WWE 2K23 brings with it one of the most fun and unique Showcase modes, where players will not control John Cena, but rather all the opponents who have beaten him in the past. It’s not only a great way to showcase John Cena’s toughness and his involvement in WWE over the years, but it also celebrates some of the most beloved and celebrated WWE Superstars who have competed in the business, including RVD and Kurt Angle. However, one glaring omission from WWE 2K23’s Showcase mode featured a high-level match against a superstar who can’t be used in a WWE 2K game: CM Punk.
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John Cena and CM Punk had one of the most memorable rivalries, and fans were able to relive it in WWE 2K15’s Showcase Mode, which included both the Money-in-the-Bank title match between John Cena and CM Punk, as well as the Undisputed WWE Championship. encounter. However, now that CM Punk is wrestling in rival company AEW, WWE 2K23 can’t present him as a past superstar, meaning players will miss out on the opportunity to drop a pipe bomb or leave WWE as champion. While this doesn’t take down Showcase Mode, it would have been a great addition, especially since those matches were some of Cena’s biggest defeats and kicked off CM Punk’s career.
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WWE 2K23 Showcase Mode
WWE 2K23 follows John Cena’s career in Showcase mode, chronicling his greatest defeats. This highlights not only some big wins for other superstars, but also shows the longevity of John Cena’s WWE career. As with WWE 2K’s other Showcase modes, players must perform certain tasks to complete the fight and move on to the next one, and the transitions between the game and the televised versions of the matches only add to the excitement.
WWE 2K23’s Showcase Mode is home to some fantastic matches that include superstars like RVD, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, Batista, and many more, each of whom scored key victories over John Cena. While these matches are truly legendary in their own right, missing out on CM Punk robs fans of not only one of John Cena’s most iconic matches, but also one of the most legendary moments in all of WWE: CM Punk leaves WWE with the WWE Championship. However, the new John Cena Showcase mode is still fun and the new twist on the game mode can impress John Cena fans and haters alike, all while bringing a bit of nostalgia for older fans.
Why CM Punk isn’t in WWE 2K23
CM Punk’s WWE career is the stuff of legends, starting small until he eventually won his first WWE Championship after cashing in his first Money-in-the-Bank briefcase. However, probably his most memorable stint was the iconic pipe bomb storyline where Punk blew up the entire business, pointing out everything that was wrong with the company. Ultimately, this led to CM Punk’s contract not being renewed, resulting in him leaving WWE with the company’s most coveted title, until his eventual return and victory against Cena, beginning his sixth most coveted WWE title reign. long of the company. .
Following this storyline, CM Punk stopped receiving major title shots and this led to him leaving the company. He would eventually sign with AEW, a direct competitor to WWE for whom he currently wrestles, and since he retained his character, WWE lost the rights to feature him in any games. This prevented the rivalry between John Cena and CM Punk from participating in WWE 2K23’s Showcase mode, preventing fans from experiencing some of Cena’s most memorable losses and arguably a major turning point for WWE.
While WWE 2K23’s Showcase mode is still a fun journey narrated by the superstar himself, the absence of his CM Punk match is certainly a blow to many fans. While fans may not see CM Punk appear in a future WWE game, he may make an appearance in the upcoming AEW: Fight Forever video game which is set to compete with the WWE 2K franchise. As AEW’s popularity continues to grow and WWE 2K games hopefully continue to improve, fans could see the two superstars compete to prove which wrestling game deserves first place.
WWE 2K23 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
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