WWE 2K25 Early Reviews: 13 Major Details We Learned

Introduced in WWE 2K15 and removed following a 2K20-induced dumpster fire, the chain wrestling mechanism brought WWE's virtual sports entertainers a step closer to replicating an actual wrestling match. Locking up at the sound of the bell occurs in most wrestling bouts, so reflecting this in video game format was a lauded feature.

It returns in WWE 2K25.

Following a similar control system, locking up will now be followed by selecting one of three options: switch, attack, and drive. Choosing 'switch' changes your position, moving from a waist lock to a hammerlock, while 'attack' breaks the chain by executing a move (in a wrist lock, for instance, you can drive your opponent's shoulder into the mat), and the 'drive' option pushes your opponent back toward the ropes. A neat feature is that, if selecting 'drive', this can either be broken up cleanly or by cheap shotting your opponent with a punch to the jaw. Otherwise, the controls are the same, with the player using the left stick to find the sweet spot.

Other features include the ability to pin your opponent from a chain and a new Payback. Titled 'Dirty Breaker', it allows you to break a chain by raking your opponent in the eye.