Commentary is absolutely abysmal.

[Ticaliano]

I'm on the verge of disabling it completely. What in the world are they thinking at 2K? How does commentary this bad even pass quality assurance? Totally unacceptable in this day and age. 

[the King Lives]

Can u elaborate? It's been bad for years

Edited May 26, 2015 by Jai

[Ya Boy Punk Fan]

Can u elaborate? It's been bad for years

Why should he elaborate? It's pretty clear what he said. Besides that, he's absolutely right. 2K16's commentary better be like the NBA 2K series or I'm gonna be pissed.

Edited May 30, 2015 by TheRealCMPUNKFan

[Sproiler™]

"Tyson Kidd a former WWE Tag Team Champion, also a former United States Tag Team Champion"

[the King Lives]

 

Can u elaborate? It's been bad for years

Why should he elaborate? It's pretty clear what he said. Besides that, he's absolutely right. 2K16's commentary better be like the NBA 2K series or I'm gonna be pissed.

 

yeah i don't see that happening. unless 2k/wwegames treats the series mor of nba2k's equal then the red-headed step-child, i don't see it ever getting like nba2k. that's the problem. everyone just magically assumed that the wwe series would improve just cause VC was working on it. but it's the VC leftover team that was working on the MLB2K series and their commentary was always bad.  Do i want it to improve? hell yeah you damn right i do. Do i think it will happen? no the only way that would happen is if they did a game every other year, giving them time to remove the old commentary and add new stuff only.  only time will tell

[Ticaliano]

Embarrassing Amount of Repeated Phrases:

I understand we’re still in a time where some of the commentary has to be recycled due to technical constraints and limitations, but what 2K has done here is laughable. Here’s the scenario: as I’m hitting Reigns with a kendo stick, the same phrase is repeated over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. No variance at all. Another person who was present in the room actually asked me if there was a problem with the game. And don't even get me started on the post-match replay commentary.

Vague Identifiers:

In the same match between Reigns and Rollins, after a reversal by Seth, Lawler says “HE used HIS OPPONENT’S MOMENTUM against him!” Seriously?? Do you mean to tell me it’s not possible to program the game to say “Rollins used Reigns’ own momentum against him,” or something to that effect? Or at least reference ONE of them by their actual name? This drives me crazy.

Commentary Abruptly Switching Mid-Sentence:

As I was working Reigns over outside the ring in another match, I was prepping him for a nice whip into the ring post. Right as I was about to pick him up off of the floor, the commentary engine kicked in: “When Roman Reigns makes his way through the audience, it’s known tha- (*insert sudden spontaneous sentence switch here*) OHHHHHHHHHHHH, RIGHT INTO THE RING POST!!” There was no completion of what was being said prior, no smooth transition. Nothing but a sudden and very awkward switch mid-sentence. This actually happens quite a bit throughout the game, and when it does, the commentators never re-visit the wrestling/action they were just talking about. They just move on to the next topic, which comes across as very strange.

Clueless Observations:

As I’m up 5 falls to 0 in an Iron Man match (which after securing my 4th pin fall, the horrific Michael Cole noted that it was my 1st), with one minute left, Jerry Lawler excitedly screams out “60 SECONDS LEFT! LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!!” That’s bizarre, and totally last-gen.

Dead Air:

Spend a couple of seconds walking in or outside of the ring. There’s total silence. The commentators just sit there and don’t say anything. At all. This happens in different intervals throughout a match, but it’s most noticeable when you’re not directly engaging your opponent(s). Now for the sake of comparison, turn on a segment of Raw or Smackdown in real life (or any WWE programming) and you’ll never hear anything in the way of dead air. The commentators are always talking, always selling, always hyping, always adding something to the match. In the game we get total silence.

Consistency/Evenness of the Actual Audio Quality:

Some of the lines literally sound like they were recorded post-production and spliced in as an afterthought from a totally different recording booth with an entirely different set of recording equipment. The technical quality of the actual audio fluctuates and varies in a very jarring way.

I'm sorry, but when you add all of it up, this level of commentating may have been passable in years prior but it’s simply inexcusable in 2015. Perhaps to some people the quality of the commentary is a secondary concern, but to me it's a pretty huge deal, especially in wrestling where good announcing adds so much to the total package (reference Jim Ross' body of work here, here, and here for validation). The whole goal of having good commentary in a game like WWE 2k15 (or any sports game, for that matter) is to enhance the players’ overall experience, not detract from it. I don’t feel as though I am nit-picking here either – this stuff is pretty bad. And it’s frustrating, especially when you look around and see other sports games out there doing commentary the right way.

