2K’s WWE franchise returns in its usual bombastic style with WWE 2K25.

But beneath the showmanship of the “sports entertainment” branding, beats the heart of a very real and very polished fighting game.

I am about as far away from the usual demographic that WWE caters for. The set-ups, the cheeky taps the smashed tables and chairs all make my eyes roll back into my head. But WWE was reality TV before there was reality TV, offering fans excitement, drama and massive personalities in its superstar rivalries.

It’s been a couple of years since I last played a WWE 2K game. Even then I noticed the graphic advances being able to better showcase the look and feel of WWE, beyond the TV clips and videos. WWE 2K25 brings the contests to life.

The game has a ridiculous number of modes. Pretty much everything you see in real-world WWE has been shoehorned into the game. Be it Smackdown or Raw, or the up-and-coming superstars of NXT, you’ll find all the competitions in the game.

The game casts aside any notion that the WWE is choreographed theatre. Via a seemingly unending series of events and fight types, players enter the wrestling ring to engage in combat that doesn’t appear to have any rules whatsoever. The third-person bouts seem simplistic at first, but under the hood, WWE 2K25 is a full-on fighting game.

The game is easy to pick up, but surprisingly hard to master. With many of the moves requiring chained combos, there are loads of button combinations to remember. The four main moves are light and heavy attacks, grab and counter. Once an opponent connects, the only way to escape a potential barrage of attacks is to initiate a perfectly timed counter.

Light attacks will stun an opponent, whilst heavy attacks will deal damage. Each attack has four combinations matching the left stick direction, whilst running attacks can be used to clothesline your opponent.  Grabs can be chained for an Irish whip sending opponents into the ropes or start lifts that you can use to throw your opponent to the ground.

There are hundreds of combinations that enable players to duplicate some brutal moves on their opponents. Thankfully there is a tutorial section (the performance centre) that explains how to get the most out of your superstars. Whilst the tutorials are a lot of fun (and enable you to beat the crap out of your opponents) some of the more complex moves are not that well explained.

In playing the fights straight and with ever increasingly realistic graphics, WWE 2K25 is starting to stray into a bit of a grey area. Whereas family-friending WWE shows are as much about storylines, drama and showmanship, the game comes across as pretty bloody brutal at times. Superstars pummel each other without any hint that it is choreographed. It looks real.

This is exacerbated by the inclusion of intergender fights. Whilst female WWE superstars can hold their own against their male counterparts, watching The Rock pound Rhea Ripley’s face with a chair, doesn’t quite sit well with me.

As well as being a bona fide fighting game in its own right, WWE 2K25 is a full WWE show simulator. Players can set up their own shows, with their own fight lineups, rules and venues. The level of customisation is incredible you can make new superstars, and customise their fight attire, entrance attire, their branding, stats, animations and attitude.

The shows themselves, from the lighting, the screens, the arena, the crowd, and even the signs can be fine-tuned. The game comes with a comprehensive toolkit for creators to make a unique experience. And all of this duplicates the polish and glamour of the real live WWE. It really is something special.

The whole presentation is absolutely stunning. The graphics are the best ever in a WWE game, but these are now complemented by such fluid animations that make the game come alive. The action looks like a real WWE fight with moves and combo flowing seamlessly into one another.

Aside from the individual fights, the MyRise story campaign, 2K Showcase: The Bloodline Dynasty, MyGM, the EA ultimate team-styled MyFaction, WWE Universe and The Island all offer different ways to play. And, of course, there are local and online multiplayer modes as well.

If you are into the drama of WWE, MyRise puts players at the heart of the story as you work your way up through the WWE ranks. The Bloodline Dynasty follows the dominance of the extended Anoa’i family through WWE as told by “The Wiseman” Paul Heyman. You can complete challenges that follow the legendary real-life battles featuring the likes of Hulk Hogan and The Rock (as Rocky Maivia) or create your version of events.

MyFaction is the game’s microtransaction pay-to-play mode. It IS fun, but that’s the intent- to get you to buy booster card packs to power up your factions to progress the game. Building your team and playing shows places players right in the drama, in a customisable experience were anything goes (as long as you have the booster cards).

WWE Universe replicates the WWE show experience in the game. Players can play through a whole calendar of shows from Monday night RAW to special weekend tournaments.

