With rumors circulating that WWE is in talks with video game titan EA to make future titles in the franchise, a few possibilities could surface.WWE 2K22releases March 11, developed by Visual Concepts, but subsequent releases may not stay under the 2K banner. Electronic Arts is synonymous with sports games, withFIFA, Madden, andNHLleading the charge for the company, and the success of mostWWEofferings could be a recipe for success with EA.
However,Electronic Arts has a reputation among gamers, as some consider many of the company’s practices to be anti-consumer, and its emphasis on games as a service is consistently met with mixed receptions. Yet EA has the capability to make, refine, and perfect annual gaming experiences, with constant tweaks allowing each series' gameplay formula to feel better with each release. Should futureWWEgames be developed or published by Electronic Arts, there are a handful of potential benefits and a number of disadvantages that could arise.
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Pros of EA Working on WWE
There are few companies that know how to forge a consistent experience on an annual basis. With publisher 2K skipping a year in 2021, and opting to follow up 2019’sWWE 2K20withWWE 2K22, time will tell if the wait has been worthwhile. EA has managed to stick to a yearly release for many of its licenses, with only minor blemishes on each new offering beyond overall homogeneity. Electronic Arts has the opportunity to bring stability to a franchise that has struggled to find its footing in recent years, even after a decade of quality.
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Cons of EA Working on WWE
EA’s online servers have been inconsistent for what feels like years, and with much of the enjoyment inWWE 2Ktitles coming from online competition, time will tell if the servers are stable enough to keep the fun going. Servers are shared between EA franchises, and the high user count ofFIFAorMaddenmeans there’s a chance future EAWWEtitles will suffer.
The corporate practices of Electronic Arts have been under scrutiny as well, including the glut of microtransactions that plagued much of the PS4 and Xbox One generation. The company has responded to backlash in seeming efforts to become more user-friendly, likeremoving loot boxes fromStar Wars: Battlefront 2or launching the indie-focused EA Originals. But to many, the product is tainted by the company’s crooked reputation. TheWWEgames license has faced its own share of criticism as previous entries released in a broken state, so EA should look to restore the series to its best. The likelihood of this coming without any form of stingy corporate practices, however, feels slim.
Electronic Arts' reputation in recent years seems to be one that nurtures innovation, and then ruthlessly capitalizes on success. The company has shown its commitment to a quality formula for decades, and EA Play finding a home onGame Pass for PCmeans more people than ever can enjoy its offerings. However, EA’s reputation is a lot to overcome, and adding yet another sports game to its list of franchises runs the risk of crowding its struggling servers. Time will tell if the partnership will even go ahead, but if it does, there’s much for fans to consider.
WWE 2K22launches March 11 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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