First, the picture. This is the best a WWE game has looked since the PS2, it actually looks next gen now.

Also the career mode

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2014/08/04/wwe-2k15-story-career-modes-and-more-revealed-ign-first

Basically they're taking the career from NBA 2k14. Also "Over 50 days worth of motion capture sessions went on at 2K's state-of-the-art mo-cap facility, where WWE Superstars spent hours getting their signature moves digitally recreated. All told, WWE 2K15 features five times the animation data of 2K14. Thankfully, just as much effort has gone into improving the way the game sounds, the color commentary in particular. Over four times as many lines were recorded this time around, which should go a long way towards spicing up what has consistently been one of the franchise's presentational low points."

This is what excited me most about 2K getting the WWE license, having played quite a bit of NBA 2K14 recently their graphical work is outstanding. I enjoyed WWE 2K14 quite a bit so I'm super interested to see what they've done with 2K at the helm from the very beginning of development with Yukes.

That said, the career mode doesn't sound that exciting to me. I am more of a Universe Mode player though. That motion capture news is exciting as some of the animation in the past WWE games as been recycled to death.

Damn, good on them. WWE on last gen was the only instance I've seen of a series' graphics getting legitimately worse as the console cycle wore on. Hopefully that wont happen this time around with a new publisher.

So wait, have they talked about the Create-a-story coming back? Hate to see VGCW trapped in the lesser gen when awesome visuals like this exist.

Why do people still fall for this? Games never look as good as the promotional screenshots.

If it were THQ at the helm I'd expect the current gen release to be pretty bare bones in modes but NBA 2K14 was feature packed so I have faith we will see Create a Story return with 2K. Here's hoping anyway.

That said, I'd be surprised if Superstar Threads returns, guess it depends on the graphical engine.

That does look good.

'Comparison of promotional shots between 2k15 and 2k14

Looks good, but the problem I've always had with this approach to making the character models is that now the created wrestlers will not look nearly as good which creates a visual dichotomy when mixing the two together in matches.

Also, personally, not getting excited until actual game play footage is out since that has always been the major pitfall of the series for me.

That's really quite impressive.

That's cool and all, but how is the hair? Give us a screenshot or video of a retro Triple H, then we'll see if this game is really worth a damn.

@krullban: Cena in the 2k14 shot looks like he hasn't had sleep in weeks!

Also they have said.

"- Yes, that is an actual, in-game screenshot using developer screenshot tools (just like all the 2K14 screenshots you see us post on Twitter/FB). It was taken during gameplay, so it's not during an entrance or cut-scene or anything like that. The lighting, the depth-of-field, the light reflecting off the ropes.. it's 100% legit in-game."

From a person that has played a bunch of NBA 2k games, I've got to say, the WWE licence is in good hands. 2k usually knows how to represent different character models as realistically as possible. Also, I'm really interested to see how they reinvent the commentary, which has always been god awful in all WWE games. NBA 2k games were also pretty terrible at commentary at one point, but now it has probably the best commentary of all sports games. And the career mode... that might actually be phenomenal. Maybe not in the first year, but 2k can make an interesting and incredibly addicting career mode, that's for sure.

@krullban said:

@hunkulese said:

Why do people still fall for this? Games never look as good as the promotional screenshots.

'Comparison of promotional shots between 2k15 and 2k14

You're comparing last gen with this gen. Also that screenshot does look better than what 2k14 actually looked like.

FUCK. Just when I thought I was out they reel me right back in. Excited to see this now goddamn it.

@demoskinos: same with me. I avoided purchasing any of the previous installments but this... This is looking like some good wraasslin video game. I hope it has more to offer than just good looks.

Other than a bit of Depth of Field that's exactly what 2K14 looks like.

I think this looks really nice and makes me wonder what VGCW will look like in this game.

Randy Orton's arm is looking nice

I'd be surprised if all of the wrestlers in 2k15 didn't look that good. The WWE/NXT/Legends roster is like 80 people, right? That seems more managable than the couple hundred models that are in Nba 2k14.

