While WWE 2K25 brings a whole host of new content and features, the team has also been hard at work to provide fans new updates to existing modes, including Universe.

We know fans have been clamoring for more news about Universe, so let’s get right to it, as there is a lot to share!


One of the newest additions to this year’s Universe is the return of Promos, which we revealed as part of our game announcement, so we wanted to touch on this a bit more.

Promos are now available as part of a new category of Rivalry actions, that include new animations and commentary. In total, there are five different promo types that a Superstar can perform:

Self-Promos:

• These create challenges for the Superstar to fulfill in their next match and gives their rival a reason to interfere. Succeeding rewards the player with benefits but failing the challenge imposes penalties
  
• Challenges can be viewed in the Rivalry overview before starting a match, during gameplay, and in the Rivalry Info tab within the Pause Menu.
  
• 
  Challenges include winning a match, winning by submission, winning with high health, winning under 5 minutes and winning the last rivalry match, with higher rewards for the more difficult challenges.

Call-Out:

• The Superstar calls their rival out to the ring, who can choose to either respond or pull a no-show. A confrontation can lead to a future 1v1 match, no match at all, an immediate 1v1 match, or a brawl.

Promo Interrupt:

• The Superstar walks in on their rival’s promo which can lead to a 1v1 match, no match, an immediate match or a brawl.

Issue Open Challenge:

• The Superstar throws out an open challenge to any Superstar and the player will not know who their opponent is until their match entrance. A win provides benefits while defeat imposes penalties.

Accept Open Challenge:

• The Superstar answers an open challenge from their rival with benefits and penalties depending on a win or loss.

Now let’s get into some of the new updates to managing the calendar and setting up shows. Major and Minor Shows are now eligible to be assigned to Sundays while PLE shows can now be assigned to Monday-Saturday. Another cool addition is that PLEs can run across two days, so if you want to mimic the 2-night WrestleManias or SummerSlams, you can now set them up that way.
Multiple shows can now be assigned to each day with a maximum of 3 shows, so if you’re feeling like having three shows on Monday night, you can certainly do so. The order of shows on the same day can also be customized, and this can be a combination of PLEs, Major, or Minor Shows.

If you set up a 2-night PLE, below are some available options and parameters:
Day 2 of a PLE can be assigned to any day up to 4 weeks after Day 1, so your PLE’s two-day event doesn’t necessarily have to be on back-to-back nights.

• Matchmaking will be split across both days of a 2-Day PLE with rosters being spread out over both nights, so you cannot double-book the same Superstar.
  
• The number of matches will also affect both nights. For example, if you set up your show to have 7 matches, that means that both nights will feature 7 matches for a total of 14.

PLE shows can also now be swapped with other PLEs on the Calendar menu, and via the Edit menu, shows can be moved to different days.

Another addition to the Universe calendar is support for Tournament PLEs like King and Queen of the Ring. In these tournaments, eight Superstars from host shows take place in a series of 1v1 matches where the winner of each match advances and the loser is eliminated. The winner of the final match of the official tournament is awarded a guaranteed title match at SummerSlam.

This new tournament show format is also available for creating your custom PLE by using the Queen or King of the Ring PLE template.


In WWE 2K25, Universe will see the inclusion of a new team management system whereby players can assign Superstars to multiple teams.

Team members can also now have customized roles within a team:

Singles:

• Prioritized for singles and free-for-all matches

Tag:

• Prioritized for two-person tag matches and eligible for tag division championships with another tag-role team member

Trio:

• Prioritized for three-person team matches

Quad:

• Prioritized for four-person team matches

Manager:

• Prioritized as a manager for fellow team members’ matches

Teams now also support lineups for stables of 3 or more members. These lineups are smaller groups within a large team and can have their own unique names, ring announcements, crowd reactions, entrances, victories, and roles that are different from their base team.

When creating a new lineup, by default, it will inherit its base team’s settings as a starting point but can be edited.


In this year's game, we've revamped matchmaking for better stability and reliability. Also included is a new scoring and sorting system during match card generation. This new system takes multiple factors of each match into consideration, such as the Overall rating of the Superstars involved or whether the match is for a World title (and more) to curate the card while prioritizing the biggest matchups for the main event and opening matches of the show.

