The Hell in a Cell match has been revamped with expanded cell walls, weapons underneath the ring, steel steps near the poles, and a removed cell door. New ways to escape the steel cage have also been added.
The game's new "WWE Universe" mode replaces the career mode from previous games. This mode builds storylines, integrates cut scenes and rivalries between wrestlers based on the matches that are wrestled, and appears randomly before, during, or after a match.