With the launch now just over a month away, the WWE 2K23 gameplay trailer has officially been released and confirms several major details about the upcoming title. More updates are expected in the coming weeks, but even this short look is full of clues from developers Visual Concepts.
On top of the gameplay details, the WWE 2K23 roster continues to round itself out as official footage from WWE Games has confirmed several new superstars will indeed be in the game at launch. The trailer also included the first look at WarGames, confirmed how the arena will be structured, and the presence of weapons in that double cage.
In this article, you will learn:
- Gameplay and graphics upgrades revealed in the WWE 2K23 gameplay trailer
- All WWE 2K23 roster members confirmed by the gameplay trailer
- What the trailer confirmed about how WarGames will work
WWE 2K23 gameplay trailer confirms ray tracing graphics upgrade, WarGames weapons
One detail that’s not necessarily mentioned but is confirmed right out of the gate in the WWE 2K23 gameplay trailer is the introduction of ray tracing to majorly boost the title’s graphics quality. Starting right at the entrance footage for cover athlete John Cena, the trailer showcases real-time reflections and lighting effects which add to every level of the game’s visual presentation.
The trailer, which can be viewed below, also provided the first glimpse as this year’s new WarGames match type. Lynell Jinks of Visual Concepts recently confirmed in an interview with VG247 that WarGames was primarily modeled after the NXT version of the match, as development of the model had been completed prior to the new versions used at Survivor Series 2022.
“Just figuring out how to get these cages in there, have three referees open cages at the right time, two rings side by side, and this trench!” Jinks further explained about the development of WarGames. “It’s this small area between rings that you need to be able to move around, if you couldn’t do moves down there properly it wouldn’t be WarGames! All these things we had to do were necessary to make it feel like WarGames. I wouldn’t say it was a nightmare, but it was really challenging for a lot of people.”
WarGames will be a mode allowing teams of three or four superstars to compete, but not the full five as was used at Survivor Series. If viewers watch closely, some footage of WarGames in the trailer does include the slightest glimpse of weapons. Both a sledgehammer and STOP sign, weapons previously usable in WWE 2K22, are inside the WarGames structure and will be usable in this newly added match type.
Confirmed WWE 2K23 roster members shown in the gameplay trailer
Many of the gameplay glimpses provided first looks at new models and animations for several different members of the WWE 2K23 roster. Some of these are returning members of the WWE 2K22 roster, but there are new additions on the way this year.
WWE Games and Visual Concepts will likely do a more official full WWE 2K23 roster reveal much closer to launch, but here are the superstars confirmed by the WWE 2K23 gameplay trailer (by order of apperance):
- John Cena
- Roman Reigns
- Jimmy Uso
- Jey Uso
- Paul Heyman
- Bad Bunny
- Cody Rhodes
- Cora Jade
- Alba Fyre
- Rhea Ripley
- Damian Priest
- Finn Bálor
- Seth Rollins
- Logan Paul
- Bianca Belair
- Austin Theory
- Drew McIntyre
- Kevin Owens
- Sheamus
- Sami Zayn
- Randy Savage
- Hulk Hogan
- The Miz
- The Undertaker
- Shawn Michaels
- Bret Hart
- Steve Austin
- Charlotte Flair
- Alexa Bliss
- The Rock
Additional names may have already been spotlighted in other early looks, but the WWE 2K23 roster members named above all were seen in this new gameplay trailer. Cora Jade is a new addition, and the footage confirmed she will have the skateboard entrance from her babyface character in NXT.
Potentially new animations for Roman Reigns’ spear and The Rock’s Rock Bottom have been spotted by some viewers, as well as the first look at the Cody Cutter animation, which is confirmed to be available to players as a signature as well as a finisher. Fans can look forward to more reveals in the coming weeks via YouTube and social media from WWE Games.