Cody Rhodes on Becoming The WWE 2K24 Cover Star: ‘This Is A Dream’

“I put it up there with winning the Royal Rumble, I put it up there with headlining WrestleMania 39”

Cody Rhodes is the WWE 2K24 cover superstar.

Courtesy 2K

Despite climbing to new heights seemingly every week, Rhodes has not lost sight of the honors bestowed upon him, especially reaching the cover of WWE’s signature game.

“I put it up there with winning the Royal Rumble, I put it up there with headlining WrestleMania 39,” said Rhodes. “I want to go as far as I can go, and adding the 2K24 cover to that means a whole lot.”

Cody Rhodes on Competition for WrestleMania 40 Main Event: ‘I’m Not Flinching’

Over the past 94 weeks, Rhodes has steadily earned his place as the face of WWE. There has been a plethora of accolades along the way; main events, victories over Brock Lesnar, and even a ceremonial passing of the torch from John Cena. Yet even if Rhodes remains a king without a crown until he wins the world title, the 2K cover is another enormous step forward toward becoming WWE’s signature star.

“This run has been like an out of body experience,” said Rhodes. “Every day, something’s happening. Now it’s being on the cover of the 2K24 game. That’s out of body. So what does it feel like to be on the cover of WWE 2K24? I used to go to these arenas where I was lower or a mid-card guy. It’s different now. The merchandise stands are all selling ‘American Nightmare’ stuff. I always shoot for the moon, but you don’t always make it. This time, I landed.

“Again, these are the type of things that you think about as a little kid dreaming about becoming a wrestler. You want to be at WrestleMania, you want to be on Monday Night Raw. This is a dream. That’s what it feels like. I don’t want it to end.”

Cody Rhodes Graces The Cover of WWE 2K24

The cover holds special significance for Rhodes. He is a devoted gamer, the product of a generation with a deep passion for video games. Rhodes intends to play WWE 2K24, which will shift his focus from his current priorities: Mortal Kombat and Metal Gear.

“As far as what I’ve dabbled in lately on the game front, I got really into MK1,” said Rhodes. “I really like the lore, even though the lore at this point is out of this world. And I got the Metal Gear Solid collection. I heard people saying it was terrible. What are they talking about? I don’t care about a frame rate. I think it’s outstanding.

“I’m a big lore guy. Multiplayer stuff is wonderful, but I’m big into lore, and that’s why I’m so excited for WWE 2K24. It’s WrestleMania 40, 40 years of lore. That’s not just my story, it’s Steve Austin’s story. Hulk Hogan’s story. Andre The Giant’s story. Roman Reigns’ story. We get to step into all those stories.”

Courtesy 2K

In a word, Rhodes’ ascent has been spectacular. The son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes and brother of wrestling icon Dustin Rhodes, he has made it a point not to be a tribute act. Rhodes is not merely a reminder of their greatness, but rather making every effort possible to supersede their lofty accomplishments.

“I want to be better,” said Rhodes. “That’s what my dad would have expected. That’s what he would have wanted. My dad never got to be in the main event of a WrestleMania. I know he wanted to be. If I ever get the chance to see him again, that’s something we’ll discuss. I’m going to do everything I can to fill his footprints and make an even bigger one, which is far easier said than done.”

Courtesy WWE

WWE 2K24 is a game centered around attaining greatness by finishing one’s story. That, of course, captures Rhodes’ ethos. “Finishing the story” is now part of wrestling lexicon, and it is precisely what Rhodes is pursuing as he aims to defeat Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.

“The most exciting element of ‘finishing the story’ making it into 2K24 is that it’s all happening in real-time,” said Rhodes. “I was just in a WrestleMania 39 ring basically replicating the saddest moment I’ve ever had in my career. In a wild way, it was also incredibly rewarding. I got to make the walk and main event a WrestleMania. Still, you have to win. That’s the whole point. And that’s what is happening in real time.

“WrestleMania 39, I don’t want to say I shrunk under the lights, but it hit me harder than it hit Roman Reigns. Roman has been in those main events before. If anything, it motivated me further. It’s not just about being in the main event. It’s not about being happy to make the walk. You have to win.”

Though the most classic stories are timeless, Rhodes believes that his ongoing arc needs to reach its crowning point. If Rhodes fails to win the world title, then he does not want to be on next year’s 2K cover–or, he joked, anywhere near the game.

“If I haven’t finished the story by WWE 2K25, don’t bring me back for the commercial,” said Rhodes. “Don’t put me on the cover, don’t put me anywhere near it. I won’t deserve it. But it’s fun that this is happening in real time, and we all get to experience it together.”

Rhodes in 2013 at Money in the Bank / Courtesy WWE

The idea that the son of Dusty Rhodes could close out WrestleMania 40 with a world title victory reads like a fairytale. The location–Philadelphia–only amplifies the scene. Not only is it home to a revolutionary spirit, but it also represents a realm that embraces the underdog. Rhodes experienced that firsthand in 2013, when the crowd in Philly unexpectedly put their faith in him during the Money in the Bank match.

“I’m looking at WrestleMania 40–in my favorite city to wrestle, right next to Wells Fargo Center, where the fans decided to get behind me at a random Money in the Bank–wrestling in front of fans from all over the world, that’s a good place to be,” said Rhodes. “It’s going to be special. I’m looking forward to celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania, especially because it’s in Philly.”

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