WWE 2K24’s “Forty Years of Wrestlemania” artwork dropped Brock Lesnar for John Cena, which many noticed on Tuesday, but there’s reason to believe he’ll still appear in the game that releases on March 8.
A 2K spokesperson declined to comment to Wrestlenomics about whether Lesnar will still be playable character in WWE 2K24.
A person familiar with the matter told us the video game publisher is taking steps where possible to update the game in accordance with WWE’s actions.
Lesnar was recently removed from the WWE SuperCard mobile game that 2K also publishes.
Removing Lesnar entirely from the console game, WWE 2K24, could be costly, and doing so could result in the game’s release date being delayed.
Mike Straw, who’s Senior Editor at Insider Gaming, says Lesnar is being removed from all promotional material, but his character being taken out of the game is unlikely.
“It’s not impossible he’s removed, especially if something more and major were to come out over the next week or so,” Straw said.
Lesnar is expected to be included in Showcase mode in WWE 2K24, a part of the game that allows players to relive memorable matches in WWE history, but that would likely take out a major match.
“Again, though, that doesn’t seem likely.”
Lesnar’s merchandise on WWEShop continues to be offered at a discount since shortly after the news broke of his alleged involvement with the sex trafficking case.
Lesnar was identified by The Wall Street Journal as the person referred to as “WWE Superstar” in former WWE employee Janel Grant’s lawsuit against WWE, Vince McMahon, and John Laurinaitis.
Grant claims as part of a contract negotiation with the talent who is reportedly Lesnar, she was instructed by McMahon to send Lesnar sexually explicit images. On two occasions plans were allegedly made for Grant and Lesnar to have a sexual encounter but those meetings didn’t end up happening.
Plans were made for Lesnar to return to WWE programming at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 27, then reportedly canceled due to the news, which broke days before the Rumble event. His most recent match in WWE was last August at Summerslam.