First Six WWE 2K16 Characters Announced – Here Comes The New School!

WWE video games are an annual tradition and despite not really breaking the mould and leaving much to be desired in recent years in terms of the gameplay we’re always excited to find out who will be joining the playable roster year after year.

In the past, household names and pumped-up media mega-stars such as John Cena, The Rock and Hulk Hogan have led the promotional charge for the yearly grapple games. However, in WWE 2K16, it’s the new school that rules and the first six names might come as a pleasant surprise for the smart fans.

First through the curtain is Seth Rollins. Veteran of the US indie scene and a former Ring of Honor champion, the current holder of WWE’s most prestigious title is not the average image of a superstar. Rollins’ streamlined and sculpted physique is the product of the Crossfit gym rather than muscle beach and he has helped reinvigorate the wrestling scene in WWE (yes, we said “wrestling”).

Similar can be said of his former Shield running mate Dean Ambrose who also joins the WWE 2K16 roster, bringing an attitude that harkens back to the legendary Stone Cold Steve Austin and sporting trademark vest and jeans, ‘The Lunatic Fringe’ is a broad step away from the spandex clad grapplers of yesteryear.

We’re chuffed to find out that the British are invading WWE 2K16’s starting line-up too, represented by Wade Barrett and previous Diva’s Champion Paige – who was only available in a DLC for last year’s game but gets promoted to the main game this time around. Both made their name up and down the UK scene before making a leap to the big time – and nothing says you’ve made it quite like being one of the main characters in a video game.

From just across the pond, Finn Bálor becomes the first member of the NXT roster to enter the game as a playable character. The enigmatic Irish man with a penchant for frightening face paint as part of his red hot gimmick is one of the top names in the WWE developmental brand and makes a superb new addition to the WWE gaming universe and a highly requested character who many fans will be looking forward to getting to grips with. And that entrance on the next gen consoles is sure to be something to behold.

Completing the list is Daniel Bryan. The goat-bearded grappler may be absent from current WWE television due to career-halting injury but that doesn’t mean his famous YES chant can’t be heard throughout the virtual arena of WWE 2K16 along with his signature technical move-set.

From the half dozen named here it’s clear that the roster will be refreshing and new, featuring future legends and we’re sure some former greats will be thrown in to mix things up to allow gamers to play out all their dream matches when WWE 2K16 is released on October 30th, becoming available for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC.