5. Sgt Slaughter
In WWE 2K15 we got the nefarious, Iraq-supporting version of Sgt Slaughter, along with bad guy allies Col Mustafa and Gen Adnan; while last year it was his patriotic, US-flag waving persona which made the game. For WWE 2K17? Neither. And Mustafa and Adnan are out too.
4. Stevie Ray
Remember those delectable DLC tag-teams I mentioned earlier? Harlem Heat was the best of the lot, enabling series regular Booker T to reunite with his real-life brother. For 2K17, that team is again disbanded, with T left to fly solo. To quote their theme: “Yes? No.”
3. X-Pac
Last year fans were justifiably miffed when Billy Gunn made the game without tag partner Road Dogg – but at least X-Pac’s inclusion meant a mini-DX reunion was made possible. This year, the Dogg makes it in; but at X-Pac’s expense. We’ve got two words for that decision.
2. William Regal
Not the biggest name on this list – I’ll get to that shortly – but the most senseless exclusion of all, because 1. he’s still employed as the onscreen boss of NXT, and 2. his likeness last year was of WWE 2K16’s best. Why drop the axe, then? Entirely baffling.
1. Batista
The six-time world champ became a bone fide Hollywood star as Drax The Destroyer and Spectre’s Mr Hinx – leading many to think he’d be a fixture in the 2K series for years to come. (As he should be anyway, given his wrestling history.) Instead… he gawn. Arms out, thumbs down.
For a detailed look at everyone who has made this year’s game, be sure to check out GR+’s WWE 2K17 roster gallery. WWE 2K17 is released on October 11.
