Another year, another WWE 2K Roster Reveal. After a lot of hoopla, anticipation and teasing, leave it to the beloved wrestling department over at GHG–the motherfuckin’ Ringside Apostles–to give you our best additions, biggest omissions, and overall thoughts on this year’s pre-DLC 136 woman, man and monster (hi, Braun!) roster.
Brother.
@guycopes3
Roster reveals never disappoint me anymore. CAW makers are at such an elite level, I can usually get whoever I want on the game. Johnny Joe Jobberinsky currently jerking curtains on Main Event being left out doesn’t bother me. That being said, I’m an indie and puro guy, so I’m really psyched about the additions of Shinsuke and AJ Styles. But, as for the rest? Go full Wolfpack or go home. Best Addition: Samoa Joe (non DLC, heh). Biggest Omission: X-Pac. Slammy Score = 3.5/5.
IG @Grumpykore
At a quick glace, I see that we have a lot of rehashed stars. Wellllll… that’s because 2K Games already has the models for these *cough* Legends. Sure–my kids are going to love the game no matter what; but as a longtime, hardcore 2K gamer I really just want my wrestling. Not gimmicks! Guys who can wrestle. I know there are time constraints, but it can’t be that hard to announce a Day One patch so Primo & Epico — in the game as the Los Matadores (last seen on TV in September of last year!) — are in their current gimmick as The Shining Stars. Regardless, I’m pleased that Women’s wrestling is getting a push. It’s about time! As for the game itself, here’s to hoping that the new RAW and Smackdown Live! arenas will be added in future free DLC. Another way to add more fun to the game? Make players earn their attires (especially those that are updated) with points acquired from winning matches or taking certain paths in Universe Mode. Best Addition(s): Apollo Crews, Bayley. Biggest Omission: Road Warriors. Bible Score = 3.75/5.
@TravMoody
Since this is the only wrasslin’ game in town, the Apostles have no choice but to get amped and excited–even if we just know we’re about to be let down. Take this morning’s “Suplex City” teaser image for example. That padlock on the pearly gates of Pennsylvania? Certainly not Kurt Angle. Nope. Instead, it’s a wrestler you will likely never.. EVERRRR.. use in the game (or hardly ever see on TV, at that)… A-GAINNN: Jack Swagger. Each week IGN has joined forces with 2K Games to tease fellow squared circle gamers with a slew of transparent images. While I deeply appreciate having Perfect, Pillman, the New Age Outlaws, American Alpha, The Revival, and the Four Horsewomen, you’d think that–seeing how the WWE owns Dubya See Dubya and E See Dubya–these rosters would be a little more than the usual “let’s wait until the 5th and final week of the reveal to let you know that the game will have Cena, Rollins, Reigns, Ambrose, Taker, and 3 damn Mic Foley’s”. DAMN! Best Addition(s): AJ Styles, Sasha Banks. Biggest Omission(s): APA/LOD, Anderson & Gallows. Bible Score = 3.25/5.
@F7ovrdrv
Not a hell of a lot to complain about with this roster reveal. Most of the superstars are covered, a lot of NXT love–and a lot of love for old “legends”. A lot of it. Much like my man Ant up above, I’d argue too much. I’m sick and tired of seeing wrestlers that I don’t give a crap about being put in just to fill in slots! Yes, yes “subjective opinion” and blah blah blah. But for next year, how about some sort of voting for the older wrestlers? As a whole? I’m willing to bet ain’t nobody give a sheet ’bout playing as Typhoon, Earthquake, The Bushwackers, the revealed today Lex Luger (ugh), Fujinami–hell, even some of the “bigger” legends like The Anvil, “Nabisco”, and Arn Anderson. Oh, and STFU, wrestling “purist”; because I know you’re about to chime in about the “good ole days” (which BTW, weren’t that great. I’ll take Rollins vs Cena any day of the week), I’m not talking about you, I’m talking about the fans that love wrestling but are far more interested in the here and now. I’d rather have Tye Dillinger over any one them. Best Addition(s): Shinsuke Nakamura. Biggest Omission(s): Gargano & Chiampa, Bobby Roode (“Glorious” DLC?). Bible Score = 3.5/5.
