As of today, 2K has officially confirmed that Visual Concepts will be taking over future development of its wrestling franchise, WWE 2K. Veteran Japanese studio, Yuke’s, will no longer be developing future titles, bringing a near 20 year partnership to an end.
Developer, Yuke’s, Steps Away From WWE 2K
Although unexpected, the news does not come as a complete shock. Early this year, Yuke’s revealed they would be working on their own wrestling game. Speculations would say this could be a direct response to that from 2K. When Senior Vice President and producer, Hiromi Furuta, first talked of their new IP, she certainly seemed intent on continuing their work with the WWE 2K series noting its historical importance to both the studio and its team. Nonetheless, WWE 2K20 and beyond will be helmed by Visual Concepts for the foreseeable future.
In their official statement, 2K noted Visual Concepts has co-developed the series since WWE 2K14. The publisher goes on to say how they are excited to see what the team’s passion for the series will bring. So far, both sides have remained rather dignified in their approach. Yuke’s later confirmed the news separately and even stated they would continue to provide support in regards to the game’s engine.
Looking Back
If nothing else, this news is historic. The time of this article’s publication marks the first time Yuke’s will not be involved with the WWE franchise since the development of WWF Smackdown! in 1999. The IP itself has seen several publishers over the years, but Yuke’s has been synonymous with WWE games for over a decade. Unfortunately, it seems their time has come to an end, at least in terms of WWE for now.
WWE 2K20 launches Tuesday, October 22, 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Be sure to check out the first details revealed this week featuring collector’s edition content and more!
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