2K pitched a classic WWE title for a remake — Rumor
There was an interesting rumor about a beloved PlayStation 2-era game being remade “WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain” was a fan-favorite video game. The title was released back in 2003 on PlayStation 2 as a single-player and multiplayer sports game based on the WWE weekly television show. Gamers got to play as their favorite wrestlers and perform the amazing moves in each wrestler’s catalog. Now, it is rumored that developers at 2K pitched an idea to recreate this popular game.
A while ago some developers from 2K pitch in the idea to WWE to do a remake of SmackDown here comes the pain, the idea was well receive, this was pitch in before the pandemic, it was also recently mentioned that WWE 2K 24 is in advance development and could be released early 2024
— The Wrestling Blog (@WrestlingBlog_) July 3, 2023
There is no certainty whether WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain will be produced and recreated. However, this rumor is still exciting for wrestling and gaming fans. The original game was truly a huge step for the 2K franchise, as it added so many features that are still present in WWE games today. Firstly, SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain added a new grappling system as well as a new body damage display. Secondly, the game added individual wrestler attributes consisting of stats like strength and speed–both of these first-time inclusions would become staples of future series entries.
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain was a loved game for many other reasons as well. There were new modes introduced such as the Elimination Chamber and the Bra and Panties match. Furthermore, the best part about the game was the fantastic roster. There were over 50 superstars at release. This was the first game where legends were introduced as well as fan-favorite characters such as John Cena, Batista and Rey Mysterio. There were countless amazing features added to this game so a remake on next-generation consoles would make sense.
More information on a remake
There is no doubt there would be a market for a remake of SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain. The most recent installment in the franchise is WWE 2K23, which came out in the spring of this year and it has received overall good reviews. Take-Two Interactive published their first game in the franchise with WWE 2K14. The company then took over development as well with WWE 2K20 but the title did not do well.
However, WWE 2K23 is the best installment yet since Take-Two Interactive took control of development and publishing. Now, the tweet also mentioned that WWE 2K24 was in advanced development. Ultimately, these are rumors but one thing is for sure fans would be excited to get their hands on a remade WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain.
