WWE 2K22 Preview – Hands-On With MyGM

WWE 2K’s simulated grappling can be fun, but there’s something satisfying about booking your own shows, managing contracts, and drafting wrestlers, which is why 2K22’s MyGM mode is attractive. As the brand’s new leader, I was able to meet with them and guide them through their 15-week rating war. 

The concept of pro wrestling has been a puzzle. By design, pro wrestling is scripted. This means that characters play authority figures on television but are not in actual control of the events. That begs the question: are you booking shows from a real-life standpoint, i.e., deciding match outcomes and who gets that coveted “push,” or do you run things from a less realistic kayfabe angle? MyGM’s answer is “Yes.” Though you manage contracts, budgets, and superstar presentations and alignments as an actual manager would, you can also become an on-screen character and directly engage in television antics. 

Thematically, it was strange that one star would request permission to make their babyface character change from heel to childface. However, another wrestler will message you suggesting a partnership in order to take control of the brand. You can be impartial or corrupt, which can sabotage careers and unfairly aid others. This includes being present at their matches to assist them. If you fancy yourself a dastardly Mr. McMahon-style boss, go for it. You can be a more invisible, neutral authority figure (think NXT-era Jack Tunny) or you could remain an old-school Jack Tunny. That’s what I did. You can play as any of the following GMs: Shane McMahon and Sonya Delville. You may also create your own GM by using the creation suite. 

You can host Raw, Smackdown or NXT UK for between 15 and 50 weeks. The original NXT brand in black and gold was my choice. I chose to compete with Stephanie McMahon’s Monday Night Raw. The first thing I did was draft my top stars. You can sign more wrestlers with the right budget, but this initial draft will last eight rounds. The draft pool can include created stars. 

It was great fun to build my dream team, especially because of all the planning involved. Each superstar is rated for their stamina, popularity (how many times they can perform without getting hurt), and their in-ring style. They also have ratings that reflect their current appearance/heel alignment. It’s not enough to just sign big, expensive names. It is important to have a diverse roster with heroes and villains, as well as a variety of styles in the ring. The styles are the key to winning matches. Giants can work with Cruiserweights. Specialists are able to go with any person. This incentivised me to not only sign my favorite players, but also avoid signing people with similar styles or conflicts. Also, I found it to be a smart move to make investments in lesser-known talents that could help you become the next Cena or Rock. Don’t sweat trying to nab everyone. While you are trying to nab everyone, sign free agents throughout the season. You may also bring in Legends on part time deals.  

It was now time to book my show after I had assembled my roster. Not knowing where to start is difficult. Triple H was my boss and he sent me tips to help me get started. He’ll also make specific requests, called Commissioner Goals, like sidelining a certain talent for a week in exchange for valuable Power Cards. You can purchase these perks to gain useful capabilities such as instant healing for burned out stars or match ratings boosts in championship bouts. You’ll earn money to buy new Power Cards by playing, and I found using them to be invaluable for giving my show some helping hands. 

Superstar morale fluctuates depending on how you book them, and they’ll make requests that you can fulfill and ignore at your own risk. My top name lost several matches. When she became upset, I demanded I grant her victory and threatened to stop when she lost again. Although she hated the match, I felt it was the right thing to do in order for me to change her mind. Roman Reigns, my heel NXT champion became tired of the villainous Tribal Chief routine. He asked me if I could change him within three weeks. Knowing when to acquiesce and when to put my foot down and stay the course, despite a wrestler’s objections, is a tricky but fun exercise in being a promoter as well as an enjoyable power trip. My only problem was allowing one of my lower-card competitors to walk after he demanded a huge pay rise. You can switch unhappy stars from other shows to your brand by playing your cards well. 

The key to a great show is not just match placement, but many other factors as well. A strong opening and an excellent main event will overcome dull middle sections. Even if you have great content, viewers may change channels if they see a poor first match. Your brand will stay fresh by mixing up the match types week-to-week and adding run-ins or stipulations.

Styles are key to booking matches that delight the public. Different styles work better together and produce better-quality matches. My personal bias had to often take the backseat. Bianca Belair against Shayna Baseler seems like a winning match-up. But their style often led them to receive poor fans reception. It’s not that “bad” pairings never produce a good result. However, it’s much more challenging. A well-designed rivalry can spark interest and transform a dull program into something hot. 

Once a feud is initiated, superstars are immediately matched against each other when booking them (though you can change this), and their matches receive a rating boost since there’s more interest. Rivalries are initiated at Level 1. They end at level 4. In true but unintentionally hilarious WWE fashion, making two feuding superstars constantly wrestle week-to-week seems to please fans despite that being a major criticism of the real product and goes against everything I personally stand for when it comes to rivalries. You can build feuds by using promos, and the talent involved will not touch each other until that big match. While it isn’t clear which method is best, I find that both are viable. It’s possible to fight with several people at once, which allows me to seamlessly move from one rivalry to the next. 

Playing booked matches by yourself can determine who wins. You also have the option to book around the random results of simulations. Another option is to spectate the matches. This allows you to view the match from a production perspective. The mode allows players to adjust the camera angle to present the match in the best possible way to improve its rating. Regardless of how you execute your card, a post-match summary gives a star rating along with a nifty breakdown detailing what elements of the action click and which don’t. You’ll also get a report detailing business statistics such as revenue gains/losses, new viewers, fan retention, along with a social media feed with viewer reactions to your show. 

You can enhance your show’s perception by upgrading its presentation, too. Your show will be held at a high school gym. However, you have the option to pay more for larger venues and more elaborate set/pyro and larger production teams. You can also invest in more extensive advertising campaigns. You have a budget, however, and holding WrestleMania-caliber events every week may boost ratings, but it isn’t cheap, so knowing when to cut corners and when to splurge (like on a pay-per-viewIt is crucial to have a premium live event. That said, I found it annoying having to re-select these options for every show instead of having the format I previously chose carry over.  

Although I had been working towards Wrestlemania weekend, it was only 15 weeks before I lost the ratings war with Raw. That’s okay because I had a pretty fun time with MyGM. This seems to be a good management sim for the dedicated fan base. I’m looking forward to seeing more of WWE 2K22 when it launches in March 18th.