Why Was WhatsTheStatus Banned from WWE 2K24 and How Did He Get Unbanned?

WhatsTheStatus is a prominent modder in the WWE 2K24 community, known for unlocking certain characters that were originally locked to specific gameplay modes.

Recently he found himself in hot water when his creations were removed from the game's Community Creation page, and he was subsequently banned. 

What Caused WhatsTheStatus' Ban from WWE 2K24?

The official reason cited by 2K, the game's developers, was "violation of terms," although the specifics were not initially disclosed.

A 2K spokesperson said:

"The player in question has received an indefinite ban due to violations of terms. Mods which negatively impact the game experience for other players violate our terms. Our primary concern is a positive WWE 2K24 experience for all players."

But speaking to VGC, WhatsTheStatus said that the ban was likely due to his uploads that allowed intergender wrestling, where female wrestlers could compete against their male counterparts – something that is not possible in the base game. 

While other users have uploaded similar content without facing consequences, WhatsTheStatus speculated that his high profile might have drawn unwanted attention.

Hey

I just wanted to give you an update for the last few days.

● #WWE2K24 Ban: I'm still banned and I feel like that will be the case for good. Its fine, I did mod the game and anyone that mods the game, they break TOS so its justified 100% and for clarity I need to mod the… pic.twitter.com/Rv8YJyobz1

— 𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖘™ (@WhatsTheStatus) April 25, 2024

The Community Rallies Behind the Modder: The "FreeStatus" Movement

The news of WhatsTheStatus's ban did not sit well with the WWE 2K24 community, who took to social media to express their displeasure using the hashtag #FreeStatus. 

Fans argued that the modder's creations enhanced the game experience and that the ban was unjustified.

The outcry from the community was hard to ignore, and it seems that 2K and Visual Concepts took notice.

RT this if you also think that WhatsTheStatus deserves a second chance.#FreeStatus #WWE2K24 pic.twitter.com/yoTCGaYnny

— WWE 2K24 Community (@wwe2kcmty) April 25, 2024

The Unbanning of WhatsTheStatus

In a surprising turn of events, the developers at 2K and Visual Concepts announced their decision to lift WhatsTheStatus' ban on Apil 28.

In a statement on the game's subreddit, the developer acknowledged the community's voices and revealed that they had a "productive discussion" with the modder, to bring back some of his content that does not cause stability issues.

Additionally, both parties agreed to move forward with a "common understanding," suggesting that clear guidelines may be established for future mods.

WhatsTheStatus, equally appreciative of the outcome, took to Twitter to express his gratitude to the supportive fans. 

He acknowledged the fair agreement reached with the WWE Games team, allowing him to continue contributing his creations to the game's vibrant community.

I should have an update for you guys soon about what I can do and can not do.

My download counter has restored but my uploads are still gone, @WWEgames is working on bringing some of them back. #WWE2K24 pic.twitter.com/z7CsElPzWS

— 𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖘™ (@WhatsTheStatus) April 27, 2024

.@WWEgames & I have met on how my mods can impact the game.

We've come to an agreement, and a fair one at that.

Thank you guys for the support, thanks to all of you, my ban has been lifted.

I am free #WWE2K24 pic.twitter.com/s6Ypx7QJIm

— 𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖘™ (@WhatsTheStatus) April 27, 2024