The significance of being chosen by 2K for this role isn’t lost on Goldberg, who now joins the elite company of past pre-order exclusive characters including WWE Hall of Famers Sting, Ultimate Warrior and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“It's a dream come true,” Goldberg said to WWE.com. “To be able to come back and be included in WWE 2K17, it's a huge honor.”
To be able to come back and be included in WWE 2K17, it's a huge honor.
Grappling gamers who obtain the WWE 2K17 Pre-Order Bonus will receive two versions of Goldberg and two notable venues where he plied his trade. Each version of Goldberg will be made available as playable characters, one representing his WWE tenure and the other recreating his time in WCW. In addition, players will receive access to arenas recreating WCW Monday Nitro and WCW Halloween Havoc, two historic settings where Goldberg reached new heights in sports-entertainment.
“It's just a really cool deal to be a character in WWE 2K17,” Goldberg said. “Whether it's Nitro or Halloween Havoc, to have me as an available character, it's really cool. It's a tribute.”
Though he last competed in a WWE ring at WrestleMania XX in 2004, Goldberg continues to live in the hearts and minds of the WWE Universe. His resume speaks for itself, from an otherworldly 173-match winning streak to start his WCW career, to his legendary showdowns in WWE with The Rock, Brock Lesnar and Triple H. He also remains regarded as a master of the Spear, a powerful maneuver which has been adopted by everyone from WWE Hall of Famer Edge to current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns.
There are a number of people that I never got to wrestle in an actual ring that I'd love to make happen for the first time in WWE 2K17.
Of course, WWE 2K17 enthusiasts don’t want to just revisit Goldberg’s glory days; they want to recreate them by virtually pummeling new opponents. Though details regarding the full WWE 2K17 roster aren’t yet available, the WCW stalwart is already conjuring up possible dream matches for himself.
“Oh man, there's a list that's a mile long of potential victims,” Goldberg said. “There are a number of people that I never got the opportunity to wrestle in an actual ring that I'd love to make happen for the first time in WWE 2K17. I'd love to wrestle a Bruiser Brody from the past. I'd love to wrestle Andre the Giant from the past.”
WWE 2K17 is not yet rated by the ESRB, and is currently scheduled for worldwide release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, in October 2016.
An exclusive interview with Goldberg will appear on WWE.com on Wednesday.
