When it comes to WWE 2K24's cover stars, it would be hard to find better candidates than The Bloodline or Judgment Day. While there are a massive amount of wrestlers in WWE spread across three brands, these two factions have managed to be such a fixture that it's hard to argue against them getting proper recognition. If WWE 2K24's cover is meant to show off the state of WWE's biggest stars, then either of the two factions would be a prime choice for the position.
WWE games have recovered from WWE 2K20's disastrous reception, and the last two entries have been solid all around. The series has continued its focus on simulation-style gameplay, with large rosters befitting a company with so many wrestlers available. In addition, most recent WWE games have featured some sort of story mode for player-created characters, as well as showcases featuring a featured wrestler. For example, WWE 2K16 had a showcase covering Steve Austin's career, including snippets from his time in WCW and ECW. It's a formula that admittedly doesn't change much, as the past two entries have featured Rey Mysterio and John Cena, but the series has managed to continue regardless.
WWE 2K24's Cover Should Feature One of the Company's Premier Factions
The Bloodline has a perfect argument to grace the cover, especially if WWE 2K24's Showcase stars a faction, which would be a good way to vary up the gameplay. After years of getting pushed hard to mixed success, Roman Reigns turned heel and revitalized his career with a more vicious role as the leader of The Bloodline alongside his real-life relatives Solo Sikoa and The Usos. Not only has Roman held the WWE Universal Championship for over 1000 days, but The Bloodline has been a dominant force in the company, with every member being a current or former champion. After being so powerful for so long, The Bloodline has earned a cover spot.
Judgment Day should also be in the conversation when it comes to the cover, particularly thanks to their highest-rated member in WWE 2K23, Rhea Ripley. Originally formed by Edge to give him extra muscle, he was quickly phased out due to a face turn. Similar to The Bloodline, Judgment Day is a group of heels, although they're more anarchic and punkish than The Bloodline's Roman-centric scheming. Being anchored by the wildly popular Ripley, who won the SmackDown Women's Championship from Charlotte at the latest WrestleMania only increases their stock further. Although Judgment Day has existed for barely over a year, their time in the company has been eventful.
The perks of gracing WWE 2K24's cover with one of these factions largely have to do with the gameplay possibilities. After all, cover stars for WWE games are often the focus of the Showcases, as mentioned previously. That's not all, though. If the cover stars are a stable, then it could lead to players being able to make a stable of playable wrestlers for the game's career mode rather than just one. Multiple playable wrestlers have been done before in WWE 2K20's story and WWE 2K13's Attitude Era mode, so it's a workable concept. Putting a stable front and center could be the next step forward for WWE games.
WWE 2K24 has a lot of choices for its cover star, including wrestlers from the past if the series chooses that direction again. Although WWE 2K23 is still missing a few things, WWE 2K24 could hit the ground running by choosing the right wrestlers to represent the game. The game is still fairly far off in the distance, and little information about it has been revealed thus far. However, speculation about the cover stars typically starts early. In order to show off WWE's current big stars, The Bloodline or Judgment Day would undoubtedly be the best cover choice.