Why WWE 2K21 Being Canned is a Good Thing

The rumours circulating around the internet is that wrestling mainstay WWE 2K21 has been cancelled in favour of another WWE game coming out. This is believed to have been caused by the abysmal reception it's predecessor, last year's WWE 2K20 received upon release. Littered with bugs and technical issues, the game currently sits at mostly negative reviews from most publications.

A lot of blame has been put on the fact the game felt and looked rushed, and this comes as no surprise, considering 2K dropped original longtime developer Yuke's, based in Osaka, Japan, in favour of Visual Concepts, 2K's in-house developers located in California, USA. Whilst a lot of speculation has been thrown around as to why the two ended their partnership, 2K has effectively ended a business relationship with a company that has almost three decades of experience developing wrestling games.

With that in mind, Yuke's announcement that they are developing their own wrestling game is exciting news. With complaints of the limitations placed on them by working on a WWE title, the freedom that would be offered to Yuke's to create a truly great wrestling game now they are free of the confines of a licenced franchise, means the gaming community could see a truly great wrestling game, similar to the level of detail in Fire Pro Wrestling World. Imagine that, a wrestling title where you could literally create and do what you want. One that would perhaps incorporate the flamboyance, skill, and entertainment of Japanese wrestling, which is very distinctive when compared to its American counterpart. Yuke's once owned the majority share of New Japan Pro Wrestling, so it will come as no surprise if the focus is on the Asian version of the sport or based on it.

Whilst it may be disappointing for some WWE games are no longer as good as they were, mainly due to stagnation and just a roster refresh year on year, the idea of an unchained title from Yuke's is nothing to be sniffed at, and let's hope it lives up to the potential promise.