Paige is one of the most popular women’s wrestlers in WWE history. She has the distinction of being the first-ever NXT Women’s Champion and a two-time holder of the WWE Diva’s Championship, notably winning her first one after defeating AJ Lee in her Raw debut. The successful film Fighting With My Family was based on Paige’s life and her journey to WWE, and she has appeared in a variety of films and TV shows outside WWE as well. Paige has accomplished a great deal at just 29 years old, though her WWE career was tragically cut short by neck injuries.
Even though Paige has not been an active competitor in WWE for years now, she remains under contract with the company and has continued to appear in video games as a playable character, including 2019’s WWE 2K20. Since Paige has consistently been featured on WWE video game rosters in the years after her injuries, many assumed that she would be playable in the upcoming WWE 2K22, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Paige took to Twitter to call out WWE 2K22 for not including her on the game’s roster. This prompted a response from fellow legendary women’s wrestler Alundra Blayze (also known as Madusa), who is also not featured in the game. “I mean why did I sign the damn legend contract?” Blayze asked the official WWE games Twitter account.
Paige followed up her initial tweet by pointing out other female wrestlers who apparently won’t be included on the WWE 2K22 roster. Zelina Vega, currently wrestling as Queen Zelina and set to appear in a match at WrestleMania 38, didn’t make the cut and neither did Doudrop, a performer who wrestled Becky Lynch at the Royal Rumble and also competed in the latest Elimination Chamber match. Brie and Nikki Bella, also known as The Bella Twins, are missing from the lineup as well.
Some of these exclusions can be explained away. In the case of Doudrop and Zelina, it’s likely that they weren’t members of the main WWE roster whenever the WWE 2K22 roster was finalized. That would explain why they’re not part of the WWE 2K22 roster despite being active competitors, while some wrestlers who aren’t even in WWE anymore and are in fact wrestling for competing company AEW are available to play as in the new game.
Paige asks about a “part 2” roster in her follow-up tweet, and it’s entirely possible that some of these exclusions will be added to WWE 2K22 as DLC. WWE 2K22 has at least five DLC packs planned for release down the line, with musician Machine Gun Kelly confirmed for one and rumors pointing to Ronda Rousey being DLC as well. Time will tell what the WWE 2K22 DLC has in store, and if it will add missing stars like Paige to the game.
WWE 2K22 launches March 11 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