The Island is an online social space where players can meet and fight or matchmake with others. There are opportunities and challenges as well as merch shops to buy accessories for your superstar.

For a franchise that is perhaps aided at a more younger audience than other fighting games (it is an M in Australia, compared to UFC 5’s MA 15+), WWE 2K25, is pushing it a bit. The violence, the microtransactions and the high cost of the top-end versions of the game mean it walks a fine line. On the other hand, it gives the game an appeal that is wider than its main fan base.

Whilst I’ve enjoyed playing WWE games in the past, this is the first one that really hooked me. The realistic animations, the gritty brawling and the outlandish moves absolutely captivated me. The opportunities to customise and make my own superstars only engrossed me more. It was such a hard game to put down.

WWE 2K25 is a breakout entry in the long-running franchise that sees an almost pixel-perfect representation of the sport in a game. Masses of content, a stunning attention to detail that draws on the history and legacy of WWE should appeal to old fans, new fans and anyone who enjoys a great fighting game.

The post WWE 2K25 (PlayStation 5) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE in partnership with the Western Australian Government through Tourism Western Australia, today announced its return to Australia for a globally televised Premium Live Event (PLE).

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth will take place at Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia, on Saturday, February 24, 2024. This will mark WWE’s first event in Australia since 2018 and the only PLE in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024.

Located in the heart of Perth, the capital of Western Australia – a famed travel destination with a globally renowned record in hosting cultural and sporting events – the multi-purpose world-class Optus Stadium opened in 2018 and has hosted a multitude of sports and entertainment events including the Australian Football League Grand Final, State of Origin, Ed Sheeran’s ‘÷’ tour, Taylor Swift’s ‘Reputation’ tour, Eminem’s ‘Rapture’ tour, U2’s ‘Joshua Tree’ tour, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the upcoming Australian-exclusive Coldplay ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour.

“Perth is the perfect location for a major WWE Premium Live Event in Australia, following a series of record-breaking WWE events in iconic international destinations,” said WWE Senior Vice President Chris Legentil. “With a week full of WWE events and experiences, we hope to leave a lasting memory for Western Australia and the entire WWE Universe.”

“Hosting WWE in Perth is a real coup for our state as it will shine a global spotlight on Western Australia to billions of viewers worldwide, attract thousands of out-of-state visitors to WA and create an incredible atmosphere in the city for the local community and visitors alike,” said the Hon. Rita Saffioti MLA, Western Australia’s Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism. “The WA Government, through Tourism WA, is proud to support this exclusive event that will generate millions of dollars for the local economy and highlight WA as a world-class events destination. I encourage everyone to Western Australia for WWE to extend their trip to explore more of our wondrous state as part of this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Commenting on the historic announcement, WWE Women’s World Champion and Australian native Rhea Ripley said: “I’m beyond proud to represent Australia every single time I step inside a WWE ring and to bring a Premium Live Event to Perth is a dream come true. Get ready Australia, because Mami is coming home.”

The 2023 WWE Elimination Chamber from the Bell Centre in Montreal broke multiple company records. Viewership of the event saw a 54 percent increase versus the prior record set in 2022. It also marked new high points for gate, merchandise and sponsorship.

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth will be broadcast live in approximately 165 countries in 25 languages and seen in more than 1 billion homes. Information regarding general ticket onsale and further event updates will be available in the coming weeks.

Additionally, Priority Pass ticket packages will soon be available from On Location, offering fans the chance to be ringside for every exhilarating moment including premium seating, pre-show hospitality with WWE Superstar appearances, ringside photo opportunities, exclusive merchandise and more.

The post WWE RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA W. ELIMINATION CHAMBER: PERTH appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

2K’s latest instalment of the long-running wrestling franchise, WWE 2K23, promises more over-the-top action inside (and outside) the ring.

I can’t say that I’m much of a fan of WWE. But it is a credit to the developers at 2K that they can make a game that is entertaining and engaging to both fans and non-fans, alike.

It’s an open secret that WWE isn’t quite as it seems. That’s not to say that it isn’t performed by incredibly skilled athletes, but it is more like a cross between an outlandish reality TV show and a stunt show than a real contact sport. Regardless, WWE is still very entertaining and lacking the blood and gore of its more savage contemporaries.

