If 2K Sports has one thing going for them, it’s their MyCAREER modes in NBA 2K. Overlooking Livin’ Da Dream, NBA 2K’s MyCareer mode, especially this year, always looks to push the needle further in terms of new ways to innovate the story telling experience. This year, Visual Concepts looks to bring the same innovation to WWE 2K18, with its newest iteration of WWE 2K MyCAREER.
In a blog post on the official WWE 2K website, MyCAREER designer for WWE 2K18, Ramelle Ballesca, outlined how this year’s iteration of the single player mode will feel. One of the major differences is the return of backstage free roaming, something we haven’t seen since SmackDown! Just Bring It for PlayStation 2 (or SmackDown vs Raw 2010‘s Road to Wrestlemania if you want to be more recent.) Ballesca stated that the goal was to have players spend more time exploring what makes WWE Superstars what they are. You can either talk to superstars backstage, ambush them from behind, interrupt a Renee Young interview or even initiate one yourself. The choice is yours, and that’s what the design team for MyCAREER aimed for this year. There will also be side quests that are independent of the main storyline of MyCAREER. You may be asked to cut a promo with another superstar or ambush another superstar’s rival.
Speaking of the main story of WWE MyCAREER, unlike previous years, you’ll be able to take two paths on your Road to Wrestlemania: The Company Man route or the Fan Favorite route. Want to have a superstar like Seth Rollins in the Authority? The Company Man route involves things such as ambushing superstars wherever you chose and pretty much being the “right-hand man” of the General Managers, leading to rewards such as orchestrating run-ins to help you win matches or gaining access to Vince McMahon’s office to lobby for match card changes or title rematches.
Take the Fan Favorite route, and you’ll be walking in the shoes of superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin and ‘The Face that Runs the Place,” John Cena. You’ll be living John Cena’s credo of Hustle, Loyalty, Respect as you earn everyone’s respect backstage by being versatile in the ring night in and night out. WWE Superstars will also test your in-ring and mic skills, and if you come out on top, you’ll get their respect and additional perks such as WWE Legend in-ring bonuses and more. If you can become the complete package like Austin and Cena before you, you’ll be able to create your own custom WWE Championship, much like the Smoking Skull and the WWE Championship Spinner Belt.
Those that remember the Promo Engine from WWE 2K17 have something to anticipate when it comes to their promos. This year, the team decided to add on to the Promo Engine by incorporating the personalities of the different WWE Superstars into the promo segments. Calling out the New Day? They’ll make sure you ain’t booty as they skip and clap down to the ring. Calling out Shinsuke Nakamura or Bray Wyatt? They’ll move just like they do on TV. Enzo Amore? He’ll make sure you know he’s the realest guy in the room. Personally, I can just imagine someone like Paul Heyman coming out to the ring if you call out Brock Lesnar or John Cena just doing John Cena things as he lets you know why you suck. Also, MyCAREER Invasion has been improved as well, with your friends’ superstars appearing as NPCs backstage, where you can talk to them to initiate tag teams, side quests or even ambush them.
WWE 2K18 is shaping up to be a different game than previous years, and that’s not always a bad thing. The only thing that we can do at this moment is to wait for WWE 2K18 to release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on October 17th.
