CM Punk will appear as a playable character in EA Sports UFC 2, meaning that the former WWE Superstar will appear in a virtual recreation of the octagon before he stepping foot in the real thing.
After leaving WWE on bad terms, Punk announced that he was set to enter the world of MMA after signing a contract with UFC. But with the former pro wrestling fan favorite still training for his first official match, we have yet to see him compete him in the sport, though that hasn’t prevented EA Sports from securing him as a playable character in the company’s upcoming video game.
CM Punk is no stranger to video games, having already made several appearances in THQ (and, later, 2K’s) series of WWE games, but he was absent from this year’s WWE 2K16 due to his contract with WWE having been terminated. His inclusion in EA Sports UFC 2 is a curious one considering that he is unproven in the MMA world, with it being clear that EA is using him to add extra star power to the game.
With WWE 2K16 having sold a respectable number of units, it seems that EA’s decision to add CM Punk into the game has been made in the hope that wrestling fans will pick it up, too, especially since former UFC competitor won’t be appearing in the game due to him having signed a new contract with WWE. Lesnar appeared in the original EA Sports UFC, which released to middling reviews and a lukewarm reception from fans.
EA Sports UFC 2 is set for release in Spring 2016 for PS4 and Xbox One.