Match Tables have also gotten a new Main Event tab, allowing more customization when you want to earmark a certain type or subset of matches to pick from as the final match of a show. If the Main Event match table is empty, the standard Match Table will be used to determine the main event instead.

Universe will have support of the new match types introduced in WWE 2K25 - Underground, and Bloodline Rules, alongside the new Brawl environments.

With the inclusion of Intergender Wrestling in WWE 2K25, Universe also supports it, which is an option that can be toggled on or off.

When enabled, players can create intergender matches (non-title) and set up rivalries. There is also an option for an Intergender Division which opens up the capabilities of having an intergender championship and allows players to include Superstars from the men’s and women’s divisions to compete for that title.

There’s still so much to do in Universe and we can’t wait for players to dive in when WWE 2K25 releases on March 7 for the Deadman and The Bloodline Editions, and on March 14 for Standard.

In this edition of the WWE 2K25 Ringside Report, we take a closer look at the all-new MyRISE, which offers a unified story that spans both the WWE Men's and Women's Divisions. Final warning -- turn back now to avoid mild spoilers!

This year’s story, dubbed “MyRISE Mutiny,” revolves around the hostile takeover of NXT by a group of Superstars looking to make shockwaves across all of WWE. The takeover quickly infiltrates Raw and SmackDown, leading to a power struggle with the future of the industry at stake. Where the story goes from there depends on your Custom Superstars’ decisions.


So let’s talk a bit more about your Custom Superstars. This year you create one from the Men’s Division and one from the Women’s Division in either order, depending on user choice.

MyRISE now has three combined save slots for both the Men’s and Women’s Division characters. Once you complete a full playthrough, you have the option to replay MyRISE on the same save slot to experience the story again with your Custom Characters and OVRs carrying over or start again on a new save slot.

Importing and exporting characters is still available for both Men’s and Women’s Division characters to and from the main game (this is separate from the MySUPERSTAR exclusive to The Island).

This year we are also excited to give players the option to create casual attire for their characters which will show up in story moments such as promos or non-arena settings.


After choosing whether you want to begin MyRISE as part of the Men’s or Women’s Division, you will have the option to choose from one of three personalities:

• Bold and Brash
  
• Comedic and Fun
  
• Scheming and Calculated

The personality type you choose not only colors the way your characters act and respond to the world around them, but it affects what stories you have available to you. After all, a Bold and Brash Superstar like Becky Lynch might approach a situation entirely differently than a Scheming and Calculated Superstar like Seth Rollins.

Your decisions will take you down distinct branches or pathways with characters, arenas, entrances, and more that you can unlock so it’s worth playing multiple times to get the most out of MyRISE Mutiny.


As you progress through MyRISE, you will come across brand new Ally Storylines, where you will play as a WWE Superstar for part of the story, rather than your Custom Superstar. Step into the ring as top names such as Drew McIntyre, Jey Uso, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch to help take on NXT Mutiny.

There are also exclusive ally storylines involving Cody Rhodes and Rhea Ripley, accessible only on subsequent playthroughs.

And while we won’t spoil too much, there are also multiple endings to MyRISE to experience so be sure to give it a go a few times to get the most out of the mode!

Finally, we are also introducing the Live Event feature to MyRISE, which are optional matches that allow you to build up your characters with progress that will be tracked across multiple playthroughs. Live Event matches are also great ways to earn additional unlockable Superstars, MyFACTION cards, and original MyRISE characters that have been in high demand.

Here's a glimpse at two Live Event unlocks -- Mutiny Demon Finn Bálor and MyRISE original fan favorite Cole Quinn, who got an upgraded look for 2K25.


In WWE 2K25, while we introduced two new match types - Bloodline Rules and Underground plus two new Brawl environments, we also expanded match type support for Special Guest Referee.

In WWE 2K24, we introduced the match type but it was only playable in 1v1 matches. In WWE 2K25, we have greatly increased the number of matches it supports.

