Following the poorly received WWE 2K20, 2K Sports will be giving the mainline series a year off. However, wrestling fans will not be left wanting, as WWE 2K Battlegrounds has been announced to be coming sometime later this year. The spin-off will be developed by Saber Interactive.

Marking a considerable departure from the simulation-based core titles, WWE 2K Battlegrounds looks set to offer over-the-top gameplay, a colorful roster of wrestlers, and great balls of fire. While there are a few reasons to be excited about the game, there are just as many to suggest it might be best to keep expectations low.

10 Excited: Arcade Gameplay

There is nothing wrong with simulation-based gameplay, as some of the best wrestling games ever have realistic mechanics; that said, WWE 2K Battlegrounds’ arcade-style combat offers a welcome change of pace from 2K’s mainline series.

In some ways, Battlegrounds represents a return to the days when wrestling featured larger-than-life characters who walked the line between superheroes and athletes. WWE All Stars was arguably the last WWE console game to go down this route, and that came out all the way back in 2011.

9 Aren’t: Shallow Gameplay

While often fun, arcade-style gameplay also runs the risk of being shallow. WWE 2K Battlegrounds’ teaser trailer highlights a couple of matches, although it is difficult to predict just how varied the gameplay will be.

Hopefully, Battlegrounds has enough single-player content to keep things interesting even if the combat is quite superficial. Otherwise, Battlegrounds might end up being a title that is only good for a few matches with friends and little else. It should be said that 2K has promised that Battlegrounds will also offer depth, so maybe this fear will prove to be unfounded.

8 Excited: Old & New

At the moment, only five members of the roster have been confirmed: Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and John Cena. Even though there is still a lot unknown about Battlegrounds’ playable superstars, the trailer did confirm that the game will bring together wrestlers from different eras.

WWE games always include older/retired wrestlers as legends, but Battlegrounds looks destined to take that a step further by making everyone fair game. Consequently, the sky is the limit when it comes to the roster. Could Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Kevin Owens, Eddie Guerrero, and Brock Lesnar be set to share a ring?

7 Aren’t: Indistinguishable Characters

Assuming the game is similar to Saber Interactive’s NBA Playgrounds, Battlegrounds’ fighters might prove to be somewhat interchangeable. Sure, they will have their own finishing moves, but the power-ups and such might not be tailor-made for them.

The trailer does suggest as much; for example, The Rock, aka The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment, is surrounded by the standard fire rather than electricity.

6 Excited: Environmental Kills

While the crowds in the trailer leave something to be desired, the visual of The Rock flinging John Cena in the general direction of a hungry crocodile opens up a world of possibilities. Will WWE 2K Battlegrounds feature environmental kills? Are there match stipulations that involve feeding one’s opponent to wildlife?

In an outrageous arcade game like this, anything goes, permitting the developer is prepared to go there. If Saber Interactive is willing to introduce reptiles as (inadvertent) tag team partners, then Battlegrounds should be pretty insane.

5 Aren’t: In-Game Purchases

This year, ESRB has started to label games that include loot boxes and microtransactions. Along with earning a “T” rating, WWE 2K Battlegrounds was also labeled for containing “In-Game Purchases.”

Now, to be fair, there is too little information to predict whether the microtransactions will be intrusive or not; however, 2K Sports’ history with purchasable extra content is not encouraging.

4 Excited: Nintendo Switch Version

Along with PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Google Stadia, WWE 2K Battlegrounds has been confirmed for the Nintendo Switch. Assuming it runs well on the platform, the Switch version sounds like the ideal way to experience Battlegrounds.

Its arcade-style gameplay might make Battlegrounds better suited for short and casual play sessions, and the Switch’s portability would be able to bring out the best in Saber Interactive’s title.

3 Aren’t: Lifeless

Considering only a teaser trailer has been released so far, certain things are subject to change. Nevertheless, WWE 2K Battlegrounds left a somewhat mixed first impression, and that primarily comes down to the rather lifeless character models and the absolutely dead environments.

Stuff like crocodiles, great fists of fire, and Becky Lynch going Super Saiyan are neat moments, but they seem to be overcompensating for models that barely have any personality to them. The dismal crowds also come across as an after-thought, which would be a huge negative for any wrestling game.

2 Excited: NBA Playgrounds

Saber Interactive’s NBA Playgrounds series is presumably the most accurate indicator of the type of experience one could realistically expect from WWE 2K Battlegrounds. Although differences will naturally exist, both franchises sprinkle a healthy helping of cartoonish mayhem over popular and quite technical activities.

2018’s NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 was far from a masterpiece, but it was still an enjoyable title that was fun with friends and even alone. If Saber Interactive delivers the same level of quality for Battlegrounds, it should be at least entertaining.

1 Aren’t: Saber Interactive’s Patchy History

Saber Interactive’s resume is best described as inconsistent. Alongside decent offerings like World War Z and Timeshift, the studio has also produced terrible games such as R.I.P.D. The Game and Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn. Combined with the fact that Battlegrounds’ visuals are a bit reminiscent of the latter, and it does not exactly paint a positive picture of the game’s chances.

At the moment, WWE 2K Battlegrounds has yet to convincingly sell itself, but that might change as more is revealed about the game.

NEXT: 10 Wrestling Games That Look Better Than WWE 2K20