracking the 30-arena mark before even getting to the old-school venues. So, I hope that this area of the game gets a lot more attention (perhaps via 2K Showcase) and that we'll get loads more vintage venues, and a few that we haven't enjoyed in a game before, either. Let's face it: how long have we had to wait for the old-school Survivor Series arena to make it into the flagship series?

Backstage areas and related weapon use formed a large part of 2K17's appeal, and the backstage and crowd-area chaos was a big positive for the game. In this department, the message is to simply build this up again to reach the heights of past games, along with environmental grapples and animations. Remember The Boogeyman hiding in the back of a hearse in the parking lot? Or the chance to tag-team with a stranger in a bar so that he would direct a pool ball towards your opponent's face? More of those ridiculous yet visually brilliant moments should be in 2K18, and if there are more cool backstage areas to battle in, then this becomes more likely to happen. It'd be nice to see the WWE 2K series follow the lead of Mario Kart by including some classic backstage areas from old games, such as the Kitchen from the original SmackDown or the Train Station from SmackDown Shut Your Mouth.

Match Types

A part of the game which needs serious improvement is the selection of matches. For PS4/Xbox One versions, the game has still yet to reintroduce match types which remain on the PS3/Xbox 360, such as Inferno, I Quit, First Blood, Championship Scramble and Special Guest Referee, not to mention format alterations like Tag Team Table, the Match Creator option (which, with a few minor tweaks, allowed you to stage Finisher and Flaming Table bouts, amongst others) and the simple ability to change the rules of basic bouts so that you could, say, make a match No Disqualification without it being billed as such.

However, even more annoyingly is the fact that no completely new match types have been added for years. You have to go all the way back to SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 for a completely new match type to be added in the series via the aforementioned Championship Scramble (although SvR 11 debuted Match Creator, and WWE '12 introduced the 40-man Royal Rumble which is no longer in the game). Some older stipulations were brought back in WWE '13 and 2K14, but there hasn't been one completely new match since the series went to new-gen, which for an annual franchise based on an industry which has dozens of potential stipulations to consider, that is awful, especially considering that the multitude of match options was once a trademark for the series.

2K should definitely make this a priority in 2K18. Firstly, all of the basic alternate formats (like Tag Team Table) should be in, since this wouldn't require much effort. Secondly, all of the stipulation bouts which remain on the PS3/Xbox 360 versions should make it to PS4/Xbox One, along with Match Creator and the ability to adjust simple rules. Lastly, there should be a couple of stipulation matches either debuting or returning. Casket has amazingly only ever been in one game, and that was 17 years ago! So, in the year that The Undertaker has retired, this particular bout really should be back in the game. The Asylum match (weapons on top of a steel cage) wasn't to everybody's liking when it happened last year, but it would be a lot of fun in a videogame, and as a recently-introduced stipulation, it would make sense to throw this one in. Finally, an Ambulance match has been rumoured for years but it has yet to materialise; given that its rules would be slightly similar to those of the Casket match, the emergency-themed match would be a good way to round things off, and even these additions would only scratch the surface of what fans would want to see. But it would be a big step forward, after years of steps backward or complete non-movement in this area.

Audio

Unusually, one of the issues when it comes to enjoying recent WWE games may be the fact that the audio during matches is more in line with real-life WWE television. By that, I mean that whilst it's great to have commentary, the standard of the announcing has always been lower than that of actual programming, partly due to the overly-scripted nature of their discussions, partly because they sound less energised than they do on TV, and partly because the announcing only occasionally reflects what is actually happening in the ring. In reality, great commentary can enhance the enjoyment of a match; in the 2K games, the opposite happens.

It's easy to suggest that the announcing could be better, and it should. However, perhaps an alternative option should be explored, whereby gamers can toggle between different options for audio during matches. The first option would be the standard announcing, though it'd be great to have the choice between different announce teams (since I'm assuming that both Raw and SmackDown announce teams will be in 2K18). The second option would be to have no commentary, giving the feel of actually being at a live event where the crowd chants provide the soundtrack.

The third option is more radical, though: how about the return of old-school background music (BGM), generic rock tracks or music of a different genre, which could play during matches instead of the normal announcing? Remember that in almost all of the classic WWF/WWE games (particularly No Mercy and Here Comes The Pain), we had BGM instead of commentary, so this hark to the past is not as mad as it may appear. The fourth and final option would be to have the game's actual soundtrack playing during bouts, a tactic which was used alongside commentary in the games around 2004-2005.

It may seem like a trivial thing, but let's face it: the announcing is one of the most criticised aspects of WWE games, and has been in almost every same title to date; however, it would be a step backwards to remove the commentary altogether. Therefore, it would be a wise move to provide these audio options, allowing gamers to choose the match soundtracks of their choice. If this happened, I guarantee that matches would suddenly become a lot more enjoyable, and those who do prefer the more realistic audio in recent games would still have that available to them. A win-win, in my opinion.

Gameplay

The biggest bug-bear I have with 2K17 is how slow the matches are. I like the idea of the games providing a sim-feel, ensuring that the bouts feel like real-life matches, but the action is just too slow. Even the more methodical performers in WWE, like Big Show and Braun Strowman, move quicker than wrestlers do in 2K17. What's more, the animations for longer moves (such as the People's Elbow) feel contrived and deliver less impact than the same moves did in games dating back just a couple of years, and the pacing of even minor things like referee counts and last-second kick-outs reduce what should be moments of high drama. Going back to my point about audio, the pace of matches was much quicker in past games, including all of the most fondly-remembered games.

To tackle this problem, I suggest a new Pacing option. Slow Pacing would deliver the speed and movement that we are seeing in the likes of 2K17. Medium Pacing would bring us a speed found in such games as SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 or WWE '13, where the matches aren't high-speed, but also aren't fought at a snail's pace. Finally, there's Fast Pacing, where all of the moves, animations and running techniques are sped up a tad, delivering the high-octane, arcade-esque experience found in the earlier SmackDown games, during the heyday of the series (which is not a coincidence). Those who prefer the modern slower pace would be accommodated, as would those who reminisce about the arcade days, and also those who want something between the two. We already have the Match Experience option, which ranges from quick-fire bouts to lengthier WrestleMania-type struggles, so why not the Pacing option?

Two suggested improvements for the price of one, now, which would both enhance the fun aspect of a match as well as making matches more realistic than ever before. I like the current control scheme used in the game, but it does have its detractors who, again, pine for the more simplified days of Circle and a direction pulling off a big move. So, how about having an alternative old-school control scheme, which is effectively an updated version of the controls from the pre-2007 SD games?

The other idea is harder to implement, and I'm not sure of the best way to do so, but it would make matches so much more authentic. Let's take the example of a typical match between a babyface and a heel; we'll cast John Cena as the face, and Dolph Ziggler as the heel. In recent games, it was generally a case of back-and-forth action, with the more skilled player triumphing in the end, regardless of the face/heel alignment or the tactics used by each wrestler. The Comeback option delivers potential late drama in a match, but otherwise that's the structure of a typical match in the game.

