The upcoming WWE 2K25 is set to shake things up with its roster, notably excluding Brock Lesnar for the first time since his return to WWE video games in 2011's WWE '12.

While WWE 2K25 boasts an extensive lineup of wrestlers, both past and present, some notable figures haven't made the cut.  Nearly 30 playable characters from WWE 2K24 are absent from the new roster, due to various factors like company departures or other unforeseen circumstances.

The biggest news, however, revolves around Brock Lesnar’s omission. This marks the first time the former WWE Champion has been absent from a mainline WWE game since his 2011 return in WWE '12, breaking a 14-year streak.  Lesnar has consistently been featured in every main series WWE game since then, even gracing the cover of WWE 2K17.

Lesnar’s absence isn't entirely shocking given his current status within WWE. He hasn't been seen on WWE television since SummerSlam 2023, following a loss to Cody Rhodes. This absence stems from a lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant alleging inappropriate conduct involving Lesnar and Vince McMahon.  Though still technically under contract, Lesnar has been removed from WWE programming and video games following these allegations.

When the lawsuit surfaced in January 2024,  reportedly, plans for Lesnar's participation in the Royal Rumble were scrapped.  His presence in WWE 2K24 was also significantly reduced.  While still technically in the game, appearing solely within the Showcase Mode, he was removed from the cover art. WWE 2K25 therefore represents the first main series game in 14 years without Lesnar in any capacity.

Lesnar isn't the only long-running character to be excluded.  Shane McMahon's 10-year streak, beginning with WWE 2K16 in 2015, also concludes with the release of WWE 2K25 in March.