2K Games will be releasing WWE 2K23 on March 17 as it looks to continue the momentum from the widely-acclaimed WWE 2K22. A strong game from a gameplay and visual perspective, 2K22 added MyGM and other ways to play to help the series rebound from the atrocious WWE 2K20 offering. Taking a year off helped and also allowed the developer to establish a solid core to build upon for the future. WWE 2K23 will be upping the experience with more facial scans and even more animations to properly replicate the realism that seen on television. During a recent press event, we were able to get our hands on a preview build and get a new taste of both the new Showcase Mode and the Wargames matches.

The WWE Showcase Mode, which is the documentary-style mode that has players reliving the journey of WWE Superstars by participating in matches that shined during their career, will be returning with John Cena. Cena has amassed a mixed-bag of reactions over the years, and fans will either love this or hate this, but the mode cannot be denied. The gameplay switches between real-time video and in-game cinematics to create an experience unlike any other.

Developer Visual Concepts threw a big curveball this year that should help appease the haters, though. Players will now attempt to beat Cena in every match, which is almost the biggest moniker for Cena's phrase "Never Give Up." This will span his entire career and the mode even starts with the infamous match at the ECW Pay-Per-View against Rob Van Dam. Players should expect the same type of experience with the mode, but with a completely new twist as Cena narrates his way through some of his most difficult matches.

The biggest addition to the game comes in the form of the Wargames match. Once upon a time, WCW had a PPV known as World War III, which was the ultimate battle royale with three rings. In recent years, a similar scope was implemented in NXT with two rings and a cage. The cage made it so no one could even hop off the apron onto the floor, and could only go up on the cage. Last year, WWE Survivor Series featured this for the first time and rather than one person winning the whole thing, it was team-based. Each team is locked inside a cage with a timer where one Superstar is released at a time. There have been insane stunts in these matches, both on the men's and women's sides.

The way it translated to the game in the preview build worked out well. In the background, the cages with the players are on display behind the crowd on a platform. When each player runs down, they have the option to pull weapons from under the ring before getting in. There are automated moves that utilize both sides of the ring. Players can use a double springboard to hit a high flying move. The option to climb to the top of the cage is also available. Pulling off a springboard with Cody Rhodes and seeing him jump on two different sets of ropes is awesome. Players can also navigate between the two rings and pull off moves as well. This allowed for excellent multiplayer mayhem during the test play at the event.

Visual Concepts has also added a new, yet simple pin mechanic. Rather than tapping a button fast and trying to out-attrition the pin, players will use the right stick to properly time the green area on the meter. The more the opponent is worked down, the smaller the green area gets. The green area also moves, so it's not in the same spot every time. This mechanic will be optional in the game as players can stick to the old way, but this is one of those things that isn't truly appreciated until it is experienced.

More facial scans were added to make each WWE Superstar look and react more like their real-life counterparts in the game. Other noticeable visual improvements come with a depth-of-field to the crowd, much more fluid animations for moves,and also an update to created Superstars. This year, the created Superstars will be able to transfer between MyRISE and regular play without having to double down on creations. Visual Concepts has stated that for the first time, the created Superstars will have the same visual fidelity as the WWE Superstars in the game. There has also been a noticeable difference, but this year it will truly blur the line.

MyGM will allow up to four GM's now to compete, as the popular mode was reintroduced last year. The development team is looking to expand this mode and open it up. Also, a lot of stability work has gone into online matches. Visual Concepts has incorporated aspects from its NBA 2K counterpart to help with lag, input delay and overall connectivity to improve the performance of online matches. Other updates to modes including WWE Universe are also expected for the title. More information will continue to be released closer to date.

WWE 2K23 will launch for PlayStation, Xbox and PC on March 17. Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition and Icon Edition will receive three days early access. There's also a Cross-Gen Digital Edition that allows users to have access to both previous and current generation versions of the game. The Deluxe Edition and Icon Edition also include the Season Pass and additional bonus items for in-game use.