Reversals, Fan Feedback, and New Additions to WWE 2K16

Last year's WWE 2K offering was--like Triple H's Terminator-inspired entrance at Wrestlemania 31--an impressive spectacle but ultimately a little hollow. While WWE 2K15 bought the looks, the whole package felt flat thanks in large part to a distinct lack of features fans had become used to in previous franchise entries.

WWE 2K16 looks to address some of that disappointment, at least when it comes to features. Many modes missing in the 2014 offering are back including several Create modes (diva, show, arena, and championship) and match types. Most importantly, the roster has been significantly increased, with more than 100 WWE superstars included.

When it comes to gameplay, however, changes seem a little less expansive. But it's in these small changes that the biggest impacts may be felt. Take, for instance, WWE 2K16's reversals. Reversals have been revamped, with each WWE superstar only being able to deploy a limited number--use them up, and you'll need to wait until your meter refills before a reversal can be attempted again. I recently played several matches of WWE 2K16, and the flow of matches did indeed different; I found myself being a little more strategic with my use of reversals, choosing to eat some attacks early in matches in the hope of using it later when it mattered more.

I spoke to Mark Little, executive producer at WWE 2K16 developer Visual Concepts, about changes to reversals, and whether the extended offering of this year's WWE 2K game was a direct response to criticism from last year's game.

One of the biggest changes in this year's game I think will be reversals, and it will have a huge impact on the flow of matches. What was the thinking behind these changes?

Mark Little: The reversal system was reworked to improve the overall flow of matches and create a new level of strategy. Each Superstar has a limited number of reversals he or she can perform that recharge over time, meaning players might not want to simply try and reverse every attack. WWE 2K16 also introduces Major and Minor reversals for select moves. Minor reversals are easier to perform and only require a single reversal stock, while major reversals are more challenging to perform.

One of the main criticisms of last year's game was a lack of features and wrestlers, but you seem to have addressed those with the reintroduction of many fan favorite features and the inclusion of a huge roster. Was that always the plan, or was it a direct response to fan feedback from last year?

It was actually both. We looked at a lot of fan and critical feedback, and both groups ultimately wanted the same thing. Our goal every year is to deliver the most robust, feature-packed WWE game that the fans and gamers want. We are very happy to offer the largest roster in our history and bring several features back (plus more) while making them better than they may have been last year.

MyCareer had its big debut last year, and from the looks of it, you've made it more expansive this year. Can you take us through what the mode offers in 2K16?

In our second year of MyCareer, we really wanted to add more story and personality within the mode so we could better reflect that aspect of WWE. Players can now conduct personality-driven interviews, interfere with rivals, form tag teams or create alliances en route to defining their legendary careers. Over the course of the full story and career, players will be able to truly define their legacies by making critical choices while rising through the ranks from NXT to WWE to earn a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame.

You seem to be leaning more heavily into the revamped control scheme from 2K15, with improvements in chain grappling one of the key improvements? Why move towards more simulation-like controls?

Kind of like how fans want the biggest playable roster we can provide for them, our fans also want a game that truly reflects and simulates what they love about WWE. The brand has many nuances that require extensive mental and physical aptitude, and in turn, we are recreating that experience within the game.