The WWE 2K games have been on a roll lately, with 2K25 arguably being this franchise’s best game yet. With an impressive Bloodline Showcase and a highly entertaining MyRise giving fans plenty of content to enjoy, there’s very little to complain about. It also helps that the gameplay is better than ever, bringing back mechanics from 2K19 and other beloved entries.
But despite all of that, one can’t help but miss the multiple Showcase modes of years past. Fans have had mixed opinions about the 2K Showcase modes in WWE games, even the one in 2K25 has annoying matches, but they can provide entertaining matches and fun asset reusage. Other gamers might not want it, but bringing back multiple Showcase campaigns has its advantages.
Multiple Showcase modes in a WWE 2K game mean more alternate outfits and unique move animations for existing characters. Knowing 2K, they will probably make these alt outfits DLC characters, but it’s always interesting seeing them write their way into reusing existing assets. We saw this in WWE 2K15 when they spotlighted Christian and Mark Henry’s careers in their DLC Showcase modes, as it led to more versions of Sheamus, Randy Orton, and The Usos.
New arenas are also a good reason to add another one of these modes in the game, as it makes wrestling around feel more lively. Granted, there are already a ton of arenas in the base game of WWE 2K titles, but just having more of them isn’t a bad thing. Extra points if it references something from early WWF, WCW, or even ECW.
Unlocking characters through these Showcase modes always felt noteworthy, as it allowed fans to feel a sense of gratification when playing the campaigns. Because these modes depend on the history of WWE and WCW, fans don’t always have as much control as they’d like. Still, that notification of getting an extra character is almost worth it, especially if it’s obscure like DDP and Cactus Jack from 1992.
Recent Showcase modes from the WWE 2K entries have been criticized for their repetition and lack of innovation over the years. Before 2K25 fixed this, some of the games would try to insert real footage to show how historic these matches were. This tactic often backfired, since switching from old videos to proper gameplay never felt natural. Having to follow objectives can make the game feel repetitive, often leading to fans making the difficulty easier so they can just unlock everyone.
Even with all of that rightful annoyance, bringing back multiple Showcase Modes could be a good thing. Maybe focusing on these modes of a prominent male and female superstar in the WWE would bring interest back. They can also focus on specific promotions WWE has the rights to, most notably WCW and ECW.
For additional single-player content and unlockables, more Showcase Modes for WWE 2K would be great. Hopefully, they aren’t all assets being reused, though most of them will be.