WWE 2K22 leaks have always been a major source of potential information as official news remained scarce for some time. Thankfully that's no longer the case as we get more and more details leading up to launch but leaks are still happening!
We've got details on all the major WWE 2K22 leaks that have landed and when fans might finally get some confirmation to see if these leaks are indeed true.
Latest - New Trailer leaked online
In a strange turn of events ahead of the Royal Rumble event. WWE has since confirmed that this trailer is official and posted under their own account.
We get some great gameplay shots and things certainly seem to be shaping up better than the disaster that was 2K20.
Release Date, Cover, more leaked
While we're now almost due for some official news about WWE 2K22, it's come with an appetizer in the form of two major leaks.
The first showcased a possible WWE 2K22 cover featuring Rey Mysterio and had some basic pre order rewards info, much of which was further shown in a second leak.
These leaks remain unconfirmed, but the countdown is now on as a major WWE 2K22 reveal is less than 24 hours away.
WWE 2K22 Leaks reveal several in-game features
Leak Update 11/18/21: The "Hit List" Feature Reveal Trailer gave us tons of confirmation about many of the game modes and features on the way, and we have more details on that here.
WWE 2K22 already had high expectations heading into a potential launch in October of this year, but any firm plans went by the wayside when the title was officially delayed.
WWE 2K20 was the last release in this core franchise by 2K Games and WWE, but it came out back on October 22, 2019.
We're now more than two years on from that release, and the next WWE title looks set to arrive this March, and anticipation is only rising.
So far, the best legitimate look we've gotten at WWE 2K22 was the teaser trailer back in August that revealed the March 2022 release window.
Perhaps fueled by the hope that this game can deliver in a way the titles haven't in recent years, and surely influenced by the delayed and relatively quiet development process, we've had a few significant WWE 2K22 leaks come out ahead of launch.
GM Mode returning according to two separate leaks
Leak Update 11/18/21: GM Mode has now been confirmed to return as the renamed MyGM, which we have more details on here.
While there was heavy speculation that GM Mode could make a triumphant return in WWE 2K22, that all kicked into overdrive when AEW released AEW Elite GM on mobile phones.
It looks like the competition and the vocal fan desire for the return of GM Mode has finally paid off according to two leaks in the last few months.
Back on September 9, 2021, a report by SGO indicated that GM Mode "was a top priority" and stated "the fans clearly wanted it, and the team knew they had the ammo to get it approved and in."
The same source went on to also tell SGO that "it's going to become the most played mode in the game" and that GM Mode "will sell this game."
Just over one month later, a tweet by industry insider Millie Amand seemed to confirm this as she said "WWE 2K22 will 100% have a Manager mode in which you the player will run the WWE."
While Amand stated a reveal could happen at Survivor Series, a possibility later squashed by 2K, January reveals have been mentioned since the game was delayed and would make sense for a GM Mode reveal.
Roster Updates could replace DLC thanks to WWE releases
In what may turn out to be an ultimately positive step coming out of a negative, a report by SGO in early October indicated that planned DLC for WWE 2K22 was ruined by several WWE releases.
The report states that when WWE released multiple superstars, most notably Bronson Reed, these actions caused "at least two DLC packages" to be scrapped.
The potentially exciting silver lining is that in the same report 2K had apparently been floating the possibility of doing a Roster Updates service rather than releasing new WWE Superstars as DLC.
The Roster Update service is standard for most sports games, including 2K's own NBA 2K22, and it would surely be a welcome addition to WWE 2K22 if confirmed.
Microtransactions may be most controversial leak yet
Leak Update 11/18/21: Microtransactions have since been confirmed, but VC will only be used in the new MyFACTION mode and is being kept separated from all other WWE 2K22 content.
The most recent WWE 2K22 leak landed on October 26, 2021 and has all but confirmed the addition of major microtransactions to the title at launch.
VC, or Virtual Currency, is a mechanic used to purchase in-game content that 2K Games has used heavily in NBA 2K22 and uses to sell massive amounts of VC with expensive microtransactions.
This WWE 2K22 leak comes courtesy of game designer and analyst VikingSizeGamer, who spotted full illustrated renders for WWE 2K22 VC in a data dig.
The primary fear at this point for some fans is that this could signal a move to using VC for a competitive edge in online game modes, much the way it helps in NBA 2K22's MyCAREER and MyTEAM modes.
While it's possible these could instead be more focused on cosmetic upgrades, we'll have to wait and see whether a new microtransactional focus becomes a final straw for some of those still hopeful about the release of WWE 2K22.