2K says ‘now’s the perfect time to upgrade’ as it plans WWE 2K22 server shutdown

2K has confirmed that online services for WWE 2K22 will soon be permanently closed.

Announcing plans for their closure early next year, the company suggested now would be “the perfect time to upgrade” to the most recent series entry, WWE 2K23.

“WWE 2K22 servers will be discontinued as of January 3rd, 2024,” it said. “All online modes & functions, including online matches & community Creations, will no longer be available.

“Now is the perfect time to upgrade to WWE 2K23. Thank you for all the support!”

The server shutdown represents the shortest operation period for a WWE game in recent years.

Whereas WWE 2K22 online support is being closed less than 22 months after the game’s release, WWE 2K19 online support was closed almost 45 months after release and WWE 2K20 online support ended about 32 months after release.

WWE 2K22 was released in March 2022, ending a 29-month wait for a new series entry after 2K and in-house developer Visual Concepts skipped their traditional annual October release in the wake of the critically panned WWE 2K20.

VGC’s WWE 2K22 review called it “the comeback fans of the series have been hoping for”, which appears to have reflected the general consensus at the time.

WWE 2K23 was released a year later on March 14, 2023, and was even more warmly received by critics, based on review aggregations site Metacritic, where it has scores of 82 (PS5), 81 (Xbox Series X/S) and 79 (PC).

This year’s series entry introduced WarGames mode, which offers 3v3 and 4v4 fights in a giant two-ring construction surrounded by a steel cage, plus a new Showcase mode revolving around the 20-year history of John Cena.