Rumored last week when an ad appeared in WWE magazine, it’s now official: The Ultimate Warrior will be making his first-ever appearance in the 13-year run of what is now called WWE 2K14. The catch is he’s only being offered—for now one guesses—as a preorder incentive.
2K Sports invited Warrior (that is his legally changed name) over to celebrate the news by trashing their offices, or so the story goes in this promotional video. (I was looking; didn’t recognize anyone I knew.) Warrior also makes a coy reference to the long, long, long-running rumors he actually died back in 1991. It’s worth watching just to see him backhand the guy with the game case. I think he really does make contact.
https://deadspin.com/dead-wrestler-of-the-week-the-ultimate-warrior-5506969
Anyway, The Ultimate Warrior’s appearance is significant for another reason. It’s a sign 2K Sports isn’t just going to watch the clock and be the caretaker of a series it picked up from THQ’s firesale back in January. Lots of wrestling fans have been waiting to see this guy for a long time (he did appear in THQ’s Legends of Wrestlemania, and WWE All-Stars, but both are arcade-style fighters.) I don’t like it that he’s a pre-order incentive only—2K Sports was once steadfastly against DLC, but has pushed into this realm of late. At least it’s not a retailer-specific incentive.
WWE 2K14 is out Oct. 29.
