6 Things You Need To Know About WWE 2K18 Career Mode
Multiple storylines and free-roaming environments highlight MyCAREER's advances.
WWE 2K18 is almost upon us, and details are really starting to pour through ahead of the October 17th release date.
The full list of playable characters was finalised with IGN's latest video update last week, adding the 47 more names to what is the series' base roster for the third consecutive year. The talent pool was bolstered further by Vince McMahon's addition on Tuesday afternoon, and the early reviews are already filtering through, with consensus stating that 2K's presentation has never been sharper, but the series hasn't made a great leap forward.
Details on MyCAREER were scarce, but 2K Games have now posted a lengthy update on the franchise's most immersive game mode. Claiming that their main goal is to "shift back to telling a compelling story through self-created WWE Superstars," 2K promise a tailored, narrative-driven approach with unparalleled levels of freedom: welcome news, given 2K17's dull, grindy MyCAREER experience.
2K's plans are ambitious and exciting. Fulfil these promises, and they'll create richest, most engrossing career mode in franchise history, but get it wrong and they'll have a lot of frustrated fans to placate.
Here's what 2K18's career mode has in store...
6. A More Narrative-Driven Experience
The first thing promised in 2K Sports' latest update is that WWE 2K18's career mode will focus on a "strong story narrative." They want to simulate all the ups and downs of life as a WWE Superstar, from hanging out backstage, to going to war in the ring. Creating a "WrestleMania moment" remains the end goal, but details on specific plot points remain ambiguous.
MyCAREER will see players presented with the choice of branching off in one of two clear directions. We'll get to those later, but it doesn't look like 2K18 will provide many surprises. WWE 2K17 gave players the chance to become a "Paul Heyman guy," but there's no mention of anything similar this year. For the most part, it looks like we'll still be tasked with starting at the bottom (NXT), then grinding our way to the top (WrestleMania), which is typical of the series.
2K have never been able to make MyCAREER a truly narrative-driven experience. Doing so would be welcome, as the mode often feels like a mundane grind towards increased stats, particularly in its early stages, but 2K have promised improved storylines in the past. It's best to take this point with a hint of cynicism.