WWE 2K18 Universe Mode: 6 Things You Need To Know
5. Intensity Levels
A brand new addition to the series, 2K18's Intensity system features in both active and potential rivalries, serving not only as a measure of heat between the two parties, but also to determine what'll happen between them as the feud progresses.
There are four stages in total: low (green), medium (yellow), high (orange), and very high (red). Green represents a friendly rivalry, with things becoming increasingly confrontational as they progress to yellow. In orange, wrestlers will start resorting to cheap shots, and red is when things really hit the fan, with the feud becoming a full-on war.
Intensity will fluctuate throughout. It's based on the individual interactions between the two parties, and will usually increase as the storyline progresses. Those creating their own rivalries can customise this setting too, so if you want to skip the nonsense and start a feud at red intensity, there's nothing stopping you from doing so.
According to 2K, raising the intensity level "increases the possibilities further on what kinds of rivalries you can create." This presumably means that more heated, violent interactions will be reserved for the most intense feuds, which makes sense, but sounds extremely regimented.