Hulk Hogan Pulled From WWE 2K16
Despite previously being announced as one of the Legend Superstars for WWE 2K16, Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) will no longer appear as a playable character in the upcoming pro wrestling video game WWE 2K16. 2K Games, the publisher of the franchise, made the announcement recently that Hogan’s digital avatar has been pulled from the game. In a statement to the media (via Gamespot), 2K representatives stated:
“We are highly respectful of the way that our partners choose to run their business and manage our partnerships accordingly. We can confirm that Hulk Hogan will not appear in WWE 2K16.”
The removal stems from the fallout of a racism scandal Hogan currently finds himself in. The former WWE Hall of Famer had to have his ties with WWE severed for the alleged use of “racial slurs in a conversation caught on a sex tape.” It has made Hogan a topic of controversy and a pariah.
The scandal has caused many of WWE’s merchandise and licensing partners to scramble and remove all mentions and uses of Hogan in their products, including his presence in video games. So when WWE 2K16 is released, players will not be able to use Hulk Hogan.
WWE 2K16 is scheduled for an October 27 release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and Xbox 360.