WWE 2K20
A critically panned wrestling game that halted the series.
WWE 2K20 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. Released on October 22, 2019, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, it is the twentieth installment of the WWE series and the seventh under the WWE 2K banner. It is notable as the first game in the series not developed by Yuke's, which had developed every entry since 2000; Visual Concepts, previously co-developer since 2014, took over as lead studio. The game received overwhelmingly negative reviews and gained notoriety for its many bugs, glitches, and technical issues at launch, leading to the cancellation of WWE 2K21 and a two-year hiatus for the series.
- Developer
- Visual Concepts
- Publisher
- 2K
- Release date
- October 22, 2019
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Series
- WWE 2K (seventh installment)
- Cover stars
- Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns
- Notoriety
- Overwhelmingly negative reviews; numerous bugs and glitches
Lore & Background
WWE 2K20's 2K Showcase mode focuses on the Four Horsewomen of WWE (Bayley, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks), covering matches from NXT to WrestleMania 35. The game features a female MyCareer story alongside a male one, set in April 2029, where characters Red and Tre are inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame before WrestleMania 45. The WWE Towers mode returns, including a Story Tower centered on Roman Reigns with matches from 2013 to 2019. The game's collector's edition was themed around the 20th anniversary of WWE SmackDown, including a signed card and a plaque with a piece of the SmackDown 2002–2008 ring mat.
Reader's Guide
WWE 2K20 is significant as a turning point for the WWE 2K series, marking the end of Yuke's development role and the beginning of Visual Concepts as sole developer. Its overwhelmingly negative reception, driven by widespread bugs, glitches, and a perceived regression in quality from WWE 2K19, led to the cancellation of WWE 2K21 and a two-year hiatus for the main series. The game's failure prompted 2K to release a spin-off, WWE 2K Battlegrounds, in 2020, before the series returned with WWE 2K22 in March 2022. The game also gained notoriety for a 'Y2k20' bug in early 2020 that rendered it nearly unplayable, and for the hashtag #FixWWE2K20 trending on social media. Its legacy is that of a cautionary example in sports gaming, directly influencing the series' subsequent direction and release schedule.
Did You Know?
- WWE 2K20 is the first game in the series to feature a female cover star, Becky Lynch, alongside Roman Reigns.
- Four DLC expansions were released under the banner 'WWE 2K Originals', with themes including horror, dystopia, Southpaw Regional Wrestling, and futuristic settings.
- The game was nominated for WrestleCrap's Gooker Award for worst gimmick, storyline, or event in wrestling in 2019, losing to the 'Fiend vs. Seth Rollins Hell in a Cell match'.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who developed WWE 2K20?
Visual Concepts took the lead development role, making this the first WWE game since 2000 not primarily built by Yuke's. 2K handled publishing as usual.
What platforms is WWE 2K20 available on?
It shipped on October 22, 2019, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (Microsoft Windows).
Who are the cover stars of WWE 2K20?
Becky Lynch and Roman Reigns are the two wrestlers featured on the game's cover art.
Why was WWE 2K20 so poorly received?
The game launched riddled with bugs, glitches, and severe technical issues that made it frustrating to play. Both critics and the fan community gave it overwhelmingly negative scores, cementing its reputation as one of the worst entries in the franchise.
Did WWE 2K20 end the WWE 2K series?
Yes—its catastrophic reception effectively killed the annual release cycle, and no new WWE 2K title has been released since.
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