Now consider what could happen if this was the Basic Structure, and if we also had an Advanced Structure. In the Advanced Structure, the matches would follow a pattern much more suited to real life. In other words, the face and heel have an initial feeling-out period before the face takes control and builds momentum with a few nifty moves. With things going his way and the crowd behind him (well, supposedly if we're using Cena as an example), the face hits his first signature move and prepares to hit a finisher, only for the heel to use an illegal tactic (a poke to the eyes or a referee distraction) to swing things in his favour. The heel then controls the match, and locks the face in a wear-down submission hold which could slow the face down to the point where the heel, Ziggler, could prepare to hit his finisher and win.

At this point, though, the fans are trying to will the face - Cena - back into the match and, after he heroically escapes the submission hold, he builds momentum again (or perhaps he's cut off by another dastardly heel tactic). Either way, the match builds to the face pulling off his Comeback sequence (Cena's Five Moves Of Doom) leading to the first serious finisher attempt. The heel may block it with one last wicked villain tactic (say a roll-up with his feet on the ropes), before the face hits his secondary finisher (the STF?). This either sets up the heel to win with a finisher (albeit with a villainous use of the ropes again) or the face to hit his main finisher and win the match.

Of course, this doesn't include the other potential big moves and finisher kick-outs, and it is a very basic skeleton of a match. However, at least in a face vs. heel situation, this is what happens in 95% of regular-rules matches on WWE television and at house shows. If the development team can find a way to implement such a system into the game while making it fun and user-friendly (i.e. avoiding a situation where the player is sitting idly by for minutes while he waits for his player to regain control), this would truly replicate what happens in WWE. As stated, I'm not sure of the best method that 2K can use to make this a reality, but the matches would be so much more realistic if they could find a way, and for those who don't like it, the Basic Structure could allow them to play out matches in the usual fashion.

Miscellaneous

I've covered the main areas, so I'll conclude by providing a bunch of largely unrelated suggestions or areas which desperately need looking at. For starters, 2K17 was rife with glitches even after the patches, so 2K simply has to ensure the game is properly tested before its release and before new content is made available (Jerry Lawler flubbing his recording of a line about The Godfather's career, and then saying it again correctly, somehow made it into the game for the Hall Of Fame DLC). What's more, the installation process is unbelievably long; back in the PS2 days, games didn't require installation at all, and even on PS3/Xbox 360, it only takes a few minutes. It can literally take a full day, if not longer, to do the same on PS4 and Xbox One, and there's absolutely no need for it. When you have to open a game the day before you plan to play it just so that you actually can play it, that is ridiculous. This might be the thing that I hope 2K improves more than anything else, at least when it comes to playing the game for the first time.

Elsewhere, customised entrance tunes aren't going to happen while the consoles themselves prevent the ability to import music, so how about having an online WWE jukebox of all of the wrestler themes from the game, along with dozens of others for old names not in the game, and let gamers choose their favourite songs for created superstars from there? I still believe that a Cloud-like option, allowing you to save wrestlers, arenas and created items from past games with the chance to import them into future titles, would be a great idea, and it would allow 2K to include far more new content each year. Admittedly, the chance of this happening is low, but it's possible. I'd also like to see more minor options in 2K18 along the lines of those seen in 2K17, albeit with a little more logic. For instance, if we can pick a referee, let us pick from some real-life officials, and let us pick commentary teams and ring announcers.

In addition, online videos such as those produced by SmackTalks reveal that there are tons of hidden features and nuances in 2K17, so why not promote some of these beforehand, perhaps via an in-game challenge? Ask us to find the top rope RKO, or the secret Wyatt Family entrance, or Easter Eggs like vintage PPV posters in arena skyboxes. There are a lot of great things in the game which 99% of players (even those who devote hours to the franchise) would never discover, so 2K should make the most of this, otherwise their hard work is for naught. Also, the game no longer has a tutorial for new players, and the days of a hardback strategy guide are over, which means that first-time players may be blown away and would struggle to get to grips with a fairly complex game. Simple tutorial videos, perhaps narrated by a WWE personality, would go a long way.

I'll round things off with a few quick ideas: a chance to completely simulate the body of a match (big moves, interference, false finishes) would be cool, as would the chance to have actual arenas in the game such as Madison Square Garden, the All-State Arena and the Citrus Bowl/Camping World Stadium. Downloadable content should feel less like a chance to charge fans for the remaining content and more like an incentive to own bonus or fresh content, not to mention the ridiculous price for DLC overall when you consider that not all of it is included in the Season Pass. Some integration to the WWE Network would be logical, especially if Showcase mode returns (you could play a match in the game and then watch it on the Network). It is well overdue that we have eight (or preferably ten) on-screen characters during matches; anybody who has been playing WWE games since 2002 has never had the chance to stage full-on Survivor Series tag team elimination matches. Finally, bring back the old Locker Room feature because, as ultimately pointless as it was, it was still awesome, and lends itself to a ton of flexibility and creativity, especially nowadays on consoles with more storage space than ever before.

Actually, one more suggestion: make 2K18 the best wrestling game of all-time. Admittedly, the chances of this happening seem as likely as Roman Reigns becoming an universally popular babyface at this point, but really, there's no reason why this shouldn't be possible. The current games are certainly not bad (well, besides 2K15), and some of the games in recent years were the best in many years. The feature sets are much larger than they used to be for the most part, and the graphics blow away anything from the likes of No Mercy. The problem is that there hasn't been a "Best Wrestling Game Ever" contender for over a decade, and the common feeling shared by most is that the development team are happy to add bits and bobs while raking in the money rather than going all-out to truly deliver the absolute best wrestling game possible (the ton of glitches in 2K17 alone suggest that the latter wasn't their mindset with the most recent title). It's largely about making tweaks here and there, adding options here and there, and generally tightening things up while making the player experience as fun as possible. If 2K concentrated on that, and listening to the opinions shared by most longtime fans of the series, then 2K18 really could be an all-time great.

I've given my ideas - possibly too many! - so let's see if 2K use them. Even if they don't, let's hope that the concepts that they do use help to make WWE 2K18 a true wrestling classic.

WWE 2K17 - First Thoughts

Image Source: Deviant Art

Written By: Mark Armstrong

While WWE usually enters something of a lull during its autumn months, there is one bright spot as the dark nights come earlier and the air turns colder - and that is the release of the annual WWE videogame, as part of the flagship series which began over 16 years ago. And after only sprinklings of information for so long, the last couple of weeks have finally seen some proper details about the upcoming edition, WWE 2K17. With almost two months remaining until its (unusually early) release date of October 11, there will be plenty of time for even more news to come out about the game, but there is a decent amount available at present to be able to form an opinion of what we can expect in this year's outing.

The WWE videogame series has seen some highs and lows over the years. Many - most, actually - say that the series peaked in the mid-2000s on PlayStation 2, and that all of the subsequent efforts on PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and, in recent times, PS4 and Xbox One, have not lived up to the standard set by such games as SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain or SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006. I feel the same way, although WWE '13 and WWE 2K14 were very good efforts, the best since the glory days of the mid-Noughties. WWE 2K15 took a major step back in its premature debut on current-gen consoles, and whilst WWE 2K16 was a big improvement, it still had plenty of areas where it was lacking or underdeveloped.

So, what can we predict for WWE 2K17 at this stage?