Check out the list below to see how else you can incorporate Special Guest Referee:

• One vs One - Normal
  
• Two vs Two - Normal Tag
  
• Two vs Two - Tornado Tag
  
• Three vs Three - Normal Tag
  
• Triple Threat - Normal
  
• Fatal 4-Way - Normal
  
• Handicap One vs Two - Tornado Tag
  
• Handicap One vs Two - Normal Tag
  
• Handicap One vs Three - Normal Tag
  
• Handicap One vs Three - Tornado Tag
  
• Handicap Two vs Three - Normal Tag
  
• One vs One - Falls Count Anywhere
  
• Triple Threat - Falls Count Anywhere
  
• Fatal 4-Way - Falls Count Anywhere
  
• One vs One - Hell in a Cell
  
• Two vs Two - Hell in a Cell Tornado Tag
  
• Triple Threat - Hell in a Cell
  
• Fatal 4-Way - Hell in a Cell
  
• One vs One - Iron Man
  
• One vs One - Submission
  
• One vs One - Extreme Rules
  
• Two vs Two - Extreme Rules Tornado Tag
  
• Triple Threat - Extreme Rules
  
• Fatal 4-Way - Extreme Rules
  
• One vs One - No Holds Barred
  
• 6-Man - Tornado Tag 3v3
  
• 5-Man - Normal
  
• 5-Man - Extreme Rules
  
• 6-Man - Normal
  
• 6-Man - Tornado Triple Tag 2v2v2

As you can see, that’s quite the additional support, so we hope fans have fun experiencing Special Guest Referee matches in a whole new way in WWE 2K25.

That’ll do it for this Ringside Report. We can’t wait for you guys to play through his year’s MyRISE and the expanded Special Guest Referee match.

With Roman Reigns gracing the cover of WWE 2K25 and the two feuding factions of The Bloodline front and center in The Bloodline Edition, there’s no better way to honor further the Bloodline’s family legacy than with this year’s Showcase, aptly called “2K Showcase:The Bloodline's Dynasty.”

It’s a great privilege for all involved to pay tribute to the Anoa’i dynasty in this first-of-its-kind documentary-style look at the legendary family, hosted by The Wiseman Paul Heyman.

Heyman will provide historical context for each featured member of the Anoa’i, Fatu, and Maivia families leading into their Showcase match. Players also hear from Superstars like Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, who will break down their respective matches and give personal insight for other Dynasty members.

But before we get into the Showcase match list, let’s dive deeper into other changes and updates to this year’s mode.


When developing this year’s Showcase, we wanted to change the way players experienced the game, and one of the most noticeable differences will be with the reintroduction of cinematics during each match.

This year, full cutscenes make their return, keeping you immersed in the game at all times!

Players will also notice two additional changes in this year’s mode:

• Full entrances are now included
  
• Commentary is now featured during each match
  
• This also replaces music as part of the presentation

As has been the case with prior Showcases, players will be presented with different objectives throughout a match that, if completed, will allow players to earn each available unlockable reward.

One new wrinkle to this objectives system is that we have added timed objectives to each match, adding an extra challenge to the mix while keeping the action moving.


As the team started putting together the match list for this year’s Showcase, it presented a unique opportunity to take from different eras of the family dynasty and introduce legends like The Rock’s grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika), 3 Minute Warning (Rosey & Jamal) and The Islanders (Tama & Haku), one-time members of the vaunted Heenan Family.

As part of 2K Showcase: The Bloodline’s Dynasty, we have divided the matches into three categories: Relive History, Change History, and Create History.

Relive History allows fans to retrace the steps that legendary Superstars took on their path to victory!

Change History will give fans the opportunity to avoid what was a heartbreaking loss, and instead turn it into a victory for various members of the Bloodline family.

Create History places you in Dream Matches that will see eras clash in the center of the ring!

Now onto the match list itself:

Relive History:

• Yokozuna w/Mr. Fuji vs. Hulk Hogan - King of the Ring ‘93
  
• Rocky Maivia vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley - Thursday RAW Thursday 2/13/97
  
• The Usos vs The New Day w/Big E - Hell in a Cell ‘17
  
• Solo Sikoa vs Carmelo Hayes w/Trick Williams - NXT 2.0 9/13/22
  
• Nia Jax vs Lyra Valkyria - King and Queen of the Ring ‘24

Change History:

• The Headshrinkers vs Steiner Bros - WrestleMania IX
  
• Rikishi vs ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin - No Mercy 2000
  
• Umaga w/Armando Estrada vs John Cena - New Year’s Revolution 2007
  
• Tamina vs Natalya vs Carmella vs Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch - Money in the Bank ‘17
  
• Naomi vs Bayley - Super ShowDown ‘20

Create History:

• ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia vs George ‘The Animal’ Steele
  
• 3 Minute Warning vs AOP w/Paul Ellering
  
• The Wild Samoans vs The Dudley Boyz
  
• The OG Bloodline vs Solo’s Bloodline WarGames
  
• The Islanders vs The Street Profits

As players progress through each match and complete objectives, over 70 rewards will be unlockable and fall into one of these categories:

• Legends
  
• Alternate Attires for WWE Superstars
  
• Managers
  
• Championships
  
• Arenas
  
• MyFACTION cards*

We won’t spoil each unlockable but there is plenty to earn throughout the mode and we’ll let fans discover them themselves.

*MyFACTION requires an internet connection and 2K Account. Console online play requires separate paid subscription. Terms apply.

As is the Road to WrestleMania, we are now finally on the Road to WWE 2K25, which releases on March 14, 2025, or with Early Access on March 7, for those who purchase the digital-only Deadman or The Bloodline Editions.

In our first stop on that road to release, we want to take some time to break down some exciting new gameplay updates that you can expect when firing up WWE 2K25 for the first time.

In this steam article, we’re going to be covering off:

• Intergender Matches
  
• Chain Wrestling
  
• Submission Mini-Game
  
• Barricade Interactions
  
• Ladder Match Updates
  
• New Third-Person Camera
  
• AI Settings for Movesets

Fans have been clamoring for it for years and we’re ecstatic to finally bring you intergender matches this year for the first time in WWE 2K franchise history.

The ability to match up WWE Superstars and Legends from both the men’s and women’s divisions, opens up a lot of opportunities within the game, whether you’re taking on friends in local or online play, or expanding your creative ideas in Universe, the possibilities are exciting with support in various areas of the game.

Want to pit the “9th Wonder of the World” Chyna against “Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero? Or how about revisiting Nia Jax entering the Men’s Royal Rumble? It’s all possible in WWE 2K25.

Intergender matches are supported for nearly every match type including 1v1, tag-team, triple threat, Battle Royal, Guest Referee, Underground, Casket Match, Tournaments, and more.

For tag team matches, you still have the ability to choose the traditional mixed-match setup, but can also now add a regular 2v2 where the men and the women can battle it out in the ring, without having to tag out to their respective partners.

The inclusion of intergender match support also extends to some non-traditional parts of the game such as Championships.

Custom Championships can be set up to support both the men and the women so it can be put up in intergender title matches which also includes the ability to set up intergender tag team titles. So if you want to create new intergender championships and crown Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest as champs, you can do that too.

There are a couple of existing championships such as the 24/7, UpUpDownDown, and LeftRightLeftRight titles that will also support both divisions.


We had been hearing from many of our fans that there was a desire for Chain Wrestling to return to the WWE 2K franchise and we’re happy to announce it is indeed back!

For the uninitiated, Chain Wrestling is a test of technical skill that often occurs at the start of 1v1 matches, with competitors trading holds back-and-forth to inflict damage and prove who is the most proficient wrestler. In WWE 2K25, wrestlers start the match with a Chain Wrestling buff which will trigger this mechanic from a Grapple.

The Chain Wrestling mini-game has been updated to provide more control. Each player will select the action they want to perform, such as Switch to a new hold, Wrench in the current hold, or Drive to the ropes. Then, a hotspot mini-game determines who will win the hold and perform their selected action.

Chain Wrestling won't occur in non-standard match types, or in matches involving the new "Giant" archetype. It can also be customized in the Gameplay Settings.

It’s a highly-requested addition to the gameplay experience that adds to the realism and authenticity of a WWE match.


Speaking of mini-games, we’ve updated our Submission Mini-Game to offer an alternative to the button-mashing option.

In WWE 2K25, you can now switch things up and use the slider-based mini-game which prompts players to use the left and right triggers to move the slide around the circle shown on-screen.

Your opponent will of course try to move their slider out of the way while it’s up to you to try and overlap it to either escape (if you’re on the receiving end), or get them to tap out (if you’re on offense).

The button mash option is still there of course for those that prefer that method.


Jumping off things is always a fun visual and this year we’re adding a few extra wrinkles to this part of the game.