It isn't like they can make John Cena look good and half-ass Damien Sandow. It'd stand out a lot.

And now they don't have to worry about the legal issues with Punk's tattoos! Win Win for Wrestling Tats.

Wrestler screenshots are the new race car screenshots.

Given his heel gimmick of wearing different insulting outfits for each venue, it might be kind of fitting for virtual Sandow to be a blocky-ass PS1 era polygonal mess. Man, Sandow is just the best.

The proof is going to be seeing this game in motion. Also, given the work they did with the NBA commentary, I wonder if they fancy giving that aspect a boost? Commentary barely relates to the action any more so they could probably splice some b-ball in there and nobody would mind.

Also they do a lot of good work with the little touches in that franchise. I set the Heat against the Spurs when I was waiting for the game to install and the one memorable thing (aside from LeBron having a nightmare - and visibly showing how pissed off he was), was watching one of the guys waiting to rush a missed free-throw being so keen he nearly fell whilst on his tippy-toes.

So translate that into wrestling.

Have some of you guys not seen NBA 2K14? Seems like they're using the same tech. It looks that good.

wow dude that kind of looks nuts I just pre ordered that Hulk Hogan edition of the game can't wait.

Insulting? I feel like he's pretty over as a face jobber with the crowd.

Skin tones look greatly improved again. No one looks red or yellowish

This makes me very excited for the future of VGCW, looks nice.

Okay,so they got me to preorder that Hulkamania edition looks like the first collector's edition in a LONG while worth it. Assuming you're a big wrestling fan.

@demoskinos: High Five

I'm a "big wrestling fan" and I don't want any Hogan merch much less all the merch.

Okay that is impressive ,this game is in good hands now.

Hey, them including a piece of the actual ring canvas from the March 9th RAW is just too fucking cool for me personally. I had to jump on board. That and a signature from Hogan. Because while Hogan at times in recent years has been hard to watch at time in the end he is still HULK FUCKING HOGAN. Like, I'm sorry but I still mark out for his entrance every single time.

Honestly, I think this might be the first image of "next gen" graphics that has really amazed me. Is that weird? I honestly haven't seen anything that looks this good.

That may be the case, but I was thinking of when he came out wearing a Lebron jersey in both Cleveland and Miami, or when he dressed as Paul Revere in Boston, saying "If I had known this is how Boston would turn out, I wouldn't have warned anyone!"

"The British are coming. Hang back 200 years and we'll have free healthc---"
*crowd boos*

Thank fucking Christ, WWE games looks like they weren't made for PS2 anymore.

It looks okay-ish for now. Will reserve judgement for Bo Dallas or Reigns' hair rendering.

Oh my God! One carefully selected screenshot looks good! Pre-ordering now! </sarcasm>

True test of any wrestling game is how good your custom wrestlers will look like.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, looks great, blah blah, but let's get into what really matters: how will it affect VGCW?

I had forgotten about that. All I remembered was "The elbow is coming!"

This looks superb.

I agree with the person who said WWE games were looking worse and worse every year. It was shocking, honestly. They kept talking about improving the graphics, but all they did was make better still pictures of wrestlers.

Kind of off topic, but is the wwe network still doing the free trial thing where you don't need to give a credit card? I've watched wrestling for the first time in over a decade and it would be cool if I could get a free trial while summerslam is happening.

@daiphyer: let's be honest they achieved that way back in WCW/NWO Thunder... Also those mini-videos, oh the good ol' years.

Yeah, that's kinda the point. To show how much better this gen looks compared to last gen.

They ain't giving away Summerslam for free. The free week of the WWE Network is over, though they are offering $20 for a month now and you aren't going to be tied to a 6 month contract if you want to go that route.

Yeah, sure, it's easy to show us a wrestler with a shaved head. What does Roman Reigns look like?

Do they seriously think their catalog is worth that much? It should be no more than 9.99 a month with the ability to cancel at any time. There's no way it's going to survive any other way. Even a very casual fan like me would pay the 10 bucks a month if I could cancel, so imagine how many die hards would go after that.

I remain skeptical until I see long haired HHH.