Beginning with the roster, so far we know that Goldberg is the pre-order exclusive and Brock Lesnar is the cover star. We have also been informed that this year's roster will be larger than last year's record line-up of 165 characters after downloadable content. Speaking of DLC, there will be four packs this year, which I believe does not include the pre-order NXT special which includes series debuts for Apollo Crews, Nia Jax and the pretty awesome Shinsuke Nakamura. The roster is yet to be announced in full, but by the looks of things the vast majority of the legends who appeared in 2K16 will be returning in 2K17 (as was the case the previous year too), and some 2K15 retro names might even make a second encore appearance this time around. The roster should be fairly updated, as we get returns for The Dudleyz and Albert Del Rio, along with first-time showings for the likes of AJ Styles. Oh, and the Four Horsewomen are in (well, three of them are confirmed; Bayley is highly likely to feature too, although it's yet to be officially announced).

What we don't know yet is which former names might be making a return or a first-time appearance; people like Bruno Sammartino, Eddie Guerrero, Mick Foley (the non-gimmick version) for returning faces, or people like Tito Santana, Rick Martel or The Nasty Boys for debuting icons. That is partly due to the situation surrounding the game's key mode (which I'll delve into shortly), but the hope is that this year's roster won't just be last year's crew with the most recent additions to the WWE crop. Part of the appeal is seeing some familiar faces from the past, even if they weren't main eventing WrestleMania back in the day; the likes of Savio Vega, Haku and D'Lo Brown being good examples in 2K16.

Fortunately, it's more than likely that we'll get some fresh Legends, so chances are that a few more of our old favourites will be ticked off the fantasy list and make an appearance in 2K17. Either way, the roster looks like it will be larger, stronger and better than that of 2K16 (and we haven't heard yet of the alternate characters for wrestlers, such as multiple versions of The Undertaker), and if a couple of pleasant surprises are thrown in there too, then the 2K17 roster should be the best yet. Don't expect shock names to provide too much of a jolt, though: the chances of Hulk Hogan reappearing this year are low, and for independent names (which Kurt Angle now qualifies as) or for the likes of Owen Hart, it doesn't seem like barriers have been broken to get them in this year either.

We know this because in a blog on the 2K website, it was acknowledged that the 2K Showcase mode (which officially started in 2K15, although a similar version has appeared since WWE '13) won't be in the game this year, partially because of the number of former stars who simply could not be included in the game. Since a Brock Lesnar Showcase was hinted at, you can bet that this would have included Angle in a perfect world, and with former WWE name Rob Van Dam, current TNA star Jeff Hardy and WWE's public enemy number one CM Punk all playing a role in Lesnar's past, that would be a lot of murky territory for 2K to wade through. Long story short, we may get some surprise legends, but none that will rock the WWE boat, so to speak.

On that topic, though, the big news is the lack of a Showcase mode, with 2K explaining that a sub-standard mode would be unappealing and, therefore, not worthwhile. That makes sense, but the big concern is that 2K17 will not have a proper single-player mode to speak of. Sure, MyCareer and Universe are in again, but they've played second fiddle to Showcase in the last two games; and in the past, Season mode, Story mode, Road To WrestleMania, Attitude Era, 30 Years Of WrestleMania and others have all been presented as the main crux of the game. The idea that this game might not have such an option is a big let-down, even if most players don't touch it once they've played through it once and unlocked everything on offer,.

The hope is that 2K will announce a replacement mode, such as a revamped Season mode or an update on the old Challenge option. If we get such an announcement, then the absence of Showcase won't be a big issue, but if that doesn't occur, then 2K17 will seem a lot less exciting for gamers, especially those who don't enjoy playing MyCareer or Universe. We shall see, but this unexpected news is definitely the big negative surrounding the game so far.

MyCareer and Universe will be updated to incorporate a brand new Promo Engine; translated, players can now cut promos as part of their Career paths or their Universe storylines. Whether gamers can choose what to say in text form or use recorded dialogue (or, better yet, record your OWN dialogue and use it in the game) is currently unknown. Either way, it's a potentially major step forward, especially in Universe which has quietly become a great side-option for hardcore fans who want to truly recreate the WWE landscape or use the tools in place to bring back WCW or make a mini TNA using created wrestlers and arenas. We'll need to know more about this before ranking its success, but it definitely looks like both modes will be improved this time out (MyCareer will also have an additional square-off with Brock Lesnar at some stage, accompanied as ever by Paul Heyman who has allegedly recorded voiceovers for such a development; and Universe has many new scenes and scenes re-recorded to keep them fresh). I just hope the interface of both modes will be a lot simpler; fans will be using these modes more frequently in the absence of Showcase, so they can't be overwhelming enough to drive away players before they can sample the benefits of each mode.

The Creative Suite has expanded again, although perhaps not to the extent that people will have hoped. There's still no return for Create A Finisher, but Create A Wrestler and Create A Show now have additional options, and there's the return of Create A Video, whereby footage saved from matches or created from scratch in the Highlight Replay feature (mirroring the old Highlight Reel tool) can be used during entrance videos and the like. Plus, Create A Victory is a new addition, which I believe is allowing you to form how one celebrates winning a match, from Steve Austin beer bashes to Hogan-esque posedowns. There's no word on whether we can create more wrestlers and arenas during those modes, and there's always the chance (a low one, mind you) that Create A Finisher could still be announced. Whatever the case, this year's additions are positive, and those who enjoy creating content should have plenty to keep them occupied this time around.

The most exciting announcements about the game so far concern the gameplay. The chain wrestling sequences will now be occasional rather than automatic at the start of matches, and the control scheme will make chain exchanges easier to utilise. The submission bar (a big criticism in 2K16) has been overhauled to make things simpler, as well as there being an alternate system for those wishing for a return to submission options in previous games. Taunts now have a greater purpose for increasing momentum and recoveries, with new positions making for more taunt options than ever before. A new Roll-Out system applies to multi-man affairs to mirror real life; think of Triple Threat clashes where two wrestlers will have a continuous exchange, with a third man eventually interrupting them, dumping one out and then going at it with the remaining combatant, and so on; and during Ladder matches, imagine you and your opponent taking a spill, then two others battling it out until they take a major bump, and so on.

In addition, Major Reversals are a new feature which do what the name suggests: a Major Reversal avoids a finisher, whilst boosting your momentum greatly and also preventing your opponent from reversing any of your offence for a short period of time. This kind of makes sense, although we'll need to see it in action first. Plus, although this hasn't been confirmed, snippets of gameplay footage indicate a new star rating system during matches, whereby the better the match is that you're playing, the higher the rating becomes. This lends itself to one putting on matches with the intention of providing a fantastic performance, rather than simply trying to win. During Ladder bouts, the structure can only be placed in a few areas, but each lends itself to either making the climb-up-and-retrieve-the-prize process a lot easier, or it provides a perfect set-up for a hellacious move from ten feet in the air.

Oh, and you can now pull out a giant ladder during MITB and TLC bouts (and regular Ladder bouts too, I guess), straddle it between the ring and the crowd barrier, and drive a poor opponent through it. Cool!

And then there's the return of some old favourites. For the first time since SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, matches can now end up in the crowd, with designated areas in place that include weapons. Plus, backstage brawling returns with several new areas, which interlink so that you can start a match in the arena, work your way into the hallway and end up in the office of The Authority (a cool cut-scene sees Triple H snarl as you enter his workplace during a hardcore battle). Add to that the presence of additional weapons in those locations and some OMG! Moments in each area to ensure that you don't bounce off invisible walls in each room, and it's safe to say that the action will be a lot more entertaining in 2K17. I can see fans spending a lot of time taking their fights to the stands and around the arena complex. The word "fun" has almost been sacrificed for realism in recent WWE games, so these minor additions make a big difference in ensuring that fans will actually enjoy their grappling in 2K17.

