WWE 2K25 is the newest pro-wrestling game focusing heavily on family legacy. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
WWE 2K25 Review Overview
What is WWE 2K25?
WWE 2K25 is the newest release to the usual annual pro-wrestling franchise. The game features more than 300+ wrestlers, including some of their different personas at different eras. It also features the newest showcase featuring The Bloodline, where players can relive historic bouts between legends and those of The Bloodline.
Additionally, the game also includes modes for both single and multiplayer, like MyRISE for the single player storyline, MyGM where you can draft different WWE superstars to your brand and go through each season, and MyUniverse where you can go beyond a single brand and control everything down to commentary, branching choices, and more.
WWE 2K25 features:
⚫︎ 300+ Playable Wrestlers
⚫︎ Single Player Story Mode
⚫︎ Management Simulator Game Mode
⚫︎ Showcase Focused on The Bloodline
⚫︎ Live-Service Microtransactions
 WWE 2K25 |
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WWE 2K25 Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Biggest Roster of Any Wrestling Game Even Better GM Experience New Gameplay Mechanics |
Pay-to-Win Online Game Modes Not Innovative Enough |
WWE 2K25 Overall - 80/100
WWE 2K25 is the refinement of every aspect that they’ve already built on. It may as well be the perfected version of their intended design, as not much has changed in the actual gameplay and only adds a couple of new things here and there. Hopefully, the new online game modes are not a sign of things to come since pay-to-win live service game modes have been 2K’s thing in their other sports releases.
WWE 2K25 Story - 7/10
The game’s Showcase Mode featuring The Bloodline is a great implementation of making the past come to life through the medium of a video game. Players will revisit iconic matches revolving around the members of the Samoan dynasty and experience these through gameplay. Through Paul Heyman’s creative storytelling, it’s honestly a great history lesson on the legends that built the foundation of the now-standing Bloodline faction that’s one of the top stables in the sport today.
Other than that, the MyRISE game mode is a fairly generic single-player career mode experience where players create their own superstar to become the next big thing in WWE. It’s not necessarily bad, but it’s not anything grand that people should expect cinema-level narratives.
WWE 2K25 Gameplay - 10/10
The gameplay stays mostly the same, which can be considered a con, but there are a few key additions and changes that make it better than its predecessors. A new archetype and the reintroduction of Chain Wrestling add a little more spice to the gameplay.
Other than that, the big additions come from the improvements to their game modes, specifically MyGM and Universe. What are considered to be the backbones of sports games are so immensely improved after every subsequent release that it feels like they’ve finally perfected their formula for the former.
WWE 2K25 Visuals - 8/10
On a visual standpoint, 2K Sports games have always been very strong in that aspect, and it shows. Not much more can be said other than the game looks realistic at some angles, which is a testament to their craft. The biggest flaws in the visual department are the reused models for the audience and the sometimes awkward animations when things don’t go as planned.
WWE 2K25 Audio - 9/10
Overall audio design is still pretty good with the combination of commentary, audience interaction, and sound effects. The highlight of sports games always comes from their in-game commentary, and they’ve done a great job at making matches sound like how they would be in real life. If there’s anything to complain about, it would most likely be the music choices, since not everyone will be fans of the songs while navigating its menus.
WWE 2K25 Value for Money - 6/10
Offered at $69.99, the game does have enough content to merit a AAA price. The improved single-player and online game modes have made the game a limitless trove of content that players can revisit time and time again.
However, the fact that it has egregious live-service microtransactions and clear pay-to-win online game modes with MyFaction and The Island is a downer. Hopefully, this isn’t a sign of things to come for the game’s future since this game in particular has been one of the better releases of the franchise.
WWE 2K25 Review: Preserving The Bloodline
Pro wrestling has come a long way. And it shows by how much the games have evolved since then as well. From the popular Smackdown vs. Raw series in the 2000s all the way to today’s 2K series, the WWE games have been the biggest wrestling games in the market. 2K has had a pretty good streak of releases for the past few years, but can they continue to impress with this year’s annual formulaic release? It turns out that they can.
Biggest Roster to Date
WWE 2K25 offers the biggest base roster of any wrestling game to date. With over 300 playable wrestlers, players will not get bored of finding their favorite wrestler since even the older versions of current wrestlers like 2015 Randy Orton or Super Cena are part of the game. Unless, of course, your favorite wrestler is from another promotion, that is.
