On the WWE-owned YouTube gaming channel, UpUpDownDown, WWE fans were treated to an exclusive first look at WWE 2K25's new intergender matches and its Showcase Mode, presented by WWE Superstars Austin Creed (a.k.a. Xavier Woods) and Kofi Kingston (the members of the long-running WWE tag-team – The New Day), Tyler Breeze, and Dominik Mysterio.
In the first half of this gameplay preview, we are given a look at WWE 2K25's Showcase Mode, and a new gameplay feature where players can control the camera during a wrestler's entrance for extra dramatic effect. For those unaware, Showcase Mode is a single-player, arcade mode where the player gets put into matches where they recreate WWE's most iconic moments, get into entirely original scenarios, or experience dream matches that never happened in real life.
For example, WWE 2K24's Showcase mode was all about re-enacting famous matches from every single Wrestlemania event ever. WWE 2K25's Showcase mode however will be themed around reliving iconic matches involving the Anoa'i dynasty. The Anoa'i dynasty is a massive lineage that has produced some of the greatest wrestlers in WWE history like The Rock, The Wild Samoans, Roman Reigns, Yokozuna, Rikishi, Umaga, Nia Jax, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Jacob Fatu just to name a few.
However, as shown in this gameplay preview where Kofi Kingston is playing as The Wild Samoans against The Dudley Boyz, overcoming battles in Showcase Mode isn't as simple as pinning your opponent or making them submit. You will need to complete objectives over the course of each match to achieve victory like dealing damage, taunting your opponent, executing certain moves, breaking tables etc.
Some objectives are mandatory while others are optional. Yet, if you manage to complete all objectives in a match, you will be able to unlock hidden features like secret playable characters.
Afterward, the WWE Superstars then go on to take a look at WWE 2K25's new Intergender Match feature. Among WWE 2K25's mountain of new gameplay features, is the ability to create intergender matches between the male and female wrestlers and this feature can done with every match type.
The WWE Superstars demonstrate this by creating an Intergender Royal Rumble match, a match type where 30 wrestlers periodically enter the ring and throw each other over the top rope until only one remains. With Intergender matches, you will now be able to create all kinds of insane dream matches like Rhea Ripley Vs. The Undertaker in a Casket Match or re-creating that historic moment from 2019's Royal Rumble event where Nia Jax crashed the Men's Royal Rumble match to wreak havoc.
WWE 2K25 is shaping up to be one of the best titles in the WWE 2K series
When 2025 started, I was not expecting to become a WWE fan again let alone become excited for WWE 2K25. This game is aiming to the WWE 2K series to new heights with the largest roster of WWE Superstars to date with over 300 playable characters, expanded game modes, Intergender matches, a Next-Gen exclusive "Island Mode", new match types, and more.
WWE 2K25 has quickly shot up my list of most anticipated games for 2025 and I cannot wait to step into the ring to lay the smackdown on The Rock as Rhea Ripley when this upcoming Xbox title / upcoming PC title releases on March 14, 2025, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
