WWE 2K22was teased at Wrestlemania 37, seemingly emphasizing the graphical improvements overWWE 2K20. There’s still a lot to be answer about what it learned from the last game but also about the game in general. For example, it’s uncertain who will grace the cover ofWWE 2K22.
Cover stars have unique bragging rights, but to me, it’s also a signal of what a game entails. For any game, not just sports games for that matter, the cover is the first hello when picking up a game in store. As such, picking the right cover star is always important. Everyone fromWWE’s Edgeto Rey Mysterio (as he appeared in the teaser) are good potential cover stars, but arguably, the most fitting one this year would be the Phenom himself, The Undertaker.
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Undertaker’s Retirement
In 2020,The Undertaker announced he would be retiring. There’s a slight caveat here, as not only has he retired before, but it’s not uncommon for WWE superstars to retire and still return to the ring. It’s possible this proves to be the case, but overall, it seems safe to say he’s earned it. He’s been wrestling since 1990 and is his mid-50s, meaning any return to the ring has severe risks for injury.
For many 90s kids, though, and any fan of WWE in the 1990s and early 2000s, The Undertaker was a big deal. This superstar defined chilhoods, had some of the most epic moments in the industry, had an incredibleWrestlemaniastreak, and had fun, if sometimes out there, story lines. It’s not just sports after all, but sports entertainment. With that in mind, having The Phenom on the cover only makes sense, as an appeal to all fans and older ones too. For everything he has one for the industry, it would be a small “thank you” that really couldn’t be found elsewhere.
Undertaker and WWE Game Cover Stars
Combine this with his video game history, and there’s one more major reason he should grace the cover. Of the 50+WWEgames released to date, most of which coming out during his career, none of them feature theUndertaker as a cover staralone. Sure, he’s appeared on the 13 covers and that makes sense, but all of these featured other characters on it with him. It wasn’t really until theWWE 2Kgames that sole cover stars became a thing, withWWE 2K20breaking from this trend itself, and Undertaker’s most dominant titles includedSmackdown vs. Raw 2008andSmackdown vs. Raw 2010.
Of the two,SvR 2008featured him best, which was quite some time ago. His career’s legacy deserves one last hurrah in the gaming industry, and it would likely drive sales to see the Undertaker’s face on thecover ofWWE 2K22. For now, it all remains to be seen, but his career, retirement, and dedication to fans for the past 30 or so years deserve more than the industry could ever really give him.
