The Honky Tonk Man Elevates WWE 2K24's Already Perfect Roster
By Brian Allen
WWE 2K24 is one of the best-reviewed games in the series' history, partly due to a roster that boasts over 250 wrestlers. If your favorite superstar worked with WWE in the past 40 years, they likely made the cut. The Post Malone and Friends DLC, released June 26, gave us one of my faves: The Honky Tonk Man.
The Honky Tonk Man is 80s wrestling personified, portraying an Elvis Presley impersonator who hated Elvis Presley. He held the Intercontinental Championship for 454 days, the company’s longest reign until Gunther broke the record in 2023. He provided one of the greatest moments in SummerSlam history when the Ultimate Warrior ended his nearly 500-day reign in a 31-second squash match. The Warrior also appears in 2K24, so fellow Honky Tonk fans can get his win back anytime they like.
The character cut a ridiculous figure, and that was by design. Where does a guy you just saw lift a bus lose to the fellow whose primary character trait is loving 50s rock-n-roll? In pro wrestling, that's where. Few performers ever portrayed the heel's combination of irrational confidence and constant skullduggery as well as HTM.
Playing this character in WWE 2K24 is almost trolling with the classic cheater move set of back rakes, eye pokes, and chokeholds. While most wrestlers reach under the ring and select weapons from a wheel of choices, Honky Tonk’s first pull is guaranteed to be his trusty wooden guitar. This is fitting, as a guitar shot was as much his trademark finisher as his Shake, Rattle, and Roll neckbreaker. Is he a strong character to use? Not really. But more importantly, do I have fun playing him? Every single time.
The DLC is free to players who purchased the Season Pass, which was included with the
WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition or The Forty Years of Wrestlemania Edition. Separately, the Season Pass is $39. 99. The individual DLC packs are $9.99 each.