WWE 2K games have prided themselves on their roster by giving gamers the chance to play with a variety of superstars, legends, and managers from WWE’s past. Each installment of the franchise offers different superstar stats and moves, as well with DLC content usually providing more characters for gamers to try out. The roster is ultimately what shapes WWE 2K games: Too few superstars, and matches start to feel bland, however, having too many superstars means each character is not getting the deserved focus to make them excitable.
WWE 2K22 has already released its full launch roster list of wrestlers, and has all but confirmed at least one DLC that will feature celebrity guest characters that gamers will be able to use in the different game modes. The superstars will also be assigned certain classes that will dictate the types of moves and the other gameplay specifics, like lifting heavier superstars.
WWE 2K22 Roster Size and Variety
WWE 2K22 has announced a total of 168 superstars upon release, which is by no means the biggest roster of a WWE 2K game on release. Both WWE 2K19 and WWE 2K20 hosted 217 superstars on release, but were plagued with problems revolving around sluggish and repetitive gameplay. In contrast, WWE 2K14 only had 82 superstars on release, with an additional 21 included with DLC, and is still one of the best WWE games from the 2K era.
While the roster size has steadily increased with every installment, the more recent games have been shadowed by the success of the earlier installments, which only goes to show that the size of the roster does not make the game more excitable. This year’s game, however, will feature a completely rebuilt game engine, so having such a large roster size on launch could benefit the various game modes that are making a comeback.
WWE 2K22 may not boast the largest roster, but it does include various features that affect the overall variety of the roster. The game will feature multiple classes that will be assigned to playable characters allowing gamers to adjust their playstyle. This variety is something that gives the WWE 2K games with bigger rosters an opportunity to shine through for the gamers.
The previous two installments have failed to bring in enough variety in their massive rosters to give gamers a sense of longevity while playing the game. This is something that WWE 2K22 may have already solved with the class system and the newly introduced game modes will give gamers a good opportunity to explore these classes and try out different playing styles.
DLC Content
DLC Content has always introduced numerous new superstars to each year’s roster lineup, and in turn, added a lot more content in terms of creation options, move sets, and sometimes even content within different game modes. WWE 2K22 has already confirmed a DLC that will add many legends and possibly a few celebrity guests to the roster.
The DLC content coupled with the launch roster leads to the progression of bigger rosters from game to game. For example, WWE 2K19 and WWE 2K20 had 217 superstars on launch, and after all DLC releases, the roster for the games stood at 236 for 2K19 and 238 for 2K20. This shows us that there is a strong possibility for the number of superstars added via DLC content for WWE 2K22 could be over 60, which would be the highest number of superstars added via DLC content in any WWE 2K game.
Possible Size of WWE 2K22’s roster
By considering the trends of the previous games, WWE 2K22 is set to have the largest roster through the release of DLC content. WWE 2K20 had a complete roster of 238 superstars after the release of DLC and with this in mind, WWE 2K22’s final roster size could be over this high number, placing the number of DLC added superstars being well over 60.
While this number seems high, it is not out of the question for a WWE 2K game with 2K14 having over 40 added superstars through DLC content. Furthermore, the departure of several superstars from the WWE will mean that new talent signed could make its way to the game through DLC and be added as new superstars to the current roster.
Over the years, WWE 2K titles have had larger rosters than their predecessors, so it is very much possible that the upcoming WWE 2K22’s roster will be significantly increased. Adding new superstars could have a negative impact on the game, but with all the new game modes and features added to the game, WWE 2K22 has the scope to handle such a significant increase without taking affecting the longevity of the game.
WWE 2K22 releases on March 11 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.