WWE 2K23 Bids Farewell to Online Career Mode with Final Grapple
As of today, the servers for WWE 2K23 have officially ceased operations. The publisher 2K has discontinued online gameplay for this wrestling title, which means players can no longer access online modes, including matches and team creations.
Players who purchased the game can still enjoy it offline, a rare feature for titles that lose their online capabilities. Its in-game virtual currency and store were previously shut down last November ahead of the server shutdown.
In recent years, 2K has disabled online features for older games in the current wrestling series, or simply delisted them entirely. With 2K23 now added to this list, last year’s WWE 2K24 remains the only installment in the franchise with its servers still operational.
Gamers are rebelling against games going offline
Organizations like 2K are facing increasing backlash from gamers following their decisions to sunset support for online games. One of the more notorious cases was the closure of Ubisoft’s firstThe Crewgame, which originally launched in 2014.
The subsequent backlash prompted the developer to announce plans to support its sequels, The Crew 2andThe Crew Motorfest, by introducing separate offline modes. Despite that, some players filed a lawsuit in November against Ubisoft for the original Crew’s closure.
Additionally, European gamers initiated a “Stop Killing Games” movement advocating for developers to make their games entirely offline from launch rather than through post-launch patches. Meanwhile, a California bill recently passed requiring sellers of digital goods to stop using terms like “purchase” or “buy” in transactions, and instead clarify that individuals are obtaining licenses for digital assets.
Major publishers like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo must comply with this bill, which is part of a broader effort by the state to protect consumers and eliminate false advertising.
However, unlike the Undertaker, WWE 2K23’s online features will not be rising from the dead.
About the Author
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A native of Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has contributed to numerous websites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his works can also be found at io9 on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him how much gum he has chewed, as the answer will likely exceed what he’s comfortable admitting.