WWE Re-Ups Video Game License With 2K Games
The WWE video game license is going to remain at 2K Games for the next several years. Both companies officially announced that they agreed to a multi-year extension, and the WWE 2K series will continue. The deal also includes the continuation of the online mobile game WWE SuperCard.
Per the deal, 2K will have worldwide rights to develop and publish World Wrestling Entertainment video game properties by 2K’s Visual Concepts studio and Yuke’s. The financial terms of the deal were not revealed.
Speaking on the deal, 2K CEO David Ismailer stated: “2K’s partnership with WWE over the past three years has resulted in a successful and important addition to the Company’s portfolio of profitable franchises. We are thrilled with the positive momentum of the WWE 2K series, including generating year-over-year growth, as well as the success of WWE SuperCard. We are very pleased to extend our partnership with WWE and look forward to many more years of collaboration.”
WWE Executive Vice President of Consumer Products Casey Collins added: “2K’s leadership in authenticity, quality and overall brand dedication has been a perfect complement for WWE. Our continued partnership ensures WWE remains at the forefront of global video game brands as we continue innovating and publishing our offerings on multiple platforms.”
Views on the 2K series have been fairly mixed. However, the franchise continues to be a strong seller. Per VGChartz.com, WWE 2K16 has sold approximately 2.34 million units across multiple platforms as of January 2016.
The next game in the series will be WWE 2K17. More details on that release will be released soon. As for 2K16, 2K Games just dropped a new DLC pack for the game that adds NXT Superstar Samoa Joe, Blake & Murphy and Los Matadores. This marks Samoa Joe’s debut for a World Wrestling Entertainment video game title. You can check out a trailer for that DLC pack in the player below.
Hopefully, this means AJ Styles, who recently joined the WWE roster, will appear in WWE 2K17. Styles and Joe were known for their amazing series of matches against each other in TNA Wrestling. The New Japan Pro Wrestling star Shinsuke Nakamura has also joined NXT and will be debuting soon. Nakamura appearing in one of the future game releases is also an exciting though, so hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later. In that sense, it’s definitely an exciting time to be both a wrestling fan and a gamer right now.