The WWE licensed video game franchise has a storied history decades long, but the inspired decision to include a ‘General Manager Mode’ wasn’t made until the unforgivably late 2005! Prior to that, players were starved of the option to control a flagship show, to draft a roster and to feel the competitive edge that has fired up such prolific figures as Stephanie McMahon and Teddy Long. The Smackdown Vs Raw era, the battle of the brands, took the franchise in a bright new direction, pre-empting future staleness and zigging when most were expecting yet another zag.
Fast-forward to the WWE 2K period and that word staleness seems far too easily conjured. Over the course of nearly a decade, swathes of the fanbase felt perennially disappointed by what could appear to some as lazy rehashes of the same game year-in-year-out. WWE 2K20 had a disastrous launch and the franchise had to lay dormant for a year, changing developers, in order to come back in a big way. WWE 2K22 included a return of the General Manager Mode, but how does it stack up to the golden age of GM Modes?
4 WWE 2K22 - MyGM
WWE 2K22 might boast a host of modes, but the final product has left many longtime fans disappointed. After taking an extra year off, many players were expecting big changes and to feel the same excitement they felt playing such classics as Here Comes the Pain. Instead, a bare-bones product marred with corrupted save files and hard crashes left a bitter taste in the mouth of many wrestling fans.
MyGM, even if the technical faults were to be ignored, commits the cardinal sin of gaming: It is dull. Of course, to a portion of the fanbase, the idea of acting as GM doesn't appear the most enticing prospect (Eric Bischoff didn't perform many Swanton Bombs from the top rope) but the chance to draft a roster, create unlikely rivalries and play out fantasy matches should hold universal appeal. Limited match types, formulaic rivalries and an uninspiring perks system can't be fixed by a fairly attractive UI. One of the greatest disappointments in WWE 2K22's MyGM is the lack of multiplayer! Looking forward to 2023, players will be hoping the developers look closer at what made the previous iterations of the general manager modes so enjoyable while not being afraid to experiment.
3 WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2007 - General Manager Mode
2007's General Manager Mode is largely a carbon copy of the original iteration one year prior, but one of the major flaws comes from one of the few new features: Storyline Writers. There are several reasons why adding Storyline Writers to a GM Mode can appear jarring, especially to longtime wrestling fans. As children grow, there are two fundamental truths they will inevitably have shattered, skewing their view on reality as they knew it. One of those is to do with Christmas (no spoilers) and the other is the impossible fact "wrestling isn't real."
So once that realization dawns, fans can view the sports entertainment for what it really is: A fabulous spandex soap opera with incredible athletes performing incredible stunts. Playing as general manager implies a level of disbelief suspension, soaking up the supposed world of WWE and fully immersing in the kayfabe of it all. Having to hire storyline writers and pick plot lines they write serves to murk those kayfabe waters and adds a level of complexity that doesn't create a more enjoyable experience. A nice idea poorly executed.
2 WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 - WWE 24/7
The third and previously final iteration of the general manager mode came in the form of an option in "WWE 24/7" in WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008. Another great idea executed very poorly presents itself here in the addition of the ECW brand. The 'no holds barred' chaos of ECW reigned supreme for many bloodthirsty fans in the 1990s and WWE's ECW revival managed to capture some of what made the brand so special. The inclusion of ECW in WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 however, feels short-sighted, under-supported and lacked the ambition that ran through the veins of ECW of old. Having to satiate the aspirational thirsts of the entire roster with only one belt is not only a tall order, but a dull one.
There is far more variety in choosing either Smackdown or Raw as the brand to manage. Choosing Smackdown or Raw though will give players plenty to play with. A solid amount of match type variety is complemented by some bizarre daytime activities that players' talent can engage with., including starring in films!
1 WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2006 - General Manager Mode
The game that started it all. The general manager mode that has never been bested. WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2006 finally allowed players to play as some of the greatest names in wrestling: Teddy Long and Eric Bischoff!
Jokes aside, 2006 had players drafting a roster of 20 wrestlers trying to maximize popularity while staying within budget restraints, all to be crowned General Manager of the Year. That roster included such greats as Batista, Trish Stratus, Kane, The Undertaker and Legends like Mankind, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The prospect of choreographing rivalries between these wrestling behemoths was tantalizing and no subsequent GM Mode has ever quite scratched that same itch.