WWE 2K25 finally adds the intergender matches that WWE itself is too cowardly for, plus an open-world mode exclusive to current-gen consoles

2K has lifted the veil on WWE 2K25, and this year's edition of the game finally lets you pit male and female wrestlers against each other in intergender matchups - something WWE itself rarely allows onscreen - when it launches on March 14.

"WWE or player-created Superstars from the men’s and women’s divisions can now compete against each other to set up limitless matchups across all game modes," 2K explains in a press release. Intergender matches were once a staple of WWE games in wrestling's rowdier days, but it's long since been excised from the 2K series that's accompanied the show in its modern family-friendly incarnation.

Rumors and speculation had always suggested that WWE shied away from intergender wrestling for fear that it might be seen as promoting violence against women, scaring away potential advertisers. Whatever the reasons why, intergender competition is now exceedingly rare in WWE - and when it happens, it's almost always one of the most physically imposing women on the roster giving a one-sided beatdown to one of the weakest men. Now, at least, we can get some properly egalitarian wrestling in WWE 2K25.

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Another big addition this year is The Island, "an interactive world made up of a series of areas built around different WWE themes" where you'll work to impress Roman Reigns and earn a WWE contract. You'll have a bunch of quests and challenges to undertake, and it looks like this'll host the big story mode for custom superstars.

It sounds a bit like NBA 2K's The City, though that open-world mode has proven controversial for basketball fans. Here's hoping The Island works a little better in the more colorful context of WWE. Either way, the mode will be exclusive to current-gen consoles - while the game itself is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, The Island is only available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Check out our guide to WWE 2K25 Special Editions and pre-order bonuses if you're trying to decide which version is right for you.

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Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.