WWE 2K23 players are noticing an interesting quirk surrounding the game’s referees, namely that the speed at which they count a pinfall can change during a match. Players who were lucky enough to order the Deluxe or Icon editions of WWE 2K23 can now play it ahead of Friday’s official release date, and as a result fans are already sharing their experiences while taking on John Cena in 2K Showcase mode or managing their favorite WWE brand from behind the scenes in the freshly-revamped MyGM.
Even just a few days after the game went into early access, WWE 2K23 players have already noticed plenty of fun little details and Easter eggs while stepping into the virtual squared circle. Many of these tidbits have required considerable effort on the part of players to uncover, such as the ability to customize Logan Paul's Pokemon card necklace, Ricochet and Braun Strowman's tag team finisher being available to perform, and a surprising nod to Sami Zayn’s indie days in WWE 2K23’s MyRise storyline.
Reddit user TrashBagofGyros recently uncovered another hidden secret within WWE 2K23, this time involving the distinguished referees tasked with officiating matches. As shown in a video post that TrashBagofGyros shared on r/WWEGames, the referee seems to count pinfalls more slowly after being knocked down or attacked by an active WWE 2K22 wrestler during a match. Other users have shared their own experiences with this small but significant gameplay wrinkle, with some even noting that a referee will sometimes pass out from exhaustion in the middle of a count to sell their injury.
These players have also noted that referee behavior overall has been altered from last year’s WWE 2K22, in what appears to be another example of developer Visual Concepts tweaking the framework established in the previous entry for WWE 2K23. Sure enough, WWE 2K23’s Universe Mode now allows players to set up special cutscenes for rivalries, and last year’s divisive MyFaction Mode now lets fans challenge each other’s custom-built teams online.
All of these tweaks and changes serve to help WWE 2K23 recreate the drama and excitement of a televised WWE event, and this seems to be carried over into the game's referees. As is the case in the real WWE, the speed of a ref's count can make the difference between a victory or a failed pinfall attempt, and these officials often aren't as built for taking hard bumps as the wrestlers they are overseeing. As a result, a dazed referee can make landing that much-needed win over John Cena all the more difficult in WWE 2K23.
WWE 2K23 launches on March 17 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