Just take a listen to the commentary contained in the canned video segments of WWE Showcase Mode. THAT’S the way the matches should be called IN THE ACTUAL GAME ITSELF, with the commentators calling the action organically, with the appropriate levels of inflection, tone, emotion, transitionary phrases and accuracy. That’s the level of quality 2K should strive to attain. Maybe I'm wrong, but is this really an unrealistic goal for them to set? I thought this was supposed to be “next-gen” WWE gaming? Shouldn’t “next-gen” encompass ALL areas of the final product? I fully understand that Visual Concepts and Yukes are responsible for what's running "under the hood," so to speak, but it's ultimately 2K's job as the game's publisher to ensure a certain level of quality is reached before the game releases to the public. I'm sorry, but the in-game commentary in WWE 2K15 is unforgivably horrendous. Maybe it's time for some employee re-structuring at Yukes/VC, because the people working on the audio portions of the game continue to show their gross incompetence.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Ticaliano

[the King Lives]

Embarrassing Amount of Repeated Phrases:

I understand we’re still in a time where some of the commentary has to be recycled due to technical constraints and limitations, but what 2K has done here is laughable. Here’s the scenario: as I’m hitting Reigns with a kendo stick, the same phrase is repeated over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. No variance at all. Another person who was present in the room actually asked me if there was a problem with the game. And don't even get me started on the post-match replay commentary.

Vague Identifiers:

In the same match between Reigns and Rollins, after a reversal by Seth, Lawler says “HE used HIS OPPONENT’S MOMENTUM against him!” Seriously?? Do you mean to tell me it’s not possible to program the game to say “Rollins used Reigns’ own momentum against him,” or something to that effect? Or at least reference ONE of them by their actual name? This drives me crazy.

Commentary Abruptly Switching Mid-Sentence:

As I was working Reigns over outside the ring in another match, I was prepping him for a nice whip into the ring post. Right as I was about to pick him up off of the floor, the commentary engine kicked in: “When Roman Reigns makes his way through the audience, it’s known tha- (*insert sudden spontaneous sentence switch here*) OHHHHHHHHHHHH, RIGHT INTO THE RING POST!!” There was no completion of what was being said prior, no smooth transition. Nothing but a sudden and very awkward switch mid-sentence. This actually happens quite a bit throughout the game, and when it does, the commentators never re-visit the wrestling/action they were just talking about. They just move on to the next topic, which comes across as very strange.

Clueless Observations:

As I’m up 5 falls to 0 in an Iron Man match (which after securing my 4th pin fall, the horrific Michael Cole noted that it was my 1st), with one minute left, Jerry Lawler excitedly screams out “60 SECONDS LEFT! LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!!” That’s bizarre, and totally last-gen.

Dead Air:

Spend a couple of seconds walking in or outside of the ring. There’s total silence. The commentators just sit there and don’t say anything. At all. This happens in different intervals throughout a match, but it’s most noticeable when you’re not directly engaging your opponent(s). Now for the sake of comparison, turn on a segment of Raw or Smackdown in real life (or any WWE programming) and you’ll never hear anything in the way of dead air. The commentators are always talking, always selling, always hyping, always adding something to the match. In the game we get total silence.

Consistency/Evenness of the Actual Audio Quality:

Some of the lines literally sound like they were recorded post-production and spliced in as an afterthought from a totally different recording booth with an entirely different set of recording equipment. The technical quality of the actual audio fluctuates and varies in a very jarring way.

I'm sorry, but when you add all of it up, this level of commentating may have been passable in years prior but it’s simply inexcusable in 2015. Perhaps to some people the quality of the commentary is a secondary concern, but to me it's a pretty huge deal, especially in wrestling where good announcing adds so much to the total package (reference Jim Ross' body of work here, here, and here for validation). The whole goal of having good commentary in a game like WWE 2k15 (or any sports game, for that matter) is to enhance the players’ overall experience, not detract from it. I don’t feel as though I am nit-picking here either – this stuff is pretty bad. And it’s frustrating, especially when you look around and see other sports games out there doing commentary the right way.

Just take a listen to the commentary contained in the canned video segments of WWE Showcase Mode. THAT’S the way the matches should be called IN THE ACTUAL GAME ITSELF, with the commentators calling the action organically, with the appropriate levels of inflection, tone, emotion, tranistionary phrases and accuracy. That’s the level of quality 2K should strive to attain. Maybe I'm wrong, but is this really an unrealistic goal for them to set? I thought this was supposed to be “next-gen” WWE gaming? Shouldn’t “next-gen” encompass ALL areas of the final product? I fully understand that Visual Concepts and Yukes are responsible for what's running "under the hood," so to speak, but it's ultimately 2K's job as the game's publisher to ensure a certain level of quality is reached before the game releases to the public. I'm sorry, but the in-game commentary in WWE 2K15 is unforgivably horrendous. Maybe it's time for some employee re-structuring at Yukes/VC, because the people working on the audio portions of the game continue to show their gross incompetence.

What people don't get or possibly don't know is that the vc crew that worked on 15 is the same crew that did the audio for the mlb2k series and that series always had bad audio/commentary

[AgeofSandow]

It's the same commentary; nobody "worked" on it

[the King Lives]

It's the same commentary; nobody "worked" on it

if that's in response to my post you don't get what i'm saying.  All i'm saying is that the vc team that is working with yukes is the same team that f'd up the MLB 2k series. and it was worked on. It was better than 2k14 in some areas just not in all areas and the bad points outweighed the goods.

