After the disastrous launch of WWE 2K20, the WWE 2K main series took a break, with 2K Sports canceling WWE 2K21 and giving the developers more time to make WWE 2K22. Insider reports have suggested that this extra time in the oven is paying off and that WWE 2K22 is going to be a significant step up from the previous entry, though very little of the game has been shown in an official capacity. In any case, it does seem as though WWE 2K22 is making many fan favorite decisions, as it just teased the return of a popular feature.
This past Friday night on SmackDown, WWE hosted the WWE Draft, where it shuffles around its Raw, SmackDown, and NXT superstars. WWE YouTuber Brandon Collymore then tweeted out that it would be fun if players were able to draft their own roster in WWE 2K22, to which the game's official Twitter account replied with a "thinking" emoji. This is clearly a hint that WWE 2K22 will have a General Manager mode, which is something that fans have been asking to see return for years.
For the uninitiated, General Manger mode in the WWE video games has traditionally allowed players to take control of their own brand, competing with others to put on the best shows. In WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 for example, players were able to compete against each other as Raw, SmackDown, and ECW general managers, drafting superstars, booking shows, and trying to earn the highest star ratings for their events. Then at the end of the year, whoever had the best performance would take home the GM of the Year Award. At that point another draft would take place, allowing superstars to jump ship to a different brand and offering basically endless replay value.
For one reason or another, General Manager mode was dropped, but it's often topped wishlists of features that fans want to see make their return. After leakers previously indicated that WWE 2K22 will have a General Manager mode, this tease by the official Twitter account more or less seals the deal.
Even so, fans should wait for an official announcement before they get too excited. It's possible that the GM Mode in WWE 2K22 will too different from previous iterations and will therefore not satisfy fan expecations, or it's possible that the mode isn't coming at all. As for when fans will find out for sure, it's likely that the proper announcement will take place in January, as WWE 2K22 previously teased that more information on the game will drop in the new year. The WWE 2K22 reveal trailer was released during WrestleMania and the next info drop happened at SummerSlam, so it seems likely that the next event will happen during the 2022 Royal Rumble, though nothing has been confirmed at this time.
The WWE 2K22 release date is in March, but specifics are unavailable at the time of this writing. Maybe the WWE 2K22 January showcase will also reveal the exact date fans will be able to get their hands on the game, but they'll just have to wait and see on that front.
WWE 2K22 is in development.