Oh, and P Diddy has chosen the soundtrack for the game. Erm, okay then.

There's still nearly two months before 2K17 is released, during which time there will be plenty more information distributed about the game. I am personally hoping that we notice an increased pace during matches, to avoid bouts feeling like a bit of a slog at times; some first-time appearances for fondly-remembered Legends; a new Season or Story mode to replace the eliminated Showcase mode; a couple of new or returning match stipulations such as Stretcher, Ambulance or Inferno (since, backstage brawls aside, there's been no mention of increasing the match options, despite this once being a series trademark); and preferably one more Creation mode (Create A Finisher, ideally), along with the chance to create slightly more wrestlers and arenas (and the proper return of Superstar Threads). It'd be nice too if the restrictions on the number of daily downloads via Community Creations were taken away, as it made an already-long process even more stretched out. I was going to hope that the commentary is improved, but that's as far-fetched as expecting a Kurt Angle cameo at this point.

But so far, it sounds like WWE 2K17 will be a strong outing. With the exception of Showcase being removed, everything which has been announced so far is positive, and some aspects (like fighting through the crowd) have been long-requested for a debut or a return by fans. The gameplay changes suggest that the wrestling engine, which was strong in 2K16, will be better still this time, and the hardcore-related capers mean that, for the first time in years, fans can play matches with the intention of just having fun; plus, for those who prefer realism in their WWE games, the star-rating system during bouts provides a new mini-goal for those who want to replicate the ups and downs of a truly great wrestling match. All we need now is for the roster to be a truly impressive line-up with some fresh retro faces thrown into the mix and a worthy replacement for Showcase, and we could have a beast of a wrestling game on our hands.

It's too early to say whether 2K17 will live up to expectations, but it certainly sounds like it will be superior to 2K16. Could it really measure up to fondly-remembered titles like Here Comes The Pain? We'll have to wait and see; but for the first time in years, a WWE game is on the horizon which, from a gameplay and a features standpoint, could be a true classic. The announcements so far are mostly very promising; if we get even more good news over the next two months, then the 2K series could mimic the real-life WWE by ushering in a New Era for wrestling games.

17 Seventeens For WWE 2K17

Image Source: Deviant Art

Written By: Mark Armstrong

That time of year has come around once again, where the countdown begins to the annual WWE videogame offering. As with WWE's biggest event WrestleMania, news is brief and based more on rumour than fact at first, before the occasional announcement eventually gives way to the full-on hype suggesting that this one will be the best yet, even if the evidence doesn't suggest such an outcome.

And make no mistake about it, the hype has begun for WWE 2K17. We know that Goldberg will be this year's pre-order exclusive, with both WCW and WWE characters set to be available for 'Da Man (along with two vintage WCW arenas). We know from E3 that John Cena, Sasha Banks and The Ultimate Warrior will definitely be included. And we know that Brock Lesnar will be the cover star for the eighteenth game of the most successful wrestling videogame series ever.

It probably won't be long before the official announcement of WWE 2K17's main features, and the roster is likely to be drip-fed from around SummerSlam time onwards. As things stand, however, WWE and 2K Games are remaining tight-lipped about what 2K17 will provide; or, more to the point, how 2K17 will be superior to 2K16 and its predecessors.

This is my wishlist of what I hope 2K17 will either introduce, revive or simply improve upon if it is indeed to become an all-time great videogame. I have split the wishes into sections as some aspects require a fair amount of work, but if 2K17 can adhere to these suggestions, then it could potentially be viewed in future as one of the best wrestling games to date.

1. Roster

After disappointment concerning the 2K15 roster, 2K16 treated us to a final line-up consisting of a whopping 165 playable characters, by far a series record. And with plenty of new faces on Raw, SmackDown and NXT since spring/summer 2015, along with the likelihood of the Four Horsewomen finally being included in full after inexplicably being omitted from 2K16, there is every chance that this year's roster will be even bigger and better.

That being said, there are no guarantees, as we saw when 2K15 replaced a wealth of legendary names with four Randy Ortons, two Rybacks and three Mark Henrys. Therefore, my roster suggestion comes in three parts: expand the field to around 200; include every current name possible, whether they be main roster or NXT (and whether they're male or female); and just as 2K16 included most of the legends featured in 2K15, 2K17 should look to emulate this formula, thus ensuring that no classic names are dropped.

In terms of which legends could debut/return, the biggest name who has a modicum of a chance of reappearing is Kurt Angle, but it would be a bold move by WWE to allow Angle to be featured. Owen Hart was not included in 2K16, a game where it was clear that he should have been included as part of the Steve Austin Showcase, so without Angle, the chance of a top name making a years-in-the-making comeback or debut in the series seems low. That being said, there are some retro stars that I'd like to see make a cameo in 2K17 who we haven't yet seen in the series, such as Psycho Sid (whose only appearance was as a referee two years ago), Tito Santana, Rick Martel, Marty Jannetty and The Nasty Boys. A return for Demolition and The Legion Of Doom would be cool alongside the already-announced return of Goldberg. But I believe it is too soon for Hulk Hogan to make a surprise return to the series in 2K17, although I do believe he will be back in the fold by 2K18.

2. Arenas

The last two games have featured more than 50 arenas. With the surplus of PPV events, Network specials and NXT Takeover events alongside classic venues, there is no reason why 2K17 couldn't feature upwards of 70 arenas after DLC, especially if 2K16 arenas were imported into the game in the same manner that playable characters were from 2K15 to 2K16. Between the hundreds of WWE supershows, dozens of WCW PPV events, ECW shows and cards held by past companies whose trademarks are owned by WWE (AWA, World Class, Mid-South etc), gamers could be treated to 100 arenas in the game and still be left wanting more.

For now, let's hope for 60-65 arenas to ensure a new yet realistic peak for fighting venues. It would also be nice for backstage venues to have a prominent and fun role again, as they did in years gone by, and it would be cool if we had actual venues to select as a host for the likes of Royal Rumble and SummerSlam, such as Madison Square Garden, the Staples Center and the Allstate Arena.

3. Season

I touched upon this for my 2K16 wishlist last year (which you can read by clicking here), so I'll keep it brief: it's been a long time since we had a chance to properly live the life of a WWE character via storylines and major PPV matches, so it's about time that we got a brand new, and better than ever, Season experience in 2K17. That Paul Heyman has apparently recorded voiceovers for the game could be a sign that this may just happen (or maybe not).

4. Showcase

That being said, reliving past matches has been the main crux of the game for years now, primarily through the recent Showcase mode that recaps a particular feud or wrestler. With Brock Lesnar on the cover and as the face of the marketing campaign, the odds are high that we'll get a Lesnar Showcase mode, which would undoubtedly be fun (this could be where Kurt Angle makes that shock return appearance). But I'd also love to see The Undertaker spotlighted in Showcase, since there are literally dozens of memorable matches you could play through, with a whole cast of classic characters spanning 25 years. Taker's 25th anniversary at last year's Survivor Series is good enough reason to go down this path. In many ways, Undertaker is the perfect candidate for a Showcase spotlight. And you could even link the two Showcases with the Lesnar-Taker matches of 2002-3 and 2014-5 (particularly their unforgettable battle, or rather their match with an unforgettable result, at WrestleMania XXX).

