WWE 2K22 is just over the horizon as we creep into the new year, and one of the game's most exciting features will be the return of GM Mode as MyGM.
We took some time to speak to Invictus Pro Wrestling Social Media Champion Big Game Leroy about playing classic GM Mode and what's he's hoping to see from MyGM in WWE 2K22.
Big Game Leroy played GM Mode 'literally the whole summer of 2019'
Despite being just 25 years old and relatively young in his career, Big Game Leroy has lit up the independent wrestling scene in recent years.
Armed with his trusty Nintendo Switch at all times, sometimes even inside the squared circle, Leroy has reigned supreme as Invictus Pro Wrestling Social Media Champion since winning a tournament for that title back in February of 2021.
While earlier this year he was focusing on hailing from Nintendo World in New York City and toppling opponents like Big Callux, ranked 62 on this year's QWI 200, in defense of his title, we got a chance to speak to Leroy about the next big wrestling game everyone has their eyes on.
WWE 2K22 is set to launch in March 2022, and the debut of MyGM quickly brought back his memories of playing the classic GM Mode just a few short years ago.
"Just to give you some context. Me and my friends, literally the whole summer of 2019, were playing SmackDown vs. Raw 2008. Every Saturday we weren't booked, we would go over to one of our friend's houses and boot up the PS2," Leroy said.
"I believe I was SmackDown," he continued. "I think Marq Quen was freaking ECW, and then my other friend was Raw because he really wanted the divas. He really wanted the women's wrestlers, which of course, as he should."
"I think I got last pick. So, you know SmackDown's fine. I got the cruiserweights. It's a decent tradeoff, and it was so great because Quen still drafted a few women because he's like 'I need my Extreme Expose.' They only had the ECW Title [in GM Mode]," Leroy said.
"The whole summer we played it was great," he continued. "It reminded me of how good GM Mode is in concept. Just competing with other brands, doing the thing of ratings and stuff, having injuries, booking storylines. It was so fun."
That fun is finally due to return, but we're still learning more about exactly how MyGM will operate in the final version of WWE 2K22.
WWE 2K22 brings Universe Mode with MyGM
Beyond GM Mode, Universe Mode will also be returning in WWE 2K22, which operates like a wrestling sandbox mode in the franchise.
While it bears a vague resemblance to GM Mode, Leroy talked about why it never stood up to the classics it seemed to emulate.
"You were just creating storylines for the sake of creating storylines. Which isn't bad, because I saw cool storylines and I know people would upload them and you could download them. It was a good content engine, but that was really it," he said.
"There was no competitive aspect," Leroy continued. "There was nothing you were working towards. Why don't you do Universe Mode and make it GM Mode? Take all that content engine and quality of life stuff, and just make that GM Mode."
While details have been scarce so far, we did get confirmation in the WWE 2K22 feature reveal trailer that Universe Mode is returning along with the new MyGM which is a clear successor to GM Mode.
We only saw a few glimpses of MyGM, but they do appear to be taking some of the structure and format used in the modern Universe Mode and using it to craft MyGM.
While hopes are high, Big Game Leroy is far from alone in being cautious about his optimism for how WWE 2K22 might deliver on MyGM.
"It's fun. I'm excited for it. I really do hope it's good," he said. "I really really do, but I have a healthy skepticism about certain things."