John Cena Revealed As WWE 2K23 Cover Athlete, Release Date Set

You can see John Cena as the new cover athlete of the WWE 2K23 video game.

2K Games confirmed John Cena will grace the cover of the new WWE 2K23 video game that will be released worldwide on Tuesday, March 14. In addition to Cena being confirmed as the cover athlete of this year’s game, 2K also detailed a host of included features including an updated 2K Showcase Mode, the debut of War Games, Bad Bunny as a preorder bonus, Cody Rhodes on the roster and more.

From WWE Games / 2K Games:

Today, 2K announced WWE® 2K23, the newest installment of the flagship WWE video game franchise developed by Visual Concepts, will be coming soon for PlayStation®5 (PS5™), PlayStation®4 (PS4™), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. In celebration of his 20th anniversary as a WWE Superstar, 16-time World Champion, Hollywood icon, record-setting philanthropist, and WWE 2K23 Executive Soundtrack Producer, John Cena, will be featured on the cover of each edition of the game, striking three of his signature poses. Global music phenom Bad Bunny -Billboard’s Top Artist of the Year and one of the most streamed artists in the world for 2022 – will also make his WWE 2K debut*.

WWE 2K23 features several franchise advancements, including a unique new take on the 2K Showcase, the WWE 2K introduction of the fan-favorite WarGames, and expansions to several marquee game modes. In addition, fans can also look forward to a deep roster of WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar, “StoneCold” Steve Austin, and more. Incredibly realistic graphics, animations, camera angles and lighting, plus accessible controls and a new optional pinning mechanic will add to the highly immersive experience.WWE 2K23 Deluxe Edition and Icon Edition are scheduled for worldwide release on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 via Early Access, followed by the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen on Friday, March 17, 2023.

“It is a pleasure to tell the story of my career through the WWE 2K23 Showcase,” said John Cena. “2Khas done a fantastic job capturing and invigorating the WWE 2K franchise through this concept, and I am honored to grace the cover of WWE 2K23.”

“Much like our cover Superstar John Cena, the Visual Concepts team didn’t back down from the challenge to prove that the quality of the WWE 2K franchise is here to stay,” said Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts. “WWE 2K23 takes a winning formula and adds so much more. We’re especially excited to see how fans react to the 2K Showcase and WarGames.”

WWE 2K23 features several hallmarks of the franchise, as well some new additions and twists on fan favorites:

• 2K Showcase Starring John Cena: Conquering John Cena in the ring is an accolade few Superstars can claim. In an unprecedented twist on the 2K Showcase, players will step into the boots of several of Cena’s toughest competitors with one goal in mind: defeat the man who will“Never Give Up.” Spanning his 20-year WWE career and narrated by Cena himself, this interactive sports entertainment documentary uses 2K’s unique Slingshot Tech for a seamless transition from gameplay to live-action footage to bring pivotal moments in each match to life;• WarGames: The fan-favorite, chaotic and action-packed WarGames makes its debut in WWE2K23 and delivers heart-pounding 3v3 and 4v4 single player or multiplayer mayhem inside two side-by-side rings, surrounded by a double-steel cage;• MyGM: Now featuring more GMs to choose from – or a player’s own custom GM creation – as well as additional show options, multiple seasons, expanded match cards, and more match types for up to four players. Players draft a roster, manage budgets, sign free agents, choose various match types, arena locations, production elements and more, with the goal of beating a rival GMin weekly ratings battles;

• MyFACTION: Now featuring online multiplayer action, the team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns. Players can now take their faction online and compete for global dominance, or compete in Weekly Towers and Faction Wars, while new themed card packs and goals roll out regularly throughout the year**;

• MyRISE: Aspiring Superstars walk through the curtain for their WWE debut in MyRISE and shape their career with the decisions made along the way. Featuring distinct men’s and women’s division storylines and the ability to import custom-created Superstars, players journey from the humble beginnings of a Rookie, to being immortalized as a WWE Legend;

• Universe: The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of their own version of WWE, from Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events! Updates to Universe include a reworked story system and more;

• Creation Suite: A signature feature of the WWE 2K franchise, the creation suite returns with cross-platform community creations, including the ability to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more. Custom arenas are now playable online, and advanced customization has been added to created entrances.

WWE 2K23 Editions and Pre-Order Bonus

WWE 2K23 features four editions of the game: Standard Edition, Cross-Gen, Deluxe Edition, and IconEdition:

• The Standard Edition will be available for $59.99 on previous-gen platforms (PS4, Xbox One consoles) and PC and for $69.99 on current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S) in both physical and digital formats;

• The Cross-Gen edition will be available digitally for $69.99 on PlayStation and Xbox consoles.The Cross-Gen edition includes the Standard Edition across previous and current-gen platformswithin the same console family and the same PlayStation or Xbox account***;

• The Deluxe Edition will be available for $99.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One in both physical and digital formats, and on PC in digital format. The Deluxe Edition includes the Standard Edition, Bad Bunny Bonus Pack, plus a Season Pass to all five post-launch DLC content packs****; the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger; Ruby John Cena MyFACTION Evo Card, Gold Edge MyFACTION Card, Emerald Bianca Belair MyFACTION Card, Gold Asuka MyFACTION Card, and three Basic Premium Launch MyFACTION Card Packs. The Deluxe Edition will be available from March 14, 2023 – three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions!*****;

• The Icon Edition will be available for $119.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, andPC, featuring original cover art by renowned WWE-inspired artist Rob Schamberger. In addition to the Standard Edition and all bonus content included in the Deluxe Edition, the Icon Edition includes the Ruthless Aggression Pack, celebrating 20 years of John Cena’s WWE career by featuring John Cena’s early “Prototype” character, as well as “Leviathan” Batista, developmental rookie versions of Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton, the John Cena Legacy Championship and WrestleMania 22 Arena. Additional bonus content includes an Emerald Paul Heyman MyFACTION Manager Card, and three Deluxe Premium Launch MyFACTION Card Packs. TheIcon Edition will be available from March 14, 2023 – three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions!*****;

• Bad Bunny Bonus Pack Pre-Order Offer: Players who pre-ordered the Standard Edition andCross-Gen Digital Bundle will receive the Bad Bunny Bonus Pack, which includes Bad Bunny as a playable character, as well as a Ruby tier Bad Bunny MyFACTION card.* The Bad Bunny Bonus Pack is included in the Deluxe Edition and Icon Edition at launch.