@eyebzombie
Here’s a shocker: Nothing much can be said by way of excitement from the good ol’ “Bishop” Zom with the most recent roster review of WWE 2K17. I firmly stand at the fact we get cheated yearly by lackluster quality WWE title games. I mean, come on! You leave out former WWE Hardcore Champ Mike Awesome, and other enticing entries like classic nostalgic wrestlers such as Repo Man, Duke “The Dumpster” Droese, Bob “Spark Plugg” Holly, Droz, The Headbangers (making their Smackdown Live! debut tonight), and the list goes on and on. While I do appreciate the toss in of other wrestlers on the international level like Tatsumi Fujinami, Shinsuke and Hideo Itami, etc., where is the Dynamite Kid, Kamala, Jushin Liger, the Great Muta, etc.? My tastebuds for this game are still soured. Best Addition: Asuka. Biggest Omission: The Shockmaster. Bible Score = 2.5/5.
@ShawnPuffy
From the looks of it, we’re luckily going to only get one Undertaker, one Steve Austin, one Kane and so on… not that that can’t and won’t change. It’s a shame that the “NXT Edition” consists of only Crews, Nakamura, Asuka an Nia Jax. Kinda lame. Call me crazy, but it seems like it only makes sense to use the 2K series to highlight some of the stars of NXT and put them in front of the casual fans eyes in hopes that it will turn into more of them buying into the Network for $9.99 just to see more of them. As far as who’s not here, I’ve got a laundry list. #1.) Where is the “Greatest Man That Ever Lived”, Austin Aries? I get that Roode signed real late, but the other Double A should have been included. #2.) And if we’re going to have managers, can we have more than just Paul Heyman? I mean, unless they didn’t fix manager interactions anyway. Let’s be real. They’re horrible. #3.) Can we also just get over the Hulk Hogan thing? I want the Hulkster in my game. #4.) Four… the 4 Horsemen, Windham, Sid, and Tully. Looks like another year of CAWing ’til I drop. But they decided to leave X-Pac out.. so there’s always that. Best Addition: American Alpha. Biggest Omission: Aires. Bible Score = 3.25/5.
@OGMrGrimm
All hail the pro wrestling gods, 2K finally made up for last year’s confusing omission of Road Dogg. Now this Apostles’ dream tag match of The New Age Outlaws vs Enzo & Cass can finally see fruition! Despite that huge positive, your “Father Grimm” will not be pre-ordering this game, as he’d rather have Gillberg as a pre-oder bonus over Goldberg. Still, I’m pretty excited about this year’s additions of the recently retired Dudley Boyz, Apollo Crews, Asuka, and American Alpha. And while I apologize for sounding like an echo of my fellow congregation, there’s no doubt we’ll just have to clamor at the bit for a NXT DLC, despite Yukes/Visual Concepts doing their damnedest to include much of the fed into the game. Best Addition: “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles. Biggest Omission(s): “The Club” — Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows, Austin Aries, Bobby Roode. Bible Score = 3.5/5.
@IAMSCF
Let’s ignore the fact that this year the Pre-Order Legend is Bill Goldberg (in both Unbeatable WCW version, and full beard, Buried-By-HHH WWE version). But what we shouldn’t ignore is how with an initial launch of 136 wrestling superstars, it’s anything but super. Sure we get to use new roster additions like Enzo & Big Cass and Jordan & Gable — but there is a hell of a ton of fat on this steak that nobody wants. And apparently, we’ll have to wait for next year when a pre-order will give us the only Olympic Gold Metalist in all of Sports Entertainment History …. The Real All American himself, Kurt Angle! (Let’s just ignore that he’s been wrestling for that other place for twice as long as he was in the WWE). Biggest Addition(s): Samoa Joe (DLC last year), Nakamura (pre-order exclusive/DLC this year). Biggest Omission: Angle. Bible Score = 3/5.
