It is no secret thatWWE 2K20was a bit of a mess. So much so, the development team is going back to the drawing board on its once annual franchise. It seems theWWE 2Kteam is looking at two of the most beloved wrestling games for some inspiration, as well as the possibility for bringing back GM Mode.

In a recent Reddit AMA with Patrick Gilmore, executive producer on theWWE 2Kfranchise, many fans asked whether the game will have GM Mode. This is perhaps the most requested feature for theWWE 2Kfranchise. While there are no concrete answers of the mode’s inclusion, Gilmore does give some insight on the team’s progress with potentially adding it to the next entry.

“GM Mode is one of the most requested features we get,” says Gilmore in one statement. “I can say that my message to the team was, ‘We’re not just going to trot out a mode from 2008 without bringing something new.’ Top minds are thinking about that right now.”

“As for GM Mode, it’s not lost on us that it was the top requested feature in our recent community feedback project,” says Gilmore in another statement. “We’re working on proposals/solutions internally, but they’ll need to get reviewed and approved before we move forward on development.” He concludes that theWWE 2Kteam will share more information in the future.

Another Reddit user asked if there would be a gameplay overhaul for theWWE 2Kfranchise. Gilmore states that gameplay is “one of the major investments” in the next entry. He also says the team is looking at beloved wrestling games No Mercy and SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain, as well as other wrestling and fighting games for inspiration. Here is the entire statement:

“Core gameplay is one of the major investments we’re making in the next installment—one of six pillars we are focused on disproportionately in development. We are looking at much-loved previous games likeNo MercyorSmackdown: Here Comes the Pain, along with top franchise installments, and more modern wrestling and fighting games to build an all-new philosophical foundation for the game. People who hope that we holistically adopt the control scheme or philosophy from one of their favorite games are likely to be disappointed; we are trying to combine the best ideas out there into a brand new wrestling experience that sets a new standard.”

Back in April, 2K addressed concerns over its most recent entry in the wrestling sim franchise,WWE 2K20. The statement revealed Visual Concepts would be extending its development time for the next entry to 2021. This was alongside the announcement of an arcade-style wrestling gameWWE 2K Battlegrounds.

WWE 2K20is available now. You can check out myreviewto see my thoughts on the most recent entry.