Hopefully, as part of the downloadable content, we'll also get another Hall Of Fame Showcase for this year's HOF inductees, after the successful 2015 HOF Showcase we received in 2K16.

5. Create Modes

A big criticism of 2K15 on next-gen consoles concerned the removal and trimming of the creation suite, generally a trademark of the series. This was fortunately corrected for the most part last year, but there are still some missing create modes. Therefore, in 2K17 I'm hoping for the return of Create A Finisher and Create A Story, and for the old Superstar Threads option to return so that we can have, say, three alternate attires for Seth Rollins rather than three created character slots taken up so that we can have Seth in said costumes.

If it were possible, it'd also be cool to see the number of create slots for wrestlers to pass the 100 mark, since this combined with the hoped-for size of the main roster could lead to a gigantic crew of characters when all is said and done. Similarly, having more than 50 arenas would provide a new peak total for the mode, which has remained at the 50-mark since its debut appearance in WWE '12.

6. Gameplay

Ah, the gameplay. Now, the gameplay was actually very good in 2K16, the best it's been in a long, long time - but it isn't quite flawless yet.

The action needs to be a little faster, a bit more exciting in its execution. The button interface could do with a bit of tweaking to help make the action move along quicker. Having access to more moves from a standing position would help, since we have many options from every other position. And the submission and chain wrestling bars need to be simplified to make it easier for fans to control and to potentially control or win matches from such moves.

Fortunately, as alluded to, the wrestling action was overall strong in 2K16, so with minor tweaks to improve the gameplay experience, basically to make it more fun and easier to handle, then 2K17 could have a wrestling engine to match the greatest wrestling games to date.

7. Other Key Modes

MyCareer and Universe both returned for 2K16. I enjoy MyCareer, but feel that it's lacking something; it feels a bit too uneventful at times, and it feels like a lot of work is required for minor achievements. That being said, the concept is a good one and has proven fairly popular, so I hope to see it return, perhaps in a more streamlined form for its early stages, in 2K17.

Universe has been around since SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, and I am wondering whether the time has come to change things up. It almost tries to do too much, because while you do have the ability to essentially create your own little WWE, erm, Universe, the CPU involvement (such as throwing in unexpected cutscenes during matches) can hinder whatever you're trying to achieve. And while Universe was essential to play through to attain certain unlockables in its early years, now it almost feels like a spare mode, with little significance to one's completion of the game as a whole.

I don't necessarily think that it should be removed, but it could definitely use a refresh. The previous (and previously popular) General Manager mode will have new relevance after the upcoming WWE brand extension, so if WWE and 2K take the strongest elements of both Universe and GM mode and put together a fresh new single-player option, which promises ultimate control yet also allows for occasional twists and turns if that option is selected, then the series could have an exciting new feature on its hands.

8. New (Or Old) Matches

While 2K16 repaired some of the damage left by the decision to remove many match types for next-gen versions of 2K15, the match options remain a lot smaller than they had been in previous years. At a time when WWE has dozens of potential stipulations to use for such events as Extreme Rules, the games haven't offered so few possibilities since the very early days of the series.

Rather than listing all the various match types I'd like to see return, I'll instead point out that there are many matches which have been taken out of the series over the years, so bringing back even a handful of these would be sufficient. Likewise, there are stipulations which we've never seen in a WWE game such as a Stretcher match, a Texas Bull Rope match or even the Asylum match which debuted at the most recent Extreme Rules. And then there's the non-WWE stips which would be incredibly fun to play through, such as War Games.

Simply put, an expanded match set will go a long way towards satisfying fans who purchase 2K17.

9. Graphics

The graphics have largely been strong since the shift in focus to PS4/Xbox One for 2K15. But certain characters looked dodgy to say the least in 2K16, especially Renee Young whose teeth looked - well - terrible. (Even she pointed this out on Twitter!) This request is simply for 2K to make sure that everyone at least looks presentable, if not quite lifelike in all cases.

10. Unlockables - More, Please!

One thing which 2K cannot be accused of is providing only a minor number of unlockables. While SvR 11 had around 32 hidden items before DLC, in 2K16 the final total stretched to well over 200, and that was before DLC. Hopefully, this trend will continue for 2K17, since it greatly increases one's playing time, and I'd ideally like to see hidden alternate attires for as many wrestlers as possible, even if it were just importing their costumes from the previous game.

11. Online

I have to admit, I'm not big into online gameplay, although I do delve into it from time to time. If I were looking for improvements in this area, I would simply ask for better connections from the 2K servers, especially when downloading created content via Community Creations (which in itself had a restriction of so many items per day in 2K16, which I hope is lifted for 2K17). Speaking of online downloads ...

12. DLC

Although some may disagree, I think that downloadable content has greatly benefitted the series since its debut in SvR 2009. Once a game is completed, you still have some new material to look forward to, and 2K16 provided over 30 bonus characters via DLC.

Hopefully, the DLC packs will be just as strong for 2K17, and will hopefully provide some items which we may not normally get on the game, such as an ECW pack or a range of arenas from, say, the 1980s. Ideally, any current-roster additions would be for those who arrived around May-June time, since having established characters as DLC makes the process feel like some wrestlers were set aside to ensure higher payments from gamers, rather than them being presented as a bonus update.

13. Eight On-Screen Characters

I asked last year for there to be eight on-screen characters available during the likes of Royal Rumbles and tag bouts. That option, which we have only received in SmackDown! Just Bring It way back in 2001 (and Royal Rumble on the Dreamcast in 2000), was not provided. I ask for it again in 2K17, and I will ask for it every year until it happens, because let's face it: why can't this be done at a time when computer consoles can provide unimaginable features?

14. Music

Two quick requests relating to music: bring back the Custom Soundtrack option which allowed users to import any song as a wrestler's theme tune, and ensure that all songs are authentic for main characters (Randy Savage, Ric Flair and The British Bulldog were amongst those with artificial or incorrect themes in 2K16).

15. Better Commentary

Longtime fans of the series may look at this as asking too much, but let's be honest: Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler's interplay, whilst better than it has been in the past, still felt contrived in 2K16, especially when they discussed forgotten PPV encounters rather than true legendary moments, and John Bradshaw Layfield simply sounded bored. Meanwhile, they only vaguely refer to the match in progress, as opposed to providing true play-by-play.

Listen to the commentary on FIFA and compare it to the announcing of an actual football match, and then put that audio experience alongside that for WWE games and WWE television. After all these years, the commentary still remains a weakness of wrestling videogames; surely, this has to change for 2K17.

16. League

Here's a minor revelation: each summer, I put together my own League competition for a select number of top characters, complete with specific arenas and matches for each one. Not only is it fun (it actually gets very dramatic during the final weeks; if you ever want to know who has won the League, leave a comment below and I'll tell you since it does have a pretty good lineage at this point!), but it's also original by wrestling standards, it provides another mode of sorts, and it's perfect to play out during the summer months, since by this point the most recent game of the series will have been played out to the max. With the League, the game remains fresh and by the time it comes to an end, the hype has begun for the next game, resulting in just a few months of anticipation rather than close to a year.

So, the request is simple: give us an official League option for 2K17!