WWE 2K23 gives us an interesting what-if. What if these herculean feats by skilled performers were actual contests instead of carefully choreographed theatre?

The game plays WWE straight, the only way it can, really. It has all the pomp and ceremony of a real wrestling bout.

The whole presentation is polished to a tee accurately mimicking the showmanship of the WWE from the extravagant entry sequences to the wrestlers’ characterisations and signature style. Even as a non-fan, the game sucked me into the world of WWE.

For this outing, 2K has hit its stride with the visuals. The animations are pretty much faultless. It’s only the slightly dead eyes of hyper-famous wrestling stars that are a creepy signpost to the uncanny valley.

The wrestlers move smoothly, overcoming an issue I had with the previous iterations of the franchise. Much of the player’s success is in turning around the advantage of the other wrestler. Better animations allow players to carefully time the essential press of the Xbox’s Y button, instigating a turnaround. This stops the player’s wrestler from getting a continuous pounding from their opponent.

Mimicking the action of a real WWE bout, the game is all about the seamless flow of dramatic set pieces. Capturing the real-life excitement, wrestlers can inexplicably switch the proceedings in their favour, even if moments ago they were literally on the ropes.

It’s a game that is easy to get into, but with plenty of depth with combos and signature moves requiring careful timing and muscle memory to execute. The game gives players plenty of visual rewards for outmanoeuvring their opponent in a way that is quite unlike any other fighting game. A detailed tutorial system (which I revisited many times whilst playing) does a great job of explaining the game’s combos and advanced moves.

The game doesn’t accommodate button-mashing, which is good. The downside is that sometimes onslaughts can seem relentless, like the game is creating manufacturing drama by making countering overly difficult.

Some of the moves are brutal with wrestlers seemingly pounding their opponents to a pulp. Whilst the real WWE is a campy and somewhat overacted tongue-in-cheek performance, the game, being more grounded, does come across as a bit more vicious. Just as in real WWE, though, the wrestlers shrug off the horrendous-looking assaults and come back for more without a bruise or drop of blood in sight.

As usual, as well as straight tournaments, choosing from a massive list of fight types, there’s the behind-the-scene management of MyGM, the customisable card-based MyFaction, the MyRise campaign, and the rival-based Universe mode.

WWE superstar-cum-moviestar, John Cena, headlines this iteration of the franchise with the Showcase mode. Fans are treated by filmed sequences of Cena looking back on his career, from his humble beginnings, warts and all. Players can then relieve the highs and the lows of the celebrity’s WWE history.

With WWE 2K23, the visuals finally match the game’s aspirations, giving players lifelike animations to better control the action in the ring. The entertaining over-the-top action of WWE is perfectly captured in the game as a bona fide and sophisticated fighting game in its own right.

With an incredible layer of polish and high production values, the game should appeal to WWE fans and non-fans alike.

The post WWE 2K23 (Xbox Series X|S) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE just announced that The O2 in London will host Money In The Bank on Saturday, July 1st, 2023.

Money In The Bank marks the first WWE Premium Live Event to be held in London in over two decades.

Money In The Bank will feature WWE’s biggest Superstars and will also bring the Money In The Bank ladder matches to the UK for the first time in history, with each winner receiving a briefcase containing a contract for a championship match at a time and place of their choosing anytime within the next year.

“The O2 is one of the world’s premier venues and the perfect home for Money In The Bank. We are excited to bring one of our ‘Big 5’ events to the UK and look forward to welcoming the WWE Universe to London on July 1,” said Dan Ventrelle, EVP, Talent at WWE.

“We are honoured to be hosting the first ever Money In The Bank event taking place in the UK here at The O2,” said Christian D’Acuña, Senior Programming Director at The O2. “We’re looking forward to welcoming back WWE fans to The O2 this summer for an unforgettable night with some of WWE’s biggest Superstars.”

The announcement follows the huge success of Cardiff’s Clash At The Castle in September 2022, the first major WWE stadium show to be held in the UK since 1992.

Clash At The Castle broke numerous records at the time including becoming the most-watched international premium live event in WWE history, with the largest European gate ever and the best-selling merchandise for a non-WrestleMania event.

