One of the highlights of last year WWE 2K22 There was a return of general manager mode with MyGM. For the first time since then WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, players could grab the pencil and take over as lead bookers for their chosen brands. This game, and the two that came before it, set the bar for a different style of play alongside the fast paced arcadey in-ring action that the SDvR series has become known and loved. While a more menu-based experience, General Manager Mode (or WWE 24/7 WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008) allowed gamers to book Raw, SmackDown and even ECW against each other in weekly matches, with each brand trying to put on the best show and collect the most money and fans.
On time WWE 2K22 Initially praised for its GM mode, MyGM, players quickly realized it was the most barebones of the barebones modes. A patch about a month after release added tag belts and more matches to the weekly cards, but ultimately MyGM was more basic than a fun-to-play contest. Still, many could see that the beginnings of a good game were there, and that hope was enough to run simulations for several years. Popular YouTubers like WWE’s Xavier Woods/Austin Creed have made a secondary career out of gaming, and the chance to play the role of general manager again led to Creed and fellow WWE Superstar Tyler Breeze bringing back the The battle of the brands series, and this year’s MyGM has a lot of surprises directly related to that show.
However, this year’s iteration of the WWE 2K series has a number of improvements, and has been widely praised. It won’t change the world, but it’s a fun way to pass the time in between raw and Smackdown. Let’s go over some of the best improvements to MyGM in WWE 2k23.
The new hosts are amazing
Most gamers will only go through a tutorial once. Even in sports games, it’s easy to ignore the instructions the developers have included and just try to figure it out yourself, mashing and tapping buttons until something happens. WWE 2K23MyGM’s MyGM subverts this by immediately setting up a bright white screen, something much different than last year’s music video segment with voiceover by Stephanie McMahon. Xavier Woods, aka Austin Creed from the YouTube channel UpUpDownDown, introducing players to this year’s MyGM alongside his on-screen rival, Tyler Breeze. The pair share inside jokes and references to their game show as well as their wrestling careers, with Breeze making sure Woods mentions that Breeze is now considered a “WWE legend” – a decision made in part so that Breeze could continue to be a part of both the show and the match.
Usually, the hosts of these in-game segments are lower-tier superstars (no offense to last year’s tutorial host, Drew Gulak) but WWE and 2K Games made a great call by including Woods and Breeze. their The battle of the brands The show made sure to gently criticize the release of MyGM last year, while still showing love for the product, and their addition to the WWE 2K23 Does a lot to show fans that they are appreciated.
More GMs, more shows, more options
If the 2022 MyGM was the base, this year’s version is definitely more of a finished build. Sure, there’s still a lot of work to do, but the MyGM is in WWE 2K23 Much more playable than the previous iteration. Right from the jump, players are presented with a wider variety of GMs to choose from. Returning are Adam Pierce, Sonya Deville and Stephanie McMahon, as well as the Custom Superstar slot. New to the match are Kurt Angle, Eric Bischoff, Mick Foley and MyGM hosts Xavier Woods and Tyler Breeze. Up to four human or computer controlled players can now participate, twice as many as last year, and there are now six shows to choose from – Raw, SmackDown, NXT, NXT 2.0, and (surprisingly) WCW. Those of us old enough to have survived the Monday Night Wars will certainly appreciate the opportunity to invite Ted Turner to victory.
After making these decisions, you can access the meeting settings. AI difficulty is no longer directly tied to game difficulty, meaning your opposing GMs can make better decisions while the game can be tweaked to add more adjustments during performances, change budgets in later seasons, and adjust morale for signed superstars. Budget, turn order and the use of the new Shake Up cards can also be adjusted.
New weekly and monthly options at WWE 2K23 make the years fly by
The draft and weekly play remain largely the same as last year – alternating talent picks, while remembering to factor in things like budget, gender, popularity, stamina, and superstar labels like Specialist, Cruiser, Giant, Fighter, and Bruiser.
B 2K22, only singles and tag matches were available, with several match types to choose from. This year features singles, tag team, triple threat and deadly four-way matches, with 11 singles match types and 7 options for the rest of the matches. Everything from recurring match types like tables and extreme rules, to new players in submission, backstage brawls and last man matches allow for a variety of performances, added fan interest and more superstars appearing on weekly cards. Cost and stamina effects will come into play as the weeks go by, but overall these extra options add a lot to the overall game.
The addition of several new activation cards also spices up the weekly game. Different fans for the performances of players, and annoyances for their opponents, keep the grind from week to week interesting. Shake Ups, which are long-lasting cards with bigger effects, have also been included and add even more variety to MyGM.
The fun continues even after WrestleMania
Traditionally, once the shows show has come to an end, so has the season on MyGM. The fans and cash are counted, and the winner is announced. In WWE 2K23, this is only partially true. A winner is still announced, but then something magical happens – the players move on to the second season!
After a season, a number of “keepers” are allowed based on the player’s performance. Winning the season means only two or three superstars can be kept, while a lower grade means retaining more talent to help the next year of the invitational. A new draft is underway, and players continue their quest to enter the WWE Hall of Fame, a feat that can only be achieved by acquiring ten Hall of Fame Trophies over multiple seasons. Trophies are awarded for revenue earned, fans won and seasons finished while ranked first overall. It is satisfying A little more motivation and allows players a few different paths towards overall victory.
The new MyGM is a blast, but there’s a lot of room for improvement
Overall, MyGM b WWE 2K23 It’s a great time, and a huge improvement over last year’s version. The addition of multiplayer games, secondary titles and multiple seasons provide welcome variety to what could easily become a stale management mode. However, there are still some issues that should be addressed by next year. For example, the lack of online play for MyGM is notable. It can’t be stressed enough how disappointing it is that a mode that basically consists of menu navigation and HR management isn’t available online, while the actual game runs smoothly on any current-gen system. Resourceful players have already found workarounds – PlayStation players can use Screen Share to switch, and PC players have the option of Steam Remote Play. Xbox Series X/S players have reported using Remote Play to share a console, though it has a spotty track record at best.
Roles also remain a point of contention among the actors. The games suffer if the suggested Fighter/Bruiser and Cruiser/Giant combos aren’t used, which begs the question, haven’t these developers seen the old Rey Mysterio vs. Psychosis or Juventud Guererra matches? Don’t they appreciate a Gunther vs. Sheamus “big beefy men cultivating flesh” style fight? As opposites attract, two masters of style can provide as much, if not more, entertainment.
There’s an inherent lack of story in ordering games and nothing else, and MyGM is largely casual in that regard. There are no established teams or factions, and no promos are available to make these connections. For the most part, wrestlers fight, rivalries are built and resolved, and the participants go their separate ways. Apart from Call Out promotions and lectures, Rivalry does not see any real interaction. Universe Mode has greatly expanded its story tools and options, and it would be nice to see some of these changes implemented on the MyGM side as well. After all, what’s pro wrestling without a little daytime TV drama mixed in?
bows on the side, WWE 2K23The MyGM represents a huge step forward in gameplay and design. More variety, a wider selection of GMs, the addition of two more playable locations, and games spanning multiple seasons all reflect the developers’ attention to the concerns the community has had over the past year, and it looks like the game can only get better going forward.