A Definitive List for Best and Worst NPCs In WWE 2k History

With WWE 2k25 fast approaching its general release date, early reviews of the game have been positive. The integrated MyRise mode has particularly received praise for its chaotic cast of characters. Long-time fans of the series will notice that many of your foes from the independent scenes and even some of your previously playable characters are mentioned or competed within the new campaign.

Familiar names like Hector Flores or Josie Jane make their presence known in that mode and, allegedly on the new Island mode. WWE has quietly amassed a "meta-roster" of superstars who are mainstays in the franchise without real WWE talent. However, with more than a decade of creative control, who are the best WWE and worst NPCs in WWE 2k history? The fans online have some suggestions.

The Mount Rushmore of NPCs in WWE NPCs

Barron Blade:

Barron Blade is the genesis of the greater WWE 2k universe. He was your rival in 2015, your trainer for NXT in the years after, and the founder of BCW, an alternative to WWE for independent wrestlers. Of course, he has been the player's friend and mentor, but he really shines as a masked villain in the Buzz storyline from WWE 2k19. He is not the final boss, really being the heel until the midpoint before you join WWE. Then, he gets a redemption turn, and Buzz makes a choice about forgiveness. He doesn't overstay his welcome as your rival or friend, finding a perfect balance. His BCW promotion and lineage have also been the subject of many fan creations, a testament to his lasting impact on the series.  

El Mago:

Not to be confused with the significantly less interesting El Mago Jr., the Lucha Libre legend has a misshapen body and an exceptionally awkward-looking head. He is also one of the more endearing characters, evidenced by the reaction online and by the writer of this list when he returns after years away from the franchise in the Hector Flores storyline in WWE 2k22. The outdoor plaza in Mexico that typically accompanies his appearance in the games is also a neat perk, as it is an interesting and unique arena for players to use in their universe modes or exhibition play.

An easter egg in the much-maligned WWE 2k20 indicates he runs a wrestling promotion now, so the magician may have only disappeared for a short while. Still, there isn't anybody that looks quite like Mago, which makes him feel more like a superstar than his more generic compatriots.  

Chase/Ribbie:

Ribbie, the baseball mascot, was introduced in the accursed WWE 2k20 game, and if it had ended there, then he likely wouldn't have made the list. It did not end there, though, and WWE morphed Ribbie's slapstick comedy into one of the few generally funny characters in the larger franchise. It is revealed, as an aside, that the Chase used to be a minor league mascot.

It is later confirmed to have been the Ribbie character from before. He becomes an early ally to the player character, and several other creations ape his brand of humor, but never with as great a success. Since his debut, he has been featured in the games, usually as a minor character after you defeat him in 2k22, but he gets another shot in the MyRise of the new WWE 2k25.

Psycho Sally:

The acting in the WWE franchise is, well, fine. The stories are written very simply and are silly, mainly because they tread the line of Kayfabe and reality virtually the entire time. The simplistic nature of the narratives, despite their typical branching nature, means that most of the actors deliver wild inconsistency.

One such character and her voice actor, Valeria Rodriguez, didn't get that message. Psycho Sally, who debuted in the most recent game, is the first to feel like a genuine character and not a WWE trope come to life. You want her to succeed in her dream of being TBD or NXT champion regardless of your play style. She is set to return to WWE 2k25 for the MyRise mode, and hopefully, the performance will be equally committed and earnest because that is where she excels.

Now, contenders for the Worst NPCs in WWE 2k.

Troy Simpkin:

Replacing the far more chill Tom character with the whiny wimp of a producer in Troy Simpkin was one of the worst changes in franchise history. Troy is as flat a character as any in the realm of video games and has had multiple appearances across a few games without getting any less annoying or any more interesting. Troy is no doubt meant to be a dig at somebody, but the inside joke didn't land with players, as many groaned upon seeing his return to a supporting role in the new game.

Justine:

While not a bad character, Justine is very annoying. In truth, she represents a particular type of WWE legend, so she gets perfect marks for that, although the icons who need to recognize themselves in her story arc probably don't. The biggest issue with Justine is that she is, and purposefully so, written to be a pretty selfish aunt. The call of the spotlight is strong, but it isn't believable to be that selfish, even for just a tiny part of the story with LJ. While not the worst among the group, she is not a strong character in the broader pantheon of the WWE 2k Universe.

Slade:

Slade was not bad like Troy or annoying like Justine. He had the misfortune of being given a leading role against an unlikable player character as another fictional superstar in WWE 2k23. Gabriel Slade is supposedly an experienced former champion in the WWE when you meet him. With that obviously not the case, The Lock meets him, and they become friends and rivals, with Slade winning the world title while Lock is away.

We never see Slade win anything without The Lock, which makes his rise as the main antagonist even more underwhelming. Unlike Barron Blade above, we don't have multiple games or on-screen interactions with Slade. WWE and 2k realized this, too, because they pulled a Randy Orton heel turn from out of nowhere to give you a more credible final challenge. It sadly just does not work.

Brooklyn Von Braun:

Speaking of a rib, in the aftermath of WrestleMania's first-ever Women's main event, Ronda Rousey, who was very publicly dumping on her soon-to-be former employer, was hated by the WWE Universe. If anyone wondered what the 2k team thought of her, it wasn't much. Brooklyn Von Braun is Red and Tre's primary rival in WWE 2k20, and she is a Ronda ripoff who is even more insufferable. As with Slade, it is hard to take a narrative in which you are facing this huge final boss, and they have no record to speak of and no history at all. Samoa Joe, the other antagonist, has a CV that people know about. Brooklyn required the players to suspend their disbelief and was obnoxious to top it all off.

Who will be taking home the crowns?

Each of these NPCs has delivered, or not, to the extent that they should be considered a top prospect. However, the top of the class has got to be the original himself, Barron Blade. The biggest loser is executive producer Troy Simpkin.

Troy is not a compelling character for how much time you are forced to talk with him. He is a lackey in 2k25 and a lackey in 2k24, and if he makes it to the next game, he will undoubtedly be a lackey in that context, too. A considerable part of the issue is that for as annoying as he gets, you can't ever shut him up. Yes, you can beat his various bosses, but then he finds another superstar to follow and condescend to your player character.

Barron Blade has the longest tenure of any superstar in this extended universe. While the timelines do not totally align (they never do), he has a cohesive story that follows him as one of your biggest rivals in the early series to a key part of the plot, to a veteran hand that gives your player their big opportunity at a career in WWE. No matter his role, he continues to find ways to fit into the fabric of the extended universe he started, outlasting five different characters before finally, the titular Buzz player was on his level enough to retire the character from more active roles. It has always been strange that WWE doesn't use their games for inspiration, and they should. 2k can get an original character like Barron Blade over, so Triple H should invite them to do some writing for the superstars on Raw and Smackdown.