Over the years we’ve seen WWE Superstars such as Kofi Kingston make use of the barricades around the ring to gain a heightened advantage and launch themselves at their opponents for an aerial assault. And while we’ve given players the ability to use them to throw or slam their foes onto them, this year we’re taking it a step further, or higher in this case.

A variety of barricade styles are supported and you’ll now be able to climb on top and pull off a move depending on the moveset of the Superstar you have chosen or how you’ve customized your dives. You can even walk along the barricade like a balance beam to set up your dive.

Similar to the top rope, the barricade can be climbed facing forward or backward. When standing below an opponent who is on the barricade, players can perform new contextual attacks to bring them crashing down to ringside. Some of these attacks can transition into Carry, allowing you to pull someone off of the barricade and then slam them into the ringpost or onto the apron!

Another new feature of barricades is the ability to damage the LEDs for those that have them. A strong Irish Whip or an attack against those LEDs could cause them to break and pixelate.


Ladder matches, known for their high stakes and high levels of mayhem, have received some updates in WWE 2K25 as well.

In WWE 2K25 we have completely re-designed the mini-game in a way that better captures the tension and drama of a typical ladder match. This new mini-game is broken down into multiple stages, with each new stage bringing the player one step closer victory. As part of the mini-game players are prompted to press a series buttons before the timer expires. Succeed and move onto the next stage, while failure will send you back to the beginning. And in an all new twist, players can continue playing the game while hanging from the prize.

To start, there is a new mini-game when reaching for the briefcase that will now prompt players to press corresponding buttons before the timer runs out, with all-new animations. In addition, players who find themselves hanging from the object above the ring while the ladder has fallen down, can still attempt to win the match!

Lastly, adding to the fun, finishers and signatures can now be activated from the top of the ladder for Superstars who have those as part of their movesets from the top rope. Eddie Guerrero for instance can do his Frog Splash while “Macho Man” Randy Savage can pull off the Big Elbow or Double Axe Handle from the top of the ladder.


Finally, we have the debut of the new third-person camera in WWE 2K25 that opens up creative ways to experience gameplay. Whether you’re a content creator or simply like to mix things up, the new camera controls bring the game to life in a new way.

When activated, players can control an over-the-shoulder camera that follows your chosen Superstars where they go. With the right analog stick, you can rotate the camera around the Superstar or angle it high or low.

This can be accomplished both during an entrance, which will come up as an option once it begins, or during a match. As part of the presentation, you can either turn on the Third-Person Camera in the pause menu or before a match begins.

This movement of the camera during a match can be pulled off at any time. To perform an action using Right Stick such as pinfall or picking up your opponent, simply hold the Right Trigger before flicking the analog stick.

In practice, it’s a really cool way to show off different angles and putting you in the director’s chair of a show. We can’t wait to see how players make use of it once the game is available.


The WWE 2K franchise has long featured deep customization of superstar movesets, with hundreds of slots to assign strikes, grapples, and dives for every situation. This year, WWE 2K25 takes this system a step further by empowering players to customize how and when AI performs their assigned moveset attacks.

When viewing a move assignment in Create-A-Moveset, players will see a new option to edit the AI Settings for that specific move. This allows you to adjust the Priority, Repetition, and Timing settings for the attack.

Priority: This setting adjusts how likely AI will be to perform the move in general. When set to Preferred, AI will have a higher chance of performing the attack. When set to Favorite, AI will try their best to perform the move at least once during the match, performing any setup necessary. The Low and Very Low settings will de-prioritize this move.

Repetition: By default, AI tries not to repeat an attack too soon after it was performed. This setting modifies that behavior. For example you can discourage any repeats at all, or encourage AI to perform the attack multiple times in a row.

Timing: This setting allows AI to be particular about the “phase” of the match in which a move should be performed. Some moves make more sense in the Early phase of the match, while other moves should be saved until the Late phase of a match when both superstars have been worn down.

AI Settings are available for over 150 moveset slots including springboards, dives, and submissions. Since AI Settings are saved as part of movesets, they are fully supported by Community Creations.

We have so much more to talk about but we’ll save it for another time! We will cover different game modes, match types, and more so stay tuned.

We're preparing to charge down the ramp with game-changing features, iconic Superstars and all the authenticity and action fans love from the best in sports entertainment. More details on January 28th, 2025.

Don't forget to follow us on our official social media channels for more updates! You can find all the links in the 'More Ways To Connect' section below.


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