17. Miscellaneous

I'll finish with a couple of minor wishes. I am hoping for more authentic wrestler weapons (we still can't use a nightstick during matches involving Big Boss Man, for example), some more lifelike options to act out during Royal Rumble and Ladder/TLC matches (the possibilities are endless), a cheaper price for a product whose cost enters the £75 range after DLC (okay, this is a ludicrous wish) and more realistic crowd audio; give us an atmosphere to die for during The Rock vs. John Cena, rather than the same response we get for Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler. The presentation is generally topnotch, but adding show intros before matches (e.g. the Raw intro video before a match at that venue) would also be a nice touch.

Finally, I'd also love to see a return for the old Locker Room option; sure, it was essentially pointless, but it was cool to have a mini-house to hold championships and trophies, and to use the likes of wrestler props and posters (SvR 2007 had a Steve Austin poster which I actually had hanging up on my door!). The computer option within the Locker Room could link to any of the main single-player modes, and it could even provide a link to WWE Network content to accompany, say, Showcase matches (this was another request which didn't transpire in 2K16).

So, that's my wishlist for WWE 2K17. It sounds like a lot to ask for, but all of it is possible. And 2K16 did make big strides over the previous entry in the series, so we could very well receive a totally new experience for 2K17. Unlike last year's game, which had to fix a lot of the damage caused by 2K15, the upcoming game has enough already in place that by making improvements in the right areas and introducing some relevant and fun new content, it has a real chance of being remembered as a truly great WWE videogame.

We'll soon find out whether that is the case and if 2K17 will rank alongside the likes of No Mercy, SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain or SvR 2006, or if it will flat-line and reduce optimism for the games going forward. Let's hope for the best, and let's hope that a few months from now, WWE 2K17 will be entered into conversations about the greatest wrestling games of all-time. And if it is, perhaps some of the ideas listed above will be a big reason why.

16 Sixteens For WWE 2K16

Image Source: The WWE Rumors

Written By: Mark Armstrong

With WrestleMania approaching, not only is this a crucial time for the WWE product on-screen, but it is also the time of year when the developers of WWE's videogame series, 2K Sports, will be hard at work as the current, spring version of WWE tends to be what we see in the year's game. This includes all the additions, updates, story creations and everything else which accompanies it.

However, it is safe to say that this year's game WWE 2K16 must hit a home run, to use an American analogy. The much-hyped 2K15 was a disappointment both on previous-gen and on next-gen consoles for varying reasons, leading it to be one of the lowest-rated releases of the entire series since it began way back in 2000. So, what can 2K do to ensure that the next instalment is a memorable one for the right reasons, and could even be considered one of the best of them all? Here are my suggestions; with it being 2K16, I felt that providing 16 top ideas for new content or improvements would be suitable (even if this is actually the 17th game of the main series).

1. Roster: Increase the total, have as many stars as possible, and cover all bases

When it was announced, the line-up for 2K15 was greeted with cries of "Is that it?" All the top, then-current WWE names were in, but the sheer number had dropped sufficiently from 2K14. I didn't mind at first, as I assumed that we would be told the unlockable wrestlers later which would bring the total up. But it never happened; all we got was an admittedly strong DLC line-up which meant the lowest roster in three years. (That being said, if you include "retro" versions of characters which weren't mentioned at the time, such as those for Randy Orton and Batista, the figure does edge nearer to those for WWE '13 and 2K14.)

So, how to ensure this doesn't happen again this time? Firstly, ensure that the total hits the three-figure mark, preferably over 105 (the highest in series history for WWE '13). There is certainly enough disc space, especially on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, so WWE and 2K should prevent complaints off the bat by having the largest total in history. (Some would say that the figure should actually be double that considering that we had mid-60s a decade ago, and games like FIFA have 500 squads of 20-plus characters; but let's be realistic and stick to around 110-115 as a target total.)

Secondly, fans want to play as the current names and as the big names. So, make sure that all of today's top superstars are in (which is usually not an issue), but also include as many big-name legends as possible. 2K14 included a wealth of them, so let's ensure that the very top names are here: Austin, Rock, Hogan, Bret, Savage, Warrior, HBK, Undertaker, Flair, Andre, Piper, Sammartino, The LOD, Foley, Goldberg, Y2J, RVD, Booker T, Nash, Hall, Eddie, Edge & Christian - in short, make sure that all those names who are most likely to top fans' wish lists are here. It's cool to play as a new face like Rusev or Bo Dallas in 2K15, but if the game doesn't have top, top names, then the game will be less appealing; this was a key complaint of 2K15 when noting the roster shrinkage.

Lastly, fans also want diversity in the line-up, and they want fresh or returning faces. The current line-up should be fine for this; it's the retro characters where this is vital. I've mentioned including top names, which is essential, but there are also fans playing this who want to relive ECW, or WCW vs. nWo, or a particular era in WWE history. So, ensure that the line-up will have something for everyone. You could have Sting, Dusty, Flair and the Horsemen as WCW Legends; RVD, Funk, Sabu and Sandman as ECW Legends; and space out the WWE names to reflect eras (so Austin, Rock, Mankind and DX for the Attitude Era; Hogan, Warrior, Savage, Piper, Jake, DiBiase and Andre for the 80s/early 90s etc.).

As for fresh or returning faces? 2K14 and to a lesser extent 2K15 has included almost every fresh name possible when it comes to Legends. To me, the biggest name to be included which would make an impact would be Kurt Angle, but his TNA affiliation prevents that (and for the Hardyz too). If it could be done for Hulk Hogan in 2K14 during his TNA run, though, is it not possible for these three? Failing that, finding a way to finally have Owen Hart as a playable character would be incredible; he is the biggest name to have never been in any entry of the series. If that is also an impossibility due to legal issues, then you're looking at returning names like Piper, Mr. Perfect and older names making a first series appearance like Bob Backlund. If Owen and the TNA stars can't be included, it is even more essential to ensure that the retro line-up is loaded with star power and has some characters to accommodate fans of every era and each top promotion, and that the roster as a whole is bigger and much better than in 2K15. Delivering the largest and the best roster to date is a good start for 2K16.

2. 2K Cloud

But what if your favourites still don't make it into 2K16 for whatever reason, especially those who were in 2K15 (CM Punk being the perfect example)? My idea for a new, innovative, multi-year feature is the 2K Cloud.

The Cloud allows you to save data ranging from photographs to music. In this case, the 2K Cloud would allow you to save up to 100 wrestlers, 50 arenas, 75 alternate attires and other items over the course of the console generation. My thinking behind this feature is that if the newest version of the game did not include something you enjoyed from last time, you can import it in yourself as bonus DLC! For the roster, the obvious benefit is to include stars who are no longer with WWE and who are unlikely to return any time soon (Punk, Del Rio etc.), or characters who were in once and are not impossible but are unlikely to reappear (think the Attitude Era-themed WWE '13 which had the likes of Rikishi, Gangrel and Ken Shamrock). It also allows 2K to mix up the roster more each year: no longer would certain good-but-not-great names be essential inclusions, because via the 2K Cloud, they can be imported anyway. As stated, it could also work for arenas (such as all the WrestleMania arenas from 2K14), attires (John Cena's many T-Shirt-based costumes from the same game) and more. And, if the Cloud memory could be increased over time, better still.