The argument can be made that the playable wrestlers are merely padded with wrestlers and their different personas at different eras. However, it’s something that they should include, especially since some wrestlers tend to change from babyface to heel at different points in their career.
Makes You Feel Like an Actual GM
The biggest change to the game is the improved MyGM and Universe game modes, as every sports game must both have a satisfying simulation of the sport and a management simulation. In this case, WWE 2K25 offers the best MyGM version to date, as wrestling fans who are interested in the inner workings of the pro wrestling business can live their dreams of becoming a general manager for WWE’s promotions.
Across a season, players will be tasked with managing contracts, booking matches, checking on their talent’s health, and more. The biggest change in MyGM is the inclusion of Cross-brand events, which were one of the highlights in a previously beloved wrestling game, Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. These events are game changers since it makes the whole game mode more engaging as you always have something to look forward to throughout the season.
In-Ring Mastery
The actual gameplay of the WWE 2K series has been steadily improving, and this time around it feels as if they’ve nearly perfected the formula. So outside of the existing mechanics like combos, reversals, and the like, the game has reintroduced Chain Wrestling back into the mix, where players engage in mini-games inside the game to simulate how it’s done in real life.
Additionally, the game also allows intergender matches. So not only can we get Rhea Ripley versus Dominik Mysterio again, but also you can get something like Nikki Cross versus Alexa Bliss for a spot at the Wyatt Sicks. The game also now has more environments to interact with, so inclusive of the parking lot brawls, there are even more options for players to fight outside of the squared circle.
Lastly, the game also includes new match types and rules like the Bloodline Rules and Underground Matches, giving players the choice of having more unique rulesets to play around with.
The Bad: Microtransactions
Sadly, it’s not without its flaws. 2K has been hard at work at implementing their live-service models from their other popular sports games into WWE 2K25. The new Island of Relevancy and the MyFaction online game modes are filled with pay-to-win mechanics. The Island of Relevancy is similar to NBA 2K’s MyCity where players do different missions to earn VC or Virtual Currency. VC is both used to improve both your wrestler’s stats and to buy cosmetics.
The catch? Players can buy VC with real-world money. This means that to get ahead, players will need to spend a lot of money to compete against other players who have likely spent money to get a higher rating. The MyFaction is similar to NBA 2K’s MyTeam, where players will build their team from collected cards through booster packs. Similar to The Island, players will have to spend VC to pull new cards to bolster their roster, so the whole cycle of buying currency to get ahead repeats itself.
Of course, players can ignore these game modes and let people enjoy things that they like. But it doesn’t make it any less obnoxious that it exists.
Close to Perfecting the Formula
Since WWE 2K will be an annual release, we can expect that this will be a yearly endeavor for those who are big fans of the wrestling games. It’s good that 2K has been on a hot streak with delivering great gameplay for the great sport that is pro wrestling, especially since wrestling has become a lot bigger nowadays.
The problem with this now becomes how does 2K innovate from here on since they’re very close to perfecting the simulation of wrestling? Well, that’s for them to answer for next year.
Is WWE 2K25 Worth It?
Yes! The Best Wrestling Game Out Now
WWE 2K25 continues to offer the best wrestling video game experience and has long passed the Smackdown vs. Raw era at this point. This game is highly recommended for fans of wrestling and the inner workings of the wrestling business, as WWE 2K25 offers the best experience for the management game modes to date. There’s nothing wrong with waiting for a sale as well, since $69.99 is not an easy investment to make. Just make sure to stay away from the greedy microtransactions.
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WWE 2K25 FAQ
How Do I Play WWE 2K25 Early?
Interested players must at least purchase the game’s Deadman Edition, which grants them a 1-week Early Access ahead of the game’s actual release date.
What Are The Showcase Matches in WWE 2K25?
The Showcase revolves around members of The Bloodline and their family members. These are historic matches that players will replay and some will have you changing the course of history.
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WWE 2K25 Product Information
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| Title | WWE 2K25 |
|---|---|
| Release Date | March 14, 2025 |
| Developer | Visual Concepts |
| Publisher | 2K |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Genre | Sports, Simulation |
| Number of Players | 1-4 |
| ESRB Rating | T |
| Official Website | WWE 2K25 Official Website |
