Wrestling fans have had a fairly rocky relationship with video games over the last few years. After the disappointing release of WWE 2K20, the cancellation of WWE 2K21, and the cool reception of WWE 2K Battlegrounds, gamers are ready to get back in the ring in a whole new way. Luckily for those that have remained patient during the wait, WWE 2K22 is on its way and appears ready to give fans a wrestling experience that is more reminiscent of the golden age of wrestling video games.
There are a number of early wrestling games that are cited as being some of the best in WWE franchise history. The early SmackDown vs. Raw titles often receive a lot of attention, but one game in particular routinely stands out as the quintessential WWE video game. SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain may be quaint compared to the more advanced games in recent years, but it's remained the benchmark for what makes wrestling games successful among players. If WWE 2K22 is really going to blow fans away, it would be smart to essentially approach the game as if it's a remake of Here Comes the Pain.
Avoiding The Mistakes Of WWE 2K20
One of the biggest tests for WWE 2K22 is how it will rectify the mistakes of the very messy WWE 2K20. The game was almost unplayable when it first came out, as bugs and other technical issues led it to be one of the worst-reviewed WWE games in a long time. It also just didn't have many game-changing features, making it feel derivative, especially to those that have been following the franchise for a while. If 2K22 looks to Here Comes the Pain for guidance, the simplicity and polish of the nearly twenty-year-old game could ensure that there are as few issues with the finished product as possible.
Sports Entertainment Over Sports Simulation
WWE games have almost always been known for showing off the more sensational side of professional wrestling, but recent entries have sort of lost the spirit of that. As gaming has evolved to produce more realistic graphics and game mechanics, wrestling games have sort of felt the need to follow suit with more realistic gameplay.
This has proven to be a great mistake, however, as many gamers aren't looking to a wrestling game for realism, they're looking for the off-the-wall action that was pioneered by games like Here Comes the Pain. There were already rumors that a remaster for Here Comes the Pain could be in development a few years ago, so 2K22 would just need to harness the attitude of that game to provide a gameplay experience that puts a greater focus on sports entertainment.
The Power Of Nostalgia
The WWE fanbase is built on mountains of nostalgia. Whether it's for the larger-than-life wrestlers of almost forty years ago, or the video games of twenty years ago, the history of the WWE is so deeply entrenched in so many fans. When it comes to games like Here Comes the Pain, the title has become such a vital part of the WWE fanbase that any stylistic recreation would likely be met with open arms.
Even if WWE 2K22 only takes a handful of features from Here Comes the Pain, it would likely grab the attention of nearly every person that remembers playing it so many years ago. And if it decided to basically be a fundamental remake just with the 2K titling slapped on, then that would be all the better.
WWE 2K22 is already in a really tough spot considering it has to follow up the failure that was WWE 2K20. Developer Visual Concepts has to justify its year off from the franchise somehow, and taking inspiration from Here Comes the Pain is a step in the right direction. While the powers that be at 2K might not want it to be a full-blown remake of the game, drawing on the game as much as possible has the potential to at least give players a reason to get back into the franchise.
WWE 2K22 is set to release in 2021.