How to play as CM Punk in WWE 2K23

WWE 2K23
(Image credit: 2K)

Did you know that it's possible to play as CM Punk in WWE 2K23 despite his return coming long after the game's release? Well, you do now. It's all down to the excellent WWE 2K23 Community Creations feature. This enables fans to make their favourite grapplers, both real and fictional, then share them with fellow gamers. As a result we have three versions of the Second City Saint to choose from in your WWE 2K23 CM Punk guide.

How to add CM Punk to WWE 2K23

WWE 2K23

(Image credit: 2K)

If you’ve ever glanced at our WWE 2K23 CAWs guide, you already know the drill here. Fans upload their own versions of past and present greats to the series via a feature called Community Creations. Below we have three different options for you. To download them, start up the game then hit Online > Community Creations > Downloads > Superstar. Then, in My Hashtags, search for the name of the respective creator from the three listed here.

Don’t forget that CM Punk is also a member of the AEW Fight Forever roster, with accurate theme music, entrance moves and so on.

CM Punk WWE 2K23 CAW 1: MisterFiendX

WWE 2K23

(Image credit: 2K)

With over 102,000 downloads, this WWE 2K23 CM Punk CAW by MisterFiendX has been the go-to for many fans since March. Punk’s face and tattoos are spot on, and he comes packaged with two attires: one with black trunks, one with red.

CM Punk WWE 2K23 CAW 2: KisaragiTV

WWE 2K23

(Image credit: 2K)

A more mature, and beardy, interpretation of Punk here, created by KisaragiTV with help from community legend GameVolt on the All Out attire logos. With one white and one black attire, it offers decent variety for your inevitable feuds with Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar.

CM Punk WWE 2K23 CAW 3: WhatsTheStatus

WWE 2K23

(Image credit: 2K)

The most famous community creator of all is WhatsTheStatus, and he’s teamed up with kaaalua and Kamillion2k to emulate Punk’s Survivor Series comeback. You get the T-shirt look Punk sported in Chicago, as well as a white, red and blue wrestling attire.

The best WWE 2K23 CM Punk entrance motion

WWE 2K23

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A glance at our WWE 2K23 tag team entrances guide will tell you that Visual Concepts is good at including templates for superstars who’ve long been missing from the series. Punk doesn’t get an exact replica for his usual ‘Best In The World’ motion, but instead try assigning him the one called ‘Earth’s Champion’. It actually belongs to Punk’s long time rival Bryan Danielson – AKA Daniel Bryan – but features many of Punk’s trademarks, such as kneeling on the stage, and ascending the turnbuckles when he enters the ring. For his Titanton and Banner movies, use Damage CTRL.

The best WWE 2K23 CM Punk theme

WWE 2K23

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CM Punk’s theme, Cult of Personality by Living Colour, is one of the most unmistakable in all of wrestling – so trying to imitate it is difficult. From the WWE 2K23 roster, Kevin Owens’ music does a reasonable job of subbing in. Alternately, you could go for something similar to his old This Fire Burns entrance theme. Damon Kemp, Zoey Stark and NXT 2021 are all viable options should you wish to take that approach.

Is CM Punk going to be in WWE 2K24?

WWE 2K23

(Image credit: 2K)

Following his stunning Survivor Series return, there’s a decent chance that CM Punk makes the WWE 2K24 roster. However, the on-disc superstar list is usually locked down around Summerslam, meaning he’s likely missed the cut-off point for its release date. Instead expect Punk to be the biggest name on the WWE 2K24 DLC list, when it’s inevitably announced in February or March 2024.

Ben Wilson

I'm GamesRadar's sports editor, and obsessed with NFL, WWE, MLB, AEW, and occasionally things that don't have a three-letter acronym – such as Chvrches, Bill Bryson, and Streets Of Rage 4. (All the Streets Of Rage games, actually.) Even after three decades I still have a soft spot for Euro Boss on the Amstrad CPC 464+.