2K has announced the WWE 2K23 release date, as well as the cover star you can expect to see on the game's box art...or not see, as the case may be. Everyone's favorite invisible wrestler John Cena will be WWE 2K23's box art representative, and the game will also star reggaeton artist Bad Bunny when it launches on March 17th.
In a new video announcing the release date, Cena can be (un)seen alongside Bad Bunny posing for a selfie with a fan, as well as bench-pressing in Logan Paul's gym. Bad Bunny and Triple H then walk past and acknowledge Cena, who double-takes and wonders why the two can see him. You can check out the trailer, which also shows off a very brief bit of WWE 2K23 gameplay, right here.
As well as the trailer, 2K also revealed the various pre-order bonuses and additional content you can expect if you pick the game up before its launch. Here's a rundown of everything you'll get with each edition of WWE 2K23.
WWE 2K23 Standard Edition
- Bad Bunny character
- Ruby Bad Bunny MyFACTION card
WWE 2K23 Deluxe Edition
- Bad Bunny character and card
- 3-day Early Access from March 14th
- Season Pass access with 5 DLC packs
- MyRISE Mega-Boost
- SuperCharger
- Ruby John Cena MyFACTION Evo Card
- Emerald Bianca Belair MyFACTION card
- Gold Asuka MyFACTION card
- Gold Edge MyFACTION card
- 3 Basic Premium Launch MyFACTION packs
WWE 2K23 Icon Edition
- Everything from Standard and Deluxe Editions
- Playable Prototype Cena
- Prototype Cena MyFACTION card
- Playable Leviathan Batista
- Playable Young OVW-Era Randy Orton
- Playable Young OVW-Era Brock Lesnar
- John Cena Legacy Championship Belt
- WrestleMania 22 Arena
- Emerald Paul Heyman Manager MyFACTION Card
- Deluxe Premium Launch MyFACTION Packs
It's worth noting that, according to the game's official FAQ, progression and virtual currency wallets will carry over if you pick up the PS4 or Xbox One versions of the game, but DLC won't. In addition, the PC version of WWE 2K23 appears to be based on the last-gen console versions, with 2K listing "previous-gen platforms" as PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Caveat emptor.
WWE 2K23 launches on March 17th for PC, PlayStation consoles, and Xbox platforms. The long-running wrestling series underwent something of a rough patch up to and including the launch of WWE 2K20, which was derided by fans and critics alike for bugs and other issues. Last year's WWE 2K22 appears to have addressed many of these problems, resulting in a stronger critical and financial performance for the game. Let's hope Visual Concepts and 2K can continue that run with the newest title.