The post MONEY IN THE BANK HEADED TO THE O2 IN LONDON appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE just announced that the NXT brand will grow internationally with the creation of an all-new NXT Europe, with the launch planned for 2023.

“Following the success of our live events and talent identification efforts throughout all of Europe, we believe this is the perfect time to expand NXT beyond the UK,” said Shawn Michaels, WWE Vice President of Talent Development Creative.

Launched in 2016, NXT UK has received critical acclaim and developed WWE main roster talent such as Rhea Ripley, Doudrop, Gunther and Butch. NXT Europe will reimagine the brand and its talent pipeline with a Pan European focus.

Prior to the debut of NXT Europe, Worlds Collide, a premium live event featuring NXT and NXT UK Superstars, will be presented live on Sunday, September 4th, 2022 at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.

The post WWE TO LAUNCH NXT EUROPE IN 2023 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE has announced that the first major WWE stadium event to be held in the United Kingdom in more than 30 years will emanate from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday, September 3, 2022.

Located in the heart of Cardiff, the capital of Wales – a cultural and sports destination with a world class record in hosting events – the Principality Stadium is a state-of-the-art, multi-faceted event destination and home to the Wales national rugby union team.

“Principality Stadium is the perfect place for a major event, hosting our amazing fans from Wales, throughout all of Europe, and around the world,” said John Porco, WWE Senior Vice President, Live Events. “The weekend will be filled with a variety of WWE experiences that we believe will leave a lasting memory, on par with SummerSlam at Wembley Stadium in 1992.”

“Wales will provide an iconic location for WWE’s return to the UK after 30 years and showcase our country to a global audience of millions, including extended reach in the USA,” said Welsh Government Minister for Economy Vaughan Gething.  “This is set to be the perfect addition to a huge year of sport, entertainment and culture in Wales that will attract people from across the globe to experience what our country has to offer.”

“We’re extremely proud that Principality Stadium has been chosen by WWE to host this major event, which is testament to the stadium’s reputation as a world class venue,” said Mark Williams, Principality Stadium Manager. “Principality Stadium is unique in its position at the heart of the city centre, which will undoubtably offer WWE fans an unrivalled event experience both inside and outside of the stadium and bring great benefit to the wider city of Cardiff.”

Information regarding event name, ticket on sale and further event updates will be available soon.

The post WALES HOSTS UK’S FIRST MAJOR WWE STADIUM EVENT IN 30 YEARS appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

SNK CORPORATION is proud to announce that BIG BANG PRO WRESTLING is available to download today, March 31st 2022, for the Nintendo Switch.

Muscle-bound wrestlers take the stage for a bombastic all-out brawl. The easy controls allow you to pull off sick and devastating special moves from the push of a button.

The ring is calling you: The game offers ten fighters to choose from, including fledging newbies, masked wrestlers, and hulking heavyweights. Each wrestler comes with their own personalized Finishing Move.

Players will have to fulfill the proper conditions and let it rip to win the fight. Change up the rules with exciting modes like Coffin Death Match where your goal is to toss your opponent into a coffin. Or, try to steal away the reward in Reward Death Match to really stick it to your opponent.

The instruction manual featured within the game is from the original NEOGEO Pocket Color version. Therefore, the control explanations may differ from those on the Nintendo Switch. Local “VS MATCH” is possible, but online functions are disabled.

BIG BANG PRO WRESTLING places you in to the retro ring now.

The post NEOGEO Pocket Color classic BIG BANG PRO WRESTLING now on Switch appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE announced that The Undertaker will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Friday, April 1st, 2022 at American Airlines Center in Dallas as part of WrestleMania Week.

The event will stream live exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network everywhere else.

In addition, for the first time in history, WWE will present both Friday Night SmackDown and the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony live on the same night at American Airlines Center, giving all fans in attendance an unprecedented opportunity to witness both events.

Additional 2022 WWE Hall of Fame inductees will be announced in the near future.

