New Screens And Footage Focus On WWE 2K18’s Visual Changes

Three new screenshots and a new developer diary were released by the WWE 2K18 team this week via the game’s social media accounts. And the new media doesn’t just offer side-by-side comparisons of character models from 2K17 and this year’s wrestling game. It also confirms two more names for the WWE 2K18 roster.

Last week, 2K, Visual Concepts and Yukes treated fans to their first real look at WWE 2K18, publishing a pair of screenshots featuring former WWE Universal champion Seth Rollins. The first showed Rollins standing on the ring apron while the second showed the former Shield member standing inside the squared circle. 2K also published a short developer diary discussing visual changes we’d see in 2K18. That discussion continues this week with a new dev diary focusing on visual changes to the ring (and surrounding areas) we’ll see when WWE 2K18 hits stores in October.

The new video also features the first publicly-released gameplay footage from this year’s wrestling game. Its very limited, both in run time and what we can see, but our first look at the game does feature noticeably improved crowds and lighting. The 2K18 team has also made noticeable improvements to its animations. Entrances have been an area where the WWE 2K series stood out for years. But Yuke’s and Visual Concepts continue to outdo themselves. You can actually see Orton’s shoulders (and the lighting on them) shift while he loosens up on the way to the ring. We can only hope a similar attention to details is evident in the rest of the WWE 2K18 roster.

2K also published three new images featuring the WWE 2K18 character models for Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins alongside the 2K17 versions of the same WWE Superstars. It’s a bit weird that we still haven’t see any of these wrestlers using actual wrestling moves; however, it’s always possible the dev team is still putting the finishing touches on those animations. The new images do at least erase any doubt that this year’s roster, or at least its first three members, will look even more like they do in real life this year than they did in 2K17. Same goes for Lesnar’s Universal title belt.

WWE 2K18 is in development for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The game hits PS4 and Xbox on Oct. 10 and is expected to hit Switch sometime this fall.

Be sure to check back with Player.One and follow Scott on Twitter for more WWE 2K18 news in 2017 and however long 2K supports WWE 2K18 after launch.