Subhojeet Mukherjee on February 16, 2023
After much anticipation and some apprehension, WWE 2k22 was released in March of the previous year. Its predecessor, WWE 2k20, had been widely criticized for its poor performance. Nevertheless, the success of WWE 2k22 was so significant that it prompted the announcement of WWE 2k23 in short order. John Cena’s Showcase mode will be given a huge focus and it seems it will portray him in a different light.
WWE and 2K Games revealed more details about WWE 2K23 last month. Naturally, fans are very excited about the game as it promises to build upon the solid foundation laid out by WWE 2K22.
2K Games have revealed that WWE 2K23’s Showcase will be an “interactive sports documentary that covers pivotal moments in John Cena’s 20-year WWE career.” The details from 2K Games shed more light on the mode.
“See John Cena. Beat John Cena. Be Even Stronger than John Cena.
“Those three phrases exemplify what players will be tasked to do in WWE 2K23’s Showcase, the interactive sports documentary that covers pivotal moments in John Cena’s 20-year WWE career.
“In a franchise first, fans will get to step into the shoes of some of his key rivals in an attempt to take down Mr. HUSTLE, LOYALTY, and RESPECT.
“Players had a brief taste of what is to be expected with our Even Stronger announce trailer and now we’re ready to dive in a bit more with some new, key details.”
The announcement trailer further explained the mode. 2K Games has made it clear that the goal for the new Showcase era is to break away from the monotony of “playing as the same character for 12, 15, 20 matches.” They have taken inspiration from John Cena’s battles, putting the player in the shoes of his opponents and selecting matches where Cena actually lost.
Given the significance of Cena’s well-known mottos “HUSTLE. LOYALTY. RESPECT” and “NEVER GIVE UP” throughout his career, 2K Games has emphasized their importance in crafting the game’s storyline.
“And we thought that it would be a really cool story to tell, of John Cena’s struggles and failures, of his lowest moments, and how important falling short in those instances was to his greater career.
We felt like it would be a great way to show the full story of John Cena’s journey, as many fans tend to think of him as someone who maybe didn’t have it as difficult as others; that he didn’t have to fight for what he wanted, didn’t have to learn difficult lessons. And we knew that this wasn’t the case.”
John Cena was reportedly thrilled with the concept and eagerly embraced the opportunity to bring his famous slogan “NEVER GIVE UP” to life in the Showcase mode, according to sources at 2K Games. The match list can also be seen below!
SmackDown (2002)
John Cena vs. Kurt Angle
– Angle gloats about beating everybody, issues an open challenge
– A young unknown named John Cena answers the challenge, looking to make a great first impression with the WWE Universe
SummerSlam (2008)
John Cena vs. Batista
– It’s a modern version of Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior as two of WWE’s most powerful forces collide at SummerSlam!
– The two drew parallels constantly, with both winning their first World Championships at WrestleMania 21. Three years later, they look to find out who the better man truly is.
SummerSlam (2006)
John Cena vs. Edge
– Edge has done everything he can to hold onto the title in nefarious ways. At SummerSlam, if he’s disqualified, he loses the WWE Championship!
– A rivalry that has raged for seven months continues as Edge looks to prove he’s got the inside track to defeating Cena
New Year’s Revolution (2006)
John Cena vs. Edge
– The historic first-ever cash-in of the Money in the Bank briefcase
– An exhausted John Cena is forced into defending his WWE Championship immediately after surviving the Elimination Chamber
Night of Champions (2008)
John Cena vs. Triple H
– Cena made Triple H tap out at WrestleMania 22 to show he was on the level of The Game
– At Night of Champions, Triple H looks to prove he can correct the mistakes he made and get his victory back over Cena, while defending his WWE Championship at the same time
SummerSlam (2014)
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
– Having conquered The Undertaker’s Streak at WrestleMania XXX, Brock Lesnar feels absolutely unbeatable
– As WWE World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena knows that he’s the only one left to keep Lesnar from completely dominating WWE
Backlash (2003)
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
– John Cena gets his opportunity at the WWE Championship!
– Brock looks to turn back the challenge of a brash opponent who feels he deserves the opportunities that, so far, have seemingly only gone to “The Next Big Thing!”
Vengeance (2003)
John Cena vs. Undertaker
– Cena has angered “The Big Dog” in an attempt to move up the ladder as quickly as possible
– The Undertaker, after having given Cena respect in the past, looks to show his kindness wasn’t weakness, and that Cena’s made a huge mistake in calling him out
Hell in a Cell (2009)
John Cena vs. Randy Orton
– A years-long rivalry shows no signs of burning out any time soon as Randy Orton and John Cena are locked inside the Cell!
– Orton is a crazed and ferocious competitor as he looks to reclaim the WWE Championship from the man who took it away from him in the first place!
SummerSlam (2021)
John Cena vs. Roman Reigns
– The Tribal Chief has dominated WWE for nearly a solid year, eliminating all challengers
– John Cena returns at Money in the Bank, letting Roman know that he wants another crack at The Head of the Table.
WrestleMania 28
John Cena vs. The Rock
– Attitude meets Aggression when two eras collide!
– The Rock returns to WrestleMania competition after eight years. Does he still have the electricity needed to shock Cena?
SummerSlam (2016)
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
– A huge rematch after their first meeting ends under questionable circumstances
– 5 years of bitterness boils to the top as AJ Styles looks to prove he’s every bit the generational talent that John Cena is known to be
WrestleMania 34
John Cena vs Undertaker
– Without a match for WrestleMania 34, Cena calls out The Undertaker
– Undertaker goes weeks without answering, leading many to wonder if he’ll even show up for WrestleMania!
ECW One Night Stand (2006)
John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam
– RVD looks to Cash In the Money in the Bank briefcase with an incredible home-ring advantage
– RVD promised to rename the WWE Title into the ECW Title if he was victorious, could Cena protect WWE from the extreme circumstances?
WWE 2K23 is due for release on March 17, with early access to Deluxe and Icon owners on March 14. We’ll have to see how the game will turn out once it drops next month.
What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!
February 16, 2023 2:13 pm
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