The Undertaker is one of the most popular Superstars in WWE history and a pop culture icon.  After making his WWE debut at the 1990 Survivor Series, “The Phenom” went on to hold nearly every major Championship in WWE and has competed in some of the most memorable matches in history over his illustrious 30-year career. In addition, The Undertaker amassed a historic consecutive 21-year WrestleMania undefeated streak that may never be broken. In 2020, The Undertaker was featured in the WWE Network docuseries “Undertaker: The Last Ride,” which was praised by both fans and critics and made his “Final Farewell” at Survivor Series. The Undertaker continues to make appearances outside the ring, most recently appearing in Netflix’s Escape The Undertaker.

WrestleMania 38, the most stupendous two-night WrestleMania in history, takes place Saturday, April 2nd and Sunday, April 3rd 2022 live from AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The post THE UNDERTAKER TO BE INDUCTED INTO WWE HALL OF FAME appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE today announced that Royal Rumble will take place from The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis on Saturday, January 29, 2022, marking the largest venue to host the event in its illustrious 30+ year history.

“WWE has a rich history in St. Louis and we are excited to bring Royal Rumble to the Dome at America’s Center, a venue that has hosted countless large-scale sports and entertainment events,” said John P. Saboor, WWE Executive Vice President of Special Events.  “We look forward to giving the WWE Universe an opportunity to experience all that St. Louis has to offer.”

“The City of St. Louis is thrilled to host Royal Rumble at the Dome at America’s Center in January,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones.  “St. Louis has the best sports scene in the country, and Royal Rumble will enhance it even more. This event is an incredible opportunity for our city, bringing WWE fans from across the nation to St. Louis and helping keep our downtown vibrant during the winter season.”

Royal Rumble will stream live at 8 pm ET exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else. The event will be headlined by two 30-men and 30-women Royal Rumble matches, with the winners of both receiving a Championship match opportunity at WrestleMania in Dallas.

The post St. Louis to Host Royal Rumble appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

WWE and Blumhouse Television are partnering to develop a limited scripted series called, The United States of America Vs. Vince McMahon.

Jason Blum’s company, Blumhouse, will develop the series for television, led by Blumhouse TV President Chris McCumber.

The series, The United States of America Vs. Vince McMahon, will be the first-ever scripted dramatic portrayal of a chapter in WWE’s history. Additionally, it is also the first scripted portrayal of McMahon as well as many of the legendary Superstars of that era.

The show will delve into WWE during the 1990s, at the time Rupert Murdoch had purchased the New York Post to further his massive infiltration into the U.S. media landscape. For years, infamous Post writer Phil Mushnick regularly hammered WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon in his column.

Headlines like “Legislators Give WWE A Free Pass On ‘Roids” and “McMahon Skips Through the Cemetery” eventually captured the attention of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York – the nation’s most prestigious federal prosecutor’s office with a conviction rate of over 96 percent.

In 1994, the U.S. government indicted McMahon for allegedly supplying anabolic steroids to WWE talent. McMahon, with his liberty at stake, two school-aged children at home and with WWE on the brink of bankruptcy, refused to take a plea deal. Ultimately, McMahon stood trial and was acquitted unanimously by a jury of his peers and went on to build a multi-billion-dollar global sports entertainment empire.

“Jason, Chris and their team at Blumhouse create amazing work and we look forward to delivering an inside look into one of the most pivotal moments in our company’s history,” said Kevin Dunn, WWE Executive Producer & Chief of Global Television Distribution.

“We have a dramatic, riveting saga – one that’s crazier than fiction – that will appeal to the cross-section of Blumhouse and WWE fans,” said Chris McCumber, Blumhouse Television President. “To say I’m thrilled about collaborating again with WWE is an understatement.”

McMahon, Dunn, Blum, McCumber and Jeremy Gold will serve as executive producers on the project.

The Blumhouse Television team, led by McCumber, have made several significant development announcements in the last few weeks, including: the straight-to-series pick-up of The Thing About Pam, starring Renee Zellweger in her broadcast TV debut for NBC; Blumhouse Ghost Story, the scripted series based on The Battersea Poltergeist BBC podcast, and the companion unscripted series; the continuing series based on Patricia Cornwell’s world’s best-selling “Kay Scarpetta” novels for a major; and the exclusive multi-year partnership with ITV America for provocative, disruptive and terrifying content to every corner of the non-fiction space, including Escape the Maze the first project derived from the partnership; among several other announcements.

The post WWE & BLUMHOUSE PARTNER UP appeared first on Shane the Gamer.