By Sagar V. Mankar Brock Lesnar, one of WWE’s biggest superstars, is noticeably absent from the cover of the upcoming WWE 2K24 video game.
This comes after recent accusations against WWE CEO Vince McMahon that implicated Lesnar in sexual misconduct.
The WWE 2K24 Cover Change
WWE 2K24 is set to launch on March 8, 2024, for major platforms like PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The special 40 Years of WrestleMania edition cover originally featured Lesnar alongside other legends like The Rock and Roman Reigns.
However, in the latest WWE 2K24 gameplay trailer, they replaced Lesnar’s image with John Cena.
They also removed his likeness from the official WWE 2K24 website’s cover art.
This happened shortly after a lawsuit filed against Vince McMahon alleged that he sent explicit photos of a former WWE employee to an unnamed wrestler, believed by many to be Lesnar.
Fallout from the Vince McMahon Allegations
In mid-2023, the Wall Street Journal reported that McMahon paid millions in hush money to female WWE employees over alleged misconduct.
One lawsuit specifically claimed McMahon sent unsolicited nude photos of a former paralegal to a “WWE Champion” who was negotiating a contract.
This was speculated to be Lesnar.
In the aftermath, Lesnar was pulled from the 2024 Royal Rumble despite being advertised and replace by NXT rookie Bronn Breaker.
He was also removed from the WWE SuperCard mobile game.
Will Brock Lesnar Still Be Playable in WWE 2K24?
With WWE quickly removing Lesnar from the 2K24 cover, some fans wonder if he will remain a playable character in the final game.
Given its March release date, developer Visual Concepts may not have time to fully cut Lesnar’s likeness and moves from the finished product.
Lesnar was likely already scanned and programmed into the game before the allegations surfaced.
Completely removing him would require delays that 2K likely wants to avoid.
Early footage indicates Lesnar may still appear in the game’s Showcase story mode.
So his character and game files will still remain in game but he will be unplayable and hidden.
If in future Lesnar clear his name, then WWE can easily recover it with simple update.
‘Brock Lesnar is in #WWE2K24, but you won’t be able to play as him.’
‘Multiple sources have told Insider Gaming that while it was too late to fully remove Lesnar from the game, the plan shifted to simply make him unplayable for players upon release.’
‘Despite being unplayable,… pic.twitter.com/ZkA2HgrbxT
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) February 22, 2024
Looking Ahead to WWE 2K24’s Release
Despite the last-minute cover change, WWE 2K24 pre-order sales remain strong.
Fans are excited about the improved graphics, new WarGames match type, and other new features.
The controversy around Lesnar is unlikely to significantly dampen enthusiasm for the first WWE 2K release in over two years.
The focus will remain on the playable WWE and NXT superstars still featured.
In the end, WWE 2K24 aims to let fans experience the hard-hitting action of WWE wrestling.
The absence of Lesnar will be felt, but it won’t make or break the game.