Bianca Belair & Rhea Ripley Make History With ‘WWE 2K24’ Deluxe Edition Cover

Visual Concepts and 2K Game’s WWE 2K franchise has been one of the most consistent video games for the past two years, and with WWE 2K24, the video game studio hopes the winning streak continues.

Today, Visual Concepts and 2K Games announced the release date, and multiple covers for WWE 2K24 and this year are making history.

This year, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes will be featured on the Standard Edition of WWE 2K24.

“I’ve been known to keep a checklist of key milestones I want to experience on the path to finishing my story,” said Cody Rhodes. “As an avid gamer, being named WWE 2K cover Superstar is very, very close to the top of that list, and I’m very happy to work with the teams at 2K and Visual Concepts to bring that dream to life.”

Bianca Belair & Rhea Ripley Make WWE 2K History

The Deluxe Edition, pictured above, will feature two of WWE’s most prominent female talent, Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley.

The dual cover marks the first time two women will be on the cover of a WWE 2K video game, and for Belair, the first time a woman of color has earned a cover for the popular wrestling game.

“This is an incredible milestone in my career, and I’m so excited to show the world why WWE 2K24 is a must-have and the EST game for every WWE fan and gamer,” said Bianca Belair.

“I’ve proven myself to be the most dominant competitor to ever hold the WWE Women’s World Championship,” said Rhea Ripley, “Earning the accolade of WWE 2K24 cover Superstar is only fitting, and I’m proud to add it to my list of accomplishments.”

This year’s iteration of the game will also celebrate the 40th anniversary of Wrestlemania, the premiere event in professional wrestling, with a WWE 2K24 Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition. 

The cover features a collage of WWE talent past and present with the iconic Wrestlemania marquee.

New Modes Joining Fan Favorites

When WWE 2K24 arrives, it will feature several familiar game modes with some new additions and twists to game mechanics, even allowing you to create a referee.

Per 2K:

2K Showcase…of the Immortals

For 40 years, WrestleMania has captivated millions of fans around the globe as WWE Superstars became Legends and spectacular moments – from Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant to “Mr. WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker putting on a match for the ages, and many more – cemented WWE Hall of Fame legacies. “The Grandest Stage of Them All” has drawn earth-shaking roars from 100,000+ in attendance, as the biggest icons in WWE made history and left every drop of blood, sweat, and tears in the squared circle. 40 years in the making, the WWE 2K24 Showcase…of the Immortals puts players in control, playing through the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history as 2 K’s distinctive Slingshot Tech seamlessly morphs gameplay to live-action footage and back again for the most immersive WrestleMania video game experience to date. A host of unlockable content adds challenge and replay value to this historical experience.

Iconic Roster: 

WWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends, including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars, including “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics.

New Match Types and Improvements on Existing Match Types: 

Players asked, and WWE 2K24 delivers with four new, chaotic match types: Special Guest Referee, Ambulance Match, Casket Match, and Gauntlet Match. In addition, the Backstage Brawl now features 4-player support and new interactive environmental elements – including a working elevator, breakable control room glass, and a vending machine with throwable sodas – while the Royal Rumble now offers support for eight online players in 30-Superstar online matches. All of the familiar WWE 2K match types, such as WarGames, Extreme Rules, TLC, Submission, Hell in a Cell, and many more also return. More details on each new match type will be shared soon.

Gameplay Upgrades: 

WWE 2K24 features improvements to gameplay throughout, including Super Finishers, the Trading Blows mini-game, top rope dive onto a group of opponents outside the ring, double title matches, new Paybacks, and much more. New weapon types, including trash cans, guitars, and microphones, plus the ability to throw weapons, allow players to bring the pain. Also, seven real WWE referees are featured to add to the immersive experience.

MyGM:

The popular WWE brand management simulation continues to expand with new GMs and brands to choose from, more match types, more Dramas, more Championships, talent scouts, Superstar trading between brands, Superstar contract management, and the new Superstar Journey, which allows Superstars to earn XP, train and level up to gain new benefits after participating in matches.

MyFACTION:

The team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns with a new direct purchase card market and updated multiplayer experience. Players can now compete in ranked online QuickPlay with unique rewards and seasonal leaderboards, challenge themselves with Weekly Towers, and take on a revamped Faction Wars 2.0, featuring more real-world factions, more 4v4 match types, a Faction Wars-specific reward shop, and more. New themed card packs and goals will continue to roll out regularly throughout the year with seasonal content refreshes.

MyRISE:

In WWE 2 K’s unique career mode experience, two new storylines – Undisputed (men’s) and Unleashed (women’s) – put players in control of custom-created Superstars looking to make a name for themselves and cement their legacies in WWE history. Featuring Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Mick Foley, and others performing MyRISE voiceover for the first time, alongside other Superstars and Legends, expanded rewards, original MyRISE characters, and unlockables carrying over into other game modes, and new environments, MyRISE is more impactful on the overall WWE 2K experience than ever before.

Universe: 

The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events now features expanded Rivalry actions, including run-ins, Money in the Bank cash-ins, scenarios, and brawls, as well as new cutscenes, Special Guest Referee support, Double Title Matches, and a Loser Leaves Town stipulation.

Creation Suite:

The crown jewel of the WWE 2K franchise, the best-in-class, most detailed, and robust creation suite returns with all-new support for Create-A-Referee and Create-A-Sign, as well as new parts and animations, to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more.

The first trailer for WWE 2K24 premiered on January 22, airing Monday Night Raw. The game and its editions are available for pre-order and arrive on consoles on March 8, 2024.

Hit the gallery below for more photos.