- Wyatt tragically passed away in August, 2023 at the age of 36
- 2K Games’ new DLC pack features a version of Wyatt’s Fiend character that he was set to debut before his untimely passing
- The pack is due for release on October 16th
Bray Wyatt’s many various on-screen characters may have already been recreated virtually, but the late WWE icon’s final creation, one that tragically never made it to the ring, is now being given the video game treatment, thanks to 2K Games.
The video game publisher, who took over the WWE franchise in 2013, released a video to X on Saturday (October 5th), revealing Wyatt’s final iteration of his Fiend character as downloadable content for WWE 2K24 . While the version of Wyatt’s alter-ego was not one that managed to debut in front of live crowds, it was revealed during a documentary WWE produced following the former WWE Champion’s untimely and tragic death in August of last year.
In a post to X captioned “Let Me In 10/16/24” – a reference to Wyatt’s catchphrase – flashes of an evolved Fiend are shown, set against a backdrop of the character’s theme music and various unsettling images, before the date of 10/16/24 once again flashes up on the screen, signifying the release date for the DLC drop.
Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, spent 12 years with WWE between 2009 and 2021, before he was released from the company. He would return in 2022 sans the Fiend/Firefly Funhouse personality, but there were plans in place for it to make a return further down the line. Tragically, in August of 2023, Wyatt would suddenly pass away in his sleep following a heart attack. He had been off TV since February of last year with an undisclosed illness, which was in fact a pre-existing condition that had been exacerbated by a bout of Covid-19.
One of the most beloved performers in recent WWE history, Wyatt was known for his almost boundless creativity and envelope pushing. The Fiend was part of a split personality gimmick Wyatt ran with in 2019, after finishing up a tag team run with Matt Hardy. Wyatt reappeared atfter a hiatus as a Mr.Rogers-esque children’s TV host, in a series of vignettes that alluded to a darker side of Wyatt’s new form.
Sure enough, The Fiend, horror monster/Slipknot mask and all, emerged from the darkness, seemingly impervious to pain, and was an instant hit with the WWE fanbase. Unfortunately, some very questionable booking decisions from the previous WWE regime hamstrung the character and, after a feud with Randy Orton, which saw the Fiend set on fire from head-to-toe in a ‘Human Torch’ match at one point, he was absent from television and eventually released later in 2021.
This ruthlessly disappointing end to the Fiend’s first run didn’t do enough to dampen fans’ loyalty to the charatcer or to Wyatt, which was more than evident when the two-time worl champion returned to an all-timer of an ovation at Extreme Rules in October of 2022. Seeing 2k Games immortalise The Eater of World’s final creation in such a way is a touching tribute to a once-in-a-generation talent, allowing the former Universal Champion’s fans to enjoy their idol’s final work, albeit virtually, and play out the various scenarios they longed to see Wyatt work with it in across the Raw and SmackDown rosters.
