WWE 2K17 marks the first game in the WWE 2K series to not have a proper "Showcase Mode", a mode that focuses on past WWE rivalries. 2K Games revealed in a blog post that the exclusion of a Showcase Mode came down to ideas involving cover Superstar Brock Lesnar that weren't feasible because of other historic WWE Superstars such as Kurt Angle not being in the game. They instead chose to focus more on the WWE Universe and MyCareer mode.