WWE 2K22 has finally been given something closer to an official release date, but news of the delay is likely going to frustrate many fans.
While it's never fun to be stuck waiting, the delayed release window is actually the best news yet about the development of WWE 2K22.
WWE 2K22 being delayed means they care about the final product
The biggest reason a delay is good for WWE 2K22 is simple: they wouldn't have delayed if they didn't care about the product's quality at launch.
WWE 2K20 saw an abysmal release with it becoming one of the most memed games on the internet for a period that was definitely longer than Visual Concepts or WWE Games would've preferred.
If you go back to the development cycle of WWE 2K20, a rushed release was ultimately their biggest downfall, as many of the issues came down to bugs and glitches that devs didn't have time to finish fixing.
Much of that was linked to losing the game's engine, which left along with former developer Yuke's, who has since signed on to develop the AEW Console Game.
Major updates landed one after the other following the launch of WWE 2K20, but the damage was already done and no amount of fixing was going to repair its reputation.
WWE 2K22 getting delayed shows a commitment to releasing the best product possible, even if they have to wait a little longer to see the financial boost of launch start rolling in.
With WWE 2K21 being cancelled entirely, this will by far be the longest development cycle for a single WWE sim video game in over a decade, and even the brief first looks we've seen already show a drastic increase in graphic quality.
March 2022 puts the release date just before WrestleMania 38
If you look at the WWE calendar, it really makes more sense to use a release date during WrestleMania season than it ever did to launch during the packed fall games schedule.
WWE 2K22 launching in October would've left it still likely competing for the attention of players enjoying NBA 2K22, Madden 22, and NHL 22.
By shifting things to March 2022, they face a much less crowded release schedule, though there is the possibility of being up against the AEW Console Game.
We only know that a vague early 2022 release window was teased for that title, but whether they're still on track for that targeted time frame is unknown.
WrestleMania often marks the culmination of the year for WWE, so having the game release in the weeks leading up to the event just seems like a perfect fit.
WWE's roster is currently in flux and should stabilize by then
Finally, the other factor at play right now which could be a happy accident in lining up with the delay is the fact that the WWE roster is entirely unstable right now.
Major stars like Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, and Daniel Bryan have all departed the company with seemingly no warning through recent months, and WWE has continued to release lower level talent indiscriminately.
While some of that is connected to AEW, which continues to offer a new alternative to top stars who want a change of scenery, it's also just the way WWE is doing business right now.
The company's priorities seem to have shifted, and they're definitely not scared of dropping anyone who doesn't fit into their new plans.
We've seen mass releases on April 15 the last two years, and could see that unfortunate situation repeated on April 15, 2022.
While it's not something that anyone should be looking forward to or hoping to see, the unfortunate reality is March 2022 is likely to be a time where the roster has stabilized heading into WrestleMania 37.
We could easily see superstars included in the WWE 2K22 roster get released less than a month later, which is something no one should want, but it would at least keep them under contract in time for the game to successfully launch.