WWE 2K24 countdown: Exact start time and release date

2K and Visual Concepts are dropping their next annual wrestling game, WWE 2K24, very soon, and the most eager of fans will want to know exactly when they can start playing it.

This year’s WWE game is all about WrestleMania, with its main Showcase mode celebrating the event’s 40-year-long history by letting you partake in and recreate the most famous WrestleMania matches. Playable wrestlers will include the usual faces, such as the Undertaker and John Cena, as well as special guest stars like legendary heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali and, bizarrely, rapper Post Malone. The jury’s still out on whether Brock Lesnar will still feature following his removal from the cover of WWE 2K24‘s Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition.

When does WWE 2K24 release?

WWE 2K24 actually has two release dates since those who purchase the Deluxe Edition will be able to start playing a few days early. As such, we’ve listed two countdowns below. If you only care about acquiring the base game, it’ll become available on Friday, March 8. While it is the cheapest option at $69.99 ($59.99 if you buy it for last-gen consoles), pre-orders still come with a digital copy of WWE 2K23 (which you can start playing immediately) and the Nightmare Family pack, which consists of some extra playable wrestlers.

The countdown below is set for midnight CT, as WWE 2K24 is set for a staggered global release at 12 pm in each time zone.

When does WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition release?

If you’re thinking of buying or have pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, it’ll arrive three days in advance on Tuesday, March 5. Again, the countdown below is set for midnight CT.

This date applies to both digital and physical copies, although the physical Deluxe Edition will only release in select territories:

• Australia
• Canada
• Germany
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

For everywhere else, the physical Deluxe Edition will launch the same day as the standard edition on March 8. So, you’ll need to refer to the first countdown in this article if that applies to you.