10 Things AEW’s Video Game Must Learn From WWE 2K22

8. Going Sim-Heavy Isn’t Smart

AEW Video Game Jungle Boy Darby Allin
AEW/Yuke's

Watch AEW's product and you'll see an emphasis on fast-paced in-ring action. Sometimes, particularly on episodes of Rampage, the company don't even waste time with entrances or any pre-match hype at all. Nope, they just ring that bell and get straight down to business.

The video game has to reflect that focus.

2K22 did the right thing by chipping away at a previously-locked in sim-heavy style that wasn't doing the actual gameplay any favours. 2K upped the pace ever-so-slightly, but Yuke's can go even further by producing an arcade-style, zippy gameplay engine that differentiates it from the market-hogging WWE title.

It's so, so, so important they do that. Going heavy on simulation elements might sound good on paper for a wrestling-centric promotion like All Elite, but it'll only remind fans of the recent string of WWE games that churned along when it mattered most.

Going the arcade route is 100% preferable to slowing everything down to a crawl.

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.