WWE 2K15: All New Body Scans, 5x The Animations, Overhauled Commentary
With this week being the annual E3 video game convention in Los Angeles, California, even more details are coming in regarding WWE 2K15, which hits Playstation 4, XBox One, Playstation 3 and XBox 360 on October 28th. WWE 2K15 Executive Producer Mark Little spoke to Polygon.com this week and explained why this year’s installment will be a much more “polished” game than anything we’ve ever seen from WWE.
After inheriting a partially-developed game from the now-defunct THQ last year, the Visual Concepts studio is now leading the charge and working alongside longtime WWE game developer Yukes.
“Obviously we were all very happy to be able to get the license, be a part of the WWE universe, bring on a new team, and still get a game done in the midst of what was an absolute disaster,” Little said. “So the fact we were able to get WWE 2K14 done is a testament to everybody who was involved in that project.”
“It’s a partnership between the two of us,” Little said. “In a lot of areas in the game, yes, we’re the one fronting that up. But it’s still very much a partnership.
“Yuke’s has a very long history of making this game, and some people would tell you it’s good and bad, but they have a lot of expertise and knowledge about making WWE wrestling games,” he said. “My job is to find a way to pull the best out of both groups.”
We know the graphics are being totally overhauled, with Visual Concepts taking full-body scans of all the WWE Superstars and Divas who will be included in the game. Commentary, which has previously been repetitive and wonky, is also getting a fresh coat of paint, with Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole recording upto 35 hours of audio, most of it together.
As for gameplay, Little didn’t get into specifics, but did give some insight about their overall goal- creating the most realistic pro wrestling experience possible.
“We’re not a fighting game featuring WWE superstars … At no point do I think we’ll get it to be quite the same as a broadcast, just because of the scripted nature of the event, especially between two humans,” he said. “The choreogrpahy that goes on in a match in the WWE is a very different thing than what we’ll be able to replicate. But what we will be able to bring to life is that opportunity to have that experience. So if you want to use the ring psychology of a wrestler, the match will play out like a normal wrestling match should.”