The WWE 2K23 server has been shut down for good

SUMMARY

WWE 2K23 is no longer playable online, as the servers have been officially shut down.
This follows news from 2K about the game's “sunrise”, including its removal from digital store purchases.
Continuing the trend of WWE 2K games having a shorter lifespan than expected.

Despite being released in March 2023, the WWE 2K23 server has officially gone down. The move fulfills 2K's original promise of a “sunset” of the annual WWE simulation video game.

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In September last year, the company outlined its plans to end support for the game. First, in November, the game itself, plus all extras, including Virtual Currency and the theme park, became unavailable for purchase. Then, starting Monday (January 6), the servers were completely shut down.

“You will no longer be able to access online game mode after this time, however if you already own the game you can continue to play offline mode.”

Previous WWE 2K games have also had their servers shut down, making WWE 2K24 the only game that can connect to the Internet, along with being the only game available for purchase.

This is the shortest period between closures

As noted by Video Games Chronicle, the WWE 2K23 server shutdown represents the fewest months between release and shutdown of a WWE game to date. It wasn't even two years since 2K23 was released before it was pulled from digital shelves and then shut down.

Before that, this brand belonged to WWE 2K22, which also saw its servers shut down in less than two years.

In the past, WWE games have enjoyed longer lifespans, with 2K19 having support end after more than three years. 2K20 started the trend of shorter timelines, with games lasting just 32 months.

At this point, it's unclear if 2K24 will deal with this. The game released its last DLC pack late last year and may be replaced by 2K25 in the coming months.