-- WWE's recent video games with 2K Sports have left a lot of room for criticism with the disastrous WWE 2K20 and the subsequent lacklustre response to WWE 2K Battlegrounds. The next iteration - WWE 2K22 - is set to be released in mere days and it said to be a "make or break" release for the series, according to fightfulselect.com. In fact, the report notes that WWE has already had preliminary discussions with Electronic Arts (EA) about bringing their game over once the relationship with 2K Sports is over. The contract between WWE and 2K was signed in 2016 and was believed to be a six-year agreement though there are options to extend it, likely based on the reaction to 2K22. If the game fails as its most recent predecessors have, it would increase the chances even more that WWE won't extend the deal and instead jump ship to EA.
-- While WWE and EA have long been talking, the two sides only began talking about a potential relationship in 2021 when 2K20 bombed and 2K barely fared better. One source said “WWE has shown a lot of frustration with the reception and lack of success of recent games,” one source said. “The gaming market is a major selling point for them, and they believe they’ve fallen behind the competition", which would mean games for other sports like the NFL and NHL. WWE also feels that their game has not been given the same amount of resources by 2K that the other major player in their lineup - NBA 2K - and this feeling may be warranted as WWE's game has seen cost cutting in almost every area and in almost every year since 2016.
-- From Take-Two's perspective, they are confident that everything will "continue as normal" and their team feels much effort has gone into improving the game for 2022 that it will all but convince the two sides to continue to move together as one. Finally, if WWE does decide to move EA, there would be a multi-year wait for the first game in that franchise to be released, which of course would be a major factor to consider when it comes down to gauging which way they want to go.
