WWE 2K22 is an important release for the wrestling franchise. The developer, Visual Concepts, looks set to address the issues with the last game while bringing the series forward. The footage of WWE 2K22 so far has seemed promising on a technical level, and fans are hoping that the new game can deliver. While fans anxiously await a proper gameplay reveal, there has been more information about the game drip-fed to fans. The latest piece of news is about the cover stars of the games, and it's been stirring nostalgia for a lot of WWE fans.
The new WWE game seemingly looks set to have two different covers. The WWEonFOX Twitter account polled fans back in February on who the WWE Universe would choose as their cover stars. The official WWE on FOX Twitter has revealed WWE 2K22's cover stars, and the choices aren't too surprising for most fans. Adorning the covers are Drew McIntyre and Sasha Banks, representing Raw and SmackDown, respectively. The cover stars make sense as they're both huge stars on their respective brands, and the covers seem to resemble the SmackDown vs. Raw covers from years ago.
The SmackDown vs. Raw Resemblance
The WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series spawned from the original SmackDown series of games. The games were rebranded to reflect that WWE had divided its roster into two, with superstars appearing exclusively on the Raw or SmackDown TV shows. The SmackDown vs. Raw series had some great entries that many consider to hold up well today. The marketing for these games emphasized the brand warfare concept that WWE used on television. The covers for WWE 2K22 seem to harken back to this time of inter-promotional competition.
The similarities can be seen in the wrestlers chosen and the color palettes used. Sasha Banks graces one of the WWE 2K22 covers, and she is a member of SmackDown. Suitably, this cover uses blue as the dominant color. The former WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, is featured on the second cover, which is primarily red and represents him being a Raw superstar. The WWE 2K games have been pretty universally branded for years, and this is the first time since the SmackDown vs. Raw games where there is an element of brand competition.
Though the likes of the legendary Undertaker were voted for highly, current stars Drew McIntyre and Sasha Banks came out on top in the vote. Though it could be coincidental, the new cover art conjures up memories of the older SmackDown vs. Raw games, which could be exciting for some gamers.
What the SmackDown vs. Raw Similarity Could Indicate
There hasn't been enough in-game footage shown off to tell with any certainty if this new branding will be reflected in the gameplay. WWE does have the brand extension in place currently in its programming, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility that it might affect gameplay and game modes. While Visual Concepts will address the shortcomings of WWE 2K20, many fans are hoping that it will also bring something fresh with WWE 2K22.
WWE 2K22 could draw a lot from the SmackDown vs. Raw games, including its General Manager Mode and the idea of brand vs. brand wrestling. With WWE's brand extension in effect on television, it remains a possibility, but purely speculative, that WWE 2K22 will be influenced by SmackDown vs. Raw. Visual Concepts has stated that the game will be influenced by fan-favorite games WWF No Mercy and SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, but time will tell if there is room for SmackDown vs. Raw's influence to be felt.
WWE 2K22 will have behind-the-scenes video diaries released, and perhaps then fans will get an idea of if the gameplay is being changed. The new covers are a throwback to older, beloved wrestling games with their stark red vs. blue designs. For some fans, this could indicate a return to brand warfare being the focus, but it's purely speculative until there is more gameplay shown off.
WWE 2K22 is planned to release at some point in 2021.