There are a number of iconic rivalries that really helped shape the eras of the WWE over the years, from Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior to Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon, to the “gang” rivalries that littered the Attitude era, all the way to the more recent feuds between CM Punk and John Cena, some of the feuds that really stand the test of time are being immortalized beyond the tapes, DVDs and $9.99 showings on the WWE Network. In fact, 2K Games is taking the bitter rivalry concept to the next level with the introduction of the new 2K Showcase mode, a single-player, story-driven affair that recounts the intense fallout between HBK and Triple-H throughout 2002 to 2004, and the usher into the “Reality Era” of WWE with CM Punk's 2011 pipe bomb that led to the crowd-pleasing feud with WWE's current golden boy, John Cena.
The news comes courtesy of a press release over on the official Take 2 Games website, where the company details the “memorable moments” that players will be able to experience in the brand new mode.
As mentioned in the press release by Chris Snyder, Vice President of Marketing at 2K...
“The moment Triple H ended his longtime friendship with ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ by slamming him with a Pedigree was a defining moment in WWE history,” ... “No fan can deny the fierce competition marking the notorious battles waged between Cena and Punk. These two rivalries are firmly etched in WWE history, and 2K Showcase enables fans to take part in those memorable experiences.”
I have no idea why the Triple H and HBK feud is in there. Let's be honest: that feud sucked in the larger scheme of things. The Batista and Undertaker feud for the World Heavyweight Championship belt was way more intense just for the fact that Batista seemed unstoppable heading into Wrestlemania -- and for crying out loud, it was the freaking Undertaker. Or heck, The Shield has probably been the most talked about stable in WWE history for a long, long, long time. Following their rise up until they faced off with the Wyatts at Elimination Chamber or the Old-Age Outlaws at Wrestlemania, would have been pretty sweet. But, we all know how Trips loves his spotlight.
Anyway, the feuds will take place over the course of 33 matches, each with their own stipulations and bonus objectives. The modes will enable players to unlock additional wrestlers, items, alternate attire and championships. Supposedly, more series of rivalries will be made available after the game launches on October 28th via DLC. I'm not really keen on that depending on how it's handled... I suppose if it's moderately priced DLC and adds content that doesn't feel stripped or cut then it's all good.
Paul “Triple H” Levesque Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative at WWE (and also the brainchild behind the NXT branch and the performance center) chimed in on the news (because it's Trips), saying...
“Featuring two of the biggest rivalries in WWE history, including my storied matches with Shawn Michaels, there’s no doubt fans will experience the thrill first-hand through WWE 2K15,”... “2K Showcase brings WWE to life in a way our fans have never seen before through a video game.”
Right, because everyone will love being able to take on the role of Triple H and his iconic shovel so they can bury talent in WWE 2K15 just like in real life -cough-Zack Ryder-cough-.
You can look for WWE 2K15 to launch on old-gen consoles and current-gen consoles on October 28th. Additional pre-order DLC is also available, including WCW's Sting (and hopefully he gets some real special treatment in next year's outing with a WCW themed game). For more info feel free to pay a visit to the game's official website.