[AgeofSandow]

i don't see changes, at least not as to what was hyped

[mrelectriccity]

or like the commentators aren't even out there in the Elimination Chamber matches but can still hear em talking lol

Edited May 31, 2015 by mrelectriccity

[the King Lives]

i don't see changes, at least not as to what was hyped

You might wanna go replay showcase mode. Or play any match with a superstar that has never been in a wwe game before. Not saying its great but there is definitely new stuff in there

[ItsJockHomie]

I agree with you Ticaliano. Commentary is key to a great sports game look at Madden same commentary forever and that franchise has lost a lot of faith from fans not only due to commentary but that is a major gripe of that franchise. 2K should treat WWE with the same amount of attention as they do NBA. Jai your reply of "it's the same team that worked on MLB" may be true but still for a company that makes games it's no excuse if these same people keep producing the same results I don't see a company as big as 2K just ignoring. Though I still agree with Age of Sandow when he says nothing was worked on. Yeah new lines were added yet the commentary still follows the same formula it did in previous games examples listed above in OP comment. I actually turn off the audio and do my own commentary for my streams because the commentary is horrid. So hopefully 2K16 will live up to the hype rather than not like 2K15 has.

[the King Lives]

I agree with you Ticaliano. Commentary is key to a great sports game look at Madden same commentary forever and that franchise has lost a lot of faith from fans not only due to commentary but that is a major gripe of that franchise. 2K should treat WWE with the same amount of attention as they do NBA. Jai your reply of "it's the same team that worked on MLB" may be true but still for a company that makes games it's no excuse if these same people keep producing the same results I don't see a company as big as 2K just ignoring. Though I still agree with Age of Sandow when he says nothing was worked on. Yeah new lines were added yet the commentary still follows the same formula it did in previous games examples listed above in OP comment. I actually turn off the audio and do my own commentary for my streams because the commentary is horrid. So hopefully 2K16 will live up to the hype rather than not like 2K15 has.

Like i said its bad and it seems it was really only worked on minimally in showcase nothing else but it's bad. I've been wanting nba2k style commentary for years

[ItsJockHomie]

Yeah the showcases were nice only if they'd apply the same effort to Universe mode and the like.

[Clarityman]

Actually the commentary in Showcase is pretty amazing. In the Path of the Warrior DLC, it sounds like they're actually watching the match! Both JR and King get so emotional, I almost forget at times that they obviously didn't provide color for those matches at all.

 

It's the commentary in any Exhibition match that is beyond terrible. NO EMOTION at all. You can kick out at two, and they'll say, "Oh he kicked out," like it's a statement. Man, if you kick out of a finishing move, the crowd-- and the commentary-- should completely lose their shit.

 

Also, I never want to hear anything about soup in the foreseeable future ever again.

[AgeofSandow]

HES GOT WOOD

[mrelectriccity]

Actually the commentary in Showcase is pretty amazing. In the Path of the Warrior DLC, it sounds like they're actually watching the match! Both JR and King get so emotional, I almost forget at times that they obviously didn't provide color for those matches at all.

 

It's the commentary in any Exhibition match that is beyond terrible. NO EMOTION at all. You can kick out at two, and they'll say, "Oh he kicked out," like it's a statement. Man, if you kick out of a finishing move, the crowd-- and the commentary-- should completely lose their shit.

 

Also, I never want to hear anything about soup in the foreseeable future ever again.

the Showcase and Path Of The Warrior DLC should have better commentary because those are recreation matches so the commentators already know for the most part whats going to happen in the  matches which allows them to sync up better. were as on other modes its totally unpredictable which  may cause it to have those problems yall complaining about from time to time

Edited June 4, 2015 by mrelectriccity

[pozzum]

I feel that something that hinders broadening the commentary of the game is sticking to king & cole.

 

Who Knows maybe it'll be JBL & Cole Next Year, but this still doesn't change the issue that they are super busy guys & it's going to cost a lot to have them in the studio or have them in a single studio to record the massive amount of lines that would be needed to make the commentary really work.

[the King Lives]

Actually the commentary in Showcase is pretty amazing. In the Path of the Warrior DLC, it sounds like they're actually watching the match! Both JR and King get so emotional, I almost forget at times that they obviously didn't provide color for those matches at all.

 

It's the commentary in any Exhibition match that is beyond terrible. NO EMOTION at all. You can kick out at two, and they'll say, "Oh he kicked out," like it's a statement. Man, if you kick out of a finishing move, the crowd-- and the commentary-- should completely lose their shit.

 

Also, I never want to hear anything about soup in the foreseeable future ever again.

LOL yeah i have had some instances where it was real near 3 count and cole was like very ecstatic thinking that it was all over. it was in one of my earlier 2k15 universe vids but yeah they definitely need more emotion.

[w00ody]

Fuck em' if they add JBL this year, just fuck em'.