Issues with graphics and updated game dimensions may be the only possible hindrance here. Otherwise, I think this would be the best possible new feature, maybe ever: how cool would it be to know that thanks to the Cloud, in a game or two's time you could potentially have a line-up of 200+ wrestlers before you even start creating characters? 2K Sports, make this happen!

3. A variety of arenas

Going back to arenas for a moment: one of the best things for me when playing as retro characters is to do so in their original environment. So, playing as Hogan vs. Andre at WrestleMania XXX is good, but to do it at WM III is a lot better. Classic arenas have only really been included over the last few years, surprisingly, but they're an important part of reliving classic feuds from yesteryear. But with the Attitude Era covered in WWE '13, with 2K14 including all of the WrestleManias to that point, and with the 2K15 selection being strong but a bit strange, what is the best route for 2K16? I go back to the point about the roster: fans want a bit of everything. WWE has held over 200 Pay-Per-Views so there is no way to include all of those arenas, and that doesn't include old TV shows or those of other promotions. The best route, then, is to cover each era to a point and to cover each event and, where applicable, each promotion.

Starting with WWF/WWE PPVs, a venue for Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series from each "main" era (80s, early-mid 90's, Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression) would be great. King Of The Ring and In Your House covers the rest of the mid-90s. Moving forward, one venue for each of the following events would be suitable: No Way Out, Backlash, Judgment Day, Vengeance, Unforgiven, No Mercy and Armageddon. One-offs like Bad Blood, Over The Edge 1998, Fully Loaded and more recent ones like Breaking Point, Fatal 4 Way and Elimination Chamber should have an entry too. Basically, have as many different show arenas covering as many eras as possible rather than several similar ones (e.g. it was nice to have two more Hell In A Cell arenas in 2K15, but I would have much rather had more unique venues instead). As for WWE TV: Raw from the 90s, Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression years is really all you need. SmackDown for the latter two is fine too, as are one entry apiece for classics like Saturday Night's Main Event, Superstars and Wrestling Challenge. Maybe throw in one for Heat, Velocity and an old-school MSG, or even a House Show arena. All the current ones will be in anyway, so to add more arenas you have to focus on the past.

WCW could be represented by Nitro, a few nWo-era PPVs and a couple from the earlier years (even an NWA-era location like the first Starrcade). ECW, the same: a couple of TV or PPVs from both the original and WWE versions (as much as people slate the WWE-era ECW, the aisle for the TV show in 2007 was pretty cool). You could even stretch to an AWA location or even ones for promotions like Mid-South; the line-up will probably have some Legends who wrestled there, so why not another venue for them? On that note, as some were more about the building than the event name itself, how about including some legendary wrestling venues such as MSG, Wembley Stadium, the Cow Palace and the Mid-South Colosseum?

I haven't mentioned WrestleMania yet. That's because the number of WM arenas you put in depends on how much room there is following the inclusion of the arenas suggested above. If you can only fit in a handful of Manias, again go for one from each era. If you can include some more, double the number of venues per time period. If it is possible, though, to have all the WrestleManias alongside those mentioned, then definitely do it: in Create An Arena, WrestleMania is the main arena people would focus on, and it's the only event where I would suggest having them all in; this is just to ensure that all other arenas are covered in some way before having a WrestleMania influx. That way, every key arena is in, with classic venues from each era, leaving room for more creativity and flexibility in Create An Arena. Assuming it's in this time out.

4. Restore full creation suite

For reasons presumably related to simply getting the game out there on next-gen, three creation modes are absent on 2K15 on the PS4 and Xbox One: Create An Arena, Move Set and Championship. Which takes out a lot of enjoyment and, in the case of the middle omission, removes a mode dating back to the series' very early days. As such, I would normally suggest ways to improve the creation modes, but for 2K16 I simply ask for the full suite to return, for more easy access when using downloadable content (there were reports that one had to play through the game to get Community Creations which is insane), and as a way of showing appreciation to those who tolerated the lacklustre creation modes in 2K16, having the largest number of possible created items to date, especially for wrestlers (just 25 wrestlers to make in 2K15 on next-gen is the lowest total since 2001; this should have a "1" in front of it to satisfy those who only learned this fact after buying the game).

5. Improved controls and gameplay

Returning to the core of the game: I understood what 2K were trying to do by having bouts begin with chain wrestling lock-ups, but the execution is horrible; I have had the game for months and still can't get the hang of it, and as someone who has played every single game of the series, I don't think that is pretty good. My other qualms are the difficulty in executing finishers, the unnecessarily high difficulty of certain matches (tag bouts, six-man tag matches, and certain matches in key modes e.g. the NXT mode on previous-gen), the impossibility to prevent prolonged attacks from a CPU opponent at times, and the somewhat dodgy submission bar. All of these need to be fixed, ideally with a return to the circle-based control scheme of earlier games. I would say that improving the gameplay experience in these areas is essential: controls can make a good wrestling game great, but they can also make what is an otherwise reasonable game very awkward to play. That was the case for 2K15; this has to be fixed for 2K16, otherwise all the other improvements will be for naught in churning out a quality game.

6. More logic in 2K Showcase

Once I overcome the ridiculously high difficulty of the levels, I enjoyed 2K Showcase, but for 2K16, there is a tremendous opportunity to expand. There are few limitations, whether it be a focus on feuds, superstars, eras etc. I would recommend modes with accompanying hidden content on the following topics: the rise of Hulkamania; Austin vs. McMahon; WCW vs nWo; The Yes Movement; Bret vs. Shawn; The Streak; Once In A Lifetime or The Early Years. Alternatively, combine it all into one with a History Mode that uses the elements of Showcase to go through the entire annals of WWE history from Bruno to Backlund, Hogan to Bret, Austin to Rock and HHH to Cena. Plus, this would perfectly tie in with the use of unlockables to cover any and all eras, and it could also include key bouts from other promotions (e.g. Goldberg vs. Hogan from Nitro in 1998). Whatever the direction, it is obvious that the subjects in 2K15 - especially the DLC ones - could perhaps have been better selected, so this should be an easy fix for 2WK16. I would, however, request that all in-match missions are noted beforehand, as it isn't fun to complete a match and learn afterwards that you missed a key objective that you hadn't even been told about.

7. The return of Season

What about the other modes, MyCareer and Universe? I would suggest to just improve them however one would recommend, although I would say that MyCareer could do with a bit more oomph in making lesser bouts matter. What I would really like to see, though, is the return of Season. Not seen since SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, this is a basic 12-month calendar in current WWE which a) would make the 2015 wrestlers matter; b) include intriguing stories with worthy unlockables, and c) provide an additional mode for those who have completed the other three. I personally have never been the biggest fan of Universe; I like it for the creativity but not as a replacement for Season. The two can co-exist, and whereas MyCareer looks at you as an athlete, Universe focuses on you as a booker, and Showcase relives classic moments, Season can fill in the gap and provide stories ranging from a months-long feud stemming from a faction break-up (think Ambrose vs. Rollins) to a saga with Bray Wyatt and his unusual methods of intimidation to crazy shenanigans which can only happen in WWE and which would provide perfect entertainment in a videogame (Damien Mizdow being Miz's stunt double is a prime example). In short, Season should return, and this additional mode could make a good game great.

8. Graphics

By and large, I like the graphics of 2K15, although some wrestlers could be better. That's on next-gen anyway. On previous-gen, some graphics (especially Vince McMahon) are shocking and inexcusably bad. It's one thing if you can tell it's a videogame; it's another thing when the characters just look awful. If there are PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of 2K16 planned, these must be addressed, otherwise it's a slap in the face to those who have all the entries on those platforms.

