Update (Thu 30th Apr, 2020 11:30 BST): It has now been confirmed that WWE 2K Battlegrounds will be launching on Nintendo Switch. The news comes from a newly-discovered ESRB rating which also confirms the existence of versions for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One (thanks, Japanese Nintendo).


Original Article (Mon 27th Apr, 2020 16:45 BST): Publisher 2K has revealed WWE 2K Battlegrounds, a brand new entry into its catalogue of WWE games that swaps the franchise's usual realism for arcade-style action.

Details are still a little slim at this early stage, but a press release promises a "completely new WWE gaming experience" with "over-the-top Superstar designs, environments and moves". The focus for this new game is said to be on social, pick-up-and-play gaming, while still having "plenty of depth" for solo players.

Naturally, it's easy to imagine that it'll have similarities to the NBA 2K Playgrounds series of games; WWE 2K Battlegrounds is being developed by the same studio, Saber Interactive, so it wouldn't come as a shock to see features from that game brought over here. Platforms haven't yet been confirmed, but with two NBA Playgrounds titles on Switch, we're hopeful this new release will arrive on Nintendo's platform.

In the same press release, 2K took the time to address the future of the core WWE 2K franchise. It has promised to keep WWE 2K19 servers running, is listening to feedback on WWE 2K20, and is taking a break by skipping a theoretical 'WWE 2K21' altogether.

...We want to address WWE 2K20. We’ve heard and appreciate your feedback, and continue to listen to you closely. Since launch, we’ve released five title updates, addressing hundreds of reported concerns, and have released four WWE 2K20 Originals DLC expansions to build on and improve the experience. We’ve also heard your requests to keep the WWE 2K19 servers running; they will remain active for the time being.

All of that being said, we hear you and we know you want more from the franchise, so here’s what we’re going to do: we are applying what we’ve learned to the next WWE 2K simulation game with a renewed focus on quality and fun. As part of that commitment, we are extending the production timeline and will not be releasing a WWE 2K simulation game in 2020 (T2 fiscal year 2021). We want to ensure the development team at Visual Concepts can create a great game that will entertain grizzled WWE 2K veterans, as well as newcomers who want to climb through the ropes and step into the ring for the very first time.

Do you like the look of WWE 2K Battlegrounds? Do you hope it does end up on Switch? Let us know with a comment below.