9. Sound

I found the sound to be fairly good, but what did annoy me was how you could barely hear commentary due to entrance music volume levels, and despite on-screen sliders, there aren't any real options to change this. A minor issue but one which could be addressed nonetheless. I would also like to see the option to import audio for crowd chants, and why take out the chance to have custom music playing on menus? This was a good but underdeveloped option in 2K14 but, instead of fixing it (i.e. not having to create a sole playlist for one custom song), 2K took it out altogether. Again, it's minor, but something which needs to be addressed.

10. DLC

I felt the DLC for 2K15 was fair with two exceptions. One, the all-included package, erm, didn't include all the content, which was a bit of an insult for a game priced at £54.99 on next-gen. Two, the choice of bonus wrestlers was odd. If you're focusing on WCW, I can understand not wanting to repeat those in 2K14, but let's be honest: there were 20-30 wrestlers, just from the Nitro years, which would have been better than having Fit Finlay with a hairstyle on his render that doesn’t even match that of his model.

I would like 2K to ensure that all DLC can be bought at once, or at least have an additional unannounced DLC released in around May which simply wasn't developed in time to include when the DLC bundle could be purchased. Have each DLC pack include a theme to, again, let all bases be covered (an ECW pack, a WCW pack, an Attitude pack, a tag team pack etc.). Six or seven packs can be done, so long as the content is worth buying. And, last but not least, how about allowing the fans to vote on what extra characters, arenas, Showcase plots they would like to see? Going back to a previous point, if you asked fans to vote online from the late 90's WCW have talent pool for a line-up of five for DLC, chances are that nobody would have selected the wrestlers who were included. Besides, for some who only spent a bit of time there like Bam Bam Bigelow, fans would much rather play the WWE versions; if you're going for WCW, have those synonymous like Flair, Sting or even older names like Harley Race.

As a complete aside just because I mentioned DLC when the wrestlers weren't announced at the release date: in the past, the DLC was already known before it came out due to the strategy guide. This was slightly annoying, but worse is that there was no strategy guide at all for 2K15, for the first time in relation to a wrestling game since the 1990s. And for a game that was awkward to play too! This is a very minor issue, but one which in the big picture matters: let's have a Strategy Guide for 2K16 please.

11. Matches: fix, bring back old and bring in new

Matches haven't been developed too greatly in recent years. We've largely seen old omitted bouts return. In 2K15, we got the comeback of Casket and 3 Stages Of Hell, but only in Showcase. Worse, though, was that many match types were taken out, including long-time ones like a 1-on-1 Ladder match. It is beyond essential to fix this for 2K16, and once fixed, have some new bouts in. Yes, it would be good to see Casket return as an actual match, but how about having War Games for the first time? Or even Barbed Wire? Something different which stretches the developers to deliver something truly different and exceptional. But even if this can't be done, at least restore the original match numbers, because 2K15 looks half-finished without even basic stipulation bouts.

12. Fun!

One criticism of recent games is that they just aren't as fun to play as the older games. Hopefully, bringing back the mid-2000s control scheme will fix that in the ring, but outside the ring, the game needs to have something engaging. I think bringing back Locker Room would help: as pointless as it was in the grand scheme of things, it was a good distraction to decorate it to suit your wishes and to have a much clearer and unique way of tracking game stats (such as who your current Champions were). But I also think that a navigation mode would be cool: say, something like WWE World (since Universe is already taken) where you go backstage and find items, end up in fights or have unusual challenges like climbing a ladder to retrieve an unlockable item hanging from the ceiling of a room. You could go around the whole arena, and outside it or even on top of it, and go beyond in a GTA-like world where you explore Times Square again or even take a plane to a foreign location. All with a purpose of a) unlocking items, b) getting in unusual match situations and c) just having fun.

And on that note, the areas could be used also for hardcore matches: the backstage brawls have been downsized to the point where they provide very little fun now, so capitalising on those from the original SmackDown! games, World could unlock backstage areas that lead you to take a match from the ring through the boiler room, out of the arena, and maybe even into the sea (think of Al Snow vs. Hardcore Holly at St Valentine's Day Massacre), into a hotel (several old Raw scenes come to mind) or even a hospital ("calling Dr. Austin!"). Or, in short, develop a mini-world with unique backdrops reflecting WWE history that, in itself, would be a whole lot of fun.

13. Eight On-screen Characters

This is brief and to the point: we have only ever had eight on-screen wrestlers in one game for the series, which was way back in 2001. This surely can be remedied for PS4/Xbox One?

14. Good Times With Weapons

I borrowed the title of a South Park episode for this point. Many wrestlers, past and present, have weapons that are unique to them, from Big Boss Man's nightstick to Hacksaw Jim Duggan's 2 x 4. But few ever make it into the game, and are not associated with the wrestlers in the way they should be (e.g. having only Triple H retrieve the sledgehammer as a bonus ability, maybe). Plus, in earlier SmackDown! games and others like No Mercy, you had all sorts of unusual weapons like watermelons, flowers and even a big slab of cheese. Part of the fun of wrestling are the matches which see unusual props used, and this should be transferred to the games to make them more fun, but at the very least, weapons synonymous with wrestlers should be included.

15. Tie in with the WWE Network

Since the wrestling gamers who spend the most time on the likes of 2K15 are generally the die-hard fans, at least amongst the older generations, and since the WWE Network is always looking for new subscribers, how about having a free month of the WWE Network as a pre-order exclusive? Plus, why not include the Network within the game? Using 2K15 as an example: say you've relived the Shawn Michaels-Triple H match from SummerSlam 2002 but want to see how it played out for real; a post-match option could say "Click here to watch" and, assuming you have an account, you could go right into the WWE Network and watch the match in its entirety. Since the Network is accessible on these consoles (although I can't watch it on PS3 or PS4 for reasons I have yet to work out), this should be easily done.

16. Make WWE 2K17 the best game ever!

This may seem like an unusual statement; after all, 2K16 is in development, so why talk about 2K17 now? The reason is that, by writing this piece, I have realised that there are a lot of problems which require fixing for 2K16 alone. Even if they are remedied, the game will only really return to the level that it has been at for the last few years. There is so much which could be fixed, improved or built upon that it is unrealistic to expect it all to be done for 2K16. So, I think that the best option is for 2K Sports to do as much as they can to improve on 2K15's errors, add as much new content as is possible and generally make it as good as they can, and then use this as a springboard to building on it even more and making 2K17 the greatest wrestling game of all-time.

If the building blocks are put in place for this year's game, and there is a lot to like about it, then by tweaking the formula and adding more content, 2K17 should theoretically become the standard-bearer for all future wrestling videogames. Granted, I want 2K16 to be as good as can be, and I hope 2K16 could challenge the likes of No Mercy (can you believe that this winter marks 15 years since that game hit the Nintendo 64?), but when you look at the big picture, you realise that 2K15 had so many flaws, the best 2K16 can do is to fix them and add new content. If that's the case, by improving further, 2K17 should be the best ever. Let's hope so, anyway.

Or let's hope that 2K Sports surprise us and WWE 2K16 becomes the greatest wrestling game ever. It could do if they use some of the ideas I have suggested above; leave your thoughts below!