Not quite the Best in the World.
I've been a fan of the WWE since the dawn of Hulkamania. I was a fan of the Ultimate Warrior, Big Boss Man, and the likes of Koko B. Ware and the Macho Man Randy Savage, who looked a lot like my Uncle at the time. I was even an avid fan of Hulk Hogan's Rock’N Wrestling, the short-lived cartoon featuring much of the WWF roster at the time. Hell, I even had the lunchbox.
However, some years later, I would, for reasons I cannot recall, stop watching the product for almost a decade, missing the introductions of the likes of CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and much of John Cena’s career, only to come back to witness Cody Rhodes', whom I only knew as Star Dust at the time, fail his first attempt to finish his story. So yeah, I missed a lot, but thankfully, through 2K, over the years, I've been able to experience major moments throughout the careers of John Cena and Roman Reigns, and thankfully, due to this year's showcase, the career of one Phil Brooks, better known to the world as CM Punk, the Best in the World.
As the game's title would suggest, WWE 2K26 is a yearly released product, which usually means modest improvements, slightly enhanced visuals, and tweaks made to select game modes. While this does mark the first WWE title built exclusively for current generation consoles, I have to say, I expected a lot more.
Make no mistake, 2K26 is a fantastic wrestling game, but it still suffers in recreating the thrill of the actual product, so let's get my rant out of the way and cut a heel promo, but maybe without the Steiner math. No promises, tho.
As any wrestling fan knows, a crowd can elevate a match or sink it in a sea of boos. For every “You Suck” chant, there is a “This is awesome” one to follow it up. While certain elements of this year's game impress visually, the crowd is a massive disappointment. The issue isn't just the repeated fans copy and pasted everywhere, but the fact that they rarely cheer or engage with the action as it happens, or even stare at the action, often looking off-screen at who knows what. Sure, a few licensing issues prevent certain chants from appearing here, but this goes beyond that; the crowd just feels lifeless.
It also doesn't help that arenas have a ton of wasted space, with wide aisles and staircases that make shows, even such as WrestleMania, seem anything but sold out. I can understand this during the likes of Raw or Smackdown, but the areas don't feel packed. When we have zombie horde games from five or six years ago giving us thousands of zombies on screen at once, I would assume a wrestling game in 2026 should be able to make a stadium look sold out.
2K26 does benefit from being current generation consoles and PC only, leaving the likes of PS4, Switch, and Xbox One behind. However, only some aspects of this actually appear to benefit from this much-needed change. Some wrestlers have entirely brand new models, new, highly detailed scans that really take advantage of the boost in hardware minimums. However, with a roster so deep, many, like Bronson Reed, just feature their new attire, with no change to the model they were using last year.
That said, some wrestlers have models that are years old, so when you see them side by side with those who benefited from a new scan, like Bill Goldberg, it's like you're playing two separate games. I get that having a roster of over 400 characters does mean some talent get the short end of the stick, but when it is that apparent, that noticeable, it might be better to not include them at all, especially when some creators via the creation toolset are producing better versions of those outdated wrestlers anyway. That said, try browsing the creations, and you are treated to 10-15 seconds of loading a single page of created wrestlers. Why is this still an issue?
And, speaking of the creation toolset, creating a wrestler is just not as intuitive as it really could be. It's still a mess of confusing and endless menus, and even trying to find how to change my eye color was a hassle of figuring out what stage of menus I needed to be in, especially when you get a prompt that says if I go back a menu, I'll lose my current progress. What? To be fair, this is an issue I've had with 2K for years, so it is not exclusive to this year's game.
Character creators have seen a huge improvement in other games over the years, especially through the likes of Bandai Namco, Capcom, and Koei Tecmo, who have this down to a fine art. While you can create some of the best-looking wrestlers here with what is given to you, especially with face mapping and the sculpting tools, they desperately need to refine the menus and structure of this whole process to make it feel more intuitive.
Lastly, while I am a big fan of MyRise, the career mode for your created superstar, WWE 2K26 has a major issue with its presentation across this mode, as well as The Island, its online hub that acts as a secondary story mode filled with the expectations from 2K that you'll spend real money here. This issue is that any time the game is focused on providing dialogue, from the actual voice direction, the monotone and bland delivery of the wrestlers included, or the facial capture to provide that voice work, the game simply feels dated, and it really sours the product. A lot.
I love that we get to interact with these wrestlers, and that they are voiced by them, but when I walk up to Drew McIntyre, and he sounds bored out of his skull, then something is wrong. Where is his fire? His intimidating demeanor? Don't get me wrong, WWE 2K26 is a great wrestling game, but as soon as those wrestlers are included in anything that is providing a narrative, the quality line drops dramatically. Backstage segments and conversations don't feel like the product; they feel generic and poorly directed.
Ok, that rant out of the way, let's take a look at what this year's edition of WWE 2K offers us and why there is a 70% chance you have a 25% chance of.. wait.. right.. no Steiner math.. sorry.
For the past 12 years, WWE 2K has featured a showcase mode, highlighting a select part of the business. While it started with 30 years of WrestleMania, it has now evolved to be specific to one wrestler or one faction. This year, we celebrate the career of CM Punk. Punk himself narrates these matches, and while he is clearly reading off a teleprompter, it does nonetheless add some credibility to the whole presentation. That said, if I had to hear him say “Slingshot Technology” one more time, I was gonna lose it.
This “Slingshot Technology” allows you to change the outcome of matches. Not due to any new technology, but just pinning the damn wrestler that Punk originally lost to, such as the Undertaker at WrestleMania 29. Eventually, you'll get to where the story shifts to “What if Punk never left the WWE?” This leads to matches he never got to have, and oddly enough, this is how you actually unlock Stone Cold Steve Austin, despite him being on the cover of the Attitude Edition. Yeah, he isn't included in the roster from the get-go; you have to earn him, despite several other wrestlers having like 4 or 5 versions practically available. Regardless, this mode has some great matches and provides some cool moments to relive or experience for the first time.
MyRise is back, and instead of your created wrestler being a fresh face hoping to make it big, they return after two years, eager to take the top spot in the division yet again. Paul Heyman, however, has something to say about that as he is in charge of the two current champions, Bron Breakker and Jordynne Grace. You'll start the mode on a scripted loss, despite clearly beating the snot out of them, and build yourself back up to take on the champion. What is interesting here is that you can either do that as a face or a heel, which adds a nice bit of replayability to the mode, something that wasn't the case in previous iterations of this mode.
While I mentioned this in my rant, the dialogue isn't great, and the conversations and voice acting are poorly executed, especially when you have conversations with actual WWE talent who seem bored and lacking the spark we see on tv. It does the same thing as last year, where you'll stand around a generic room and can choose someone to talk to to begin a match. Whether it is the Japanese wrestling circuit or the Indies down in Mexico, I wish you could walk around and discover these people instead of just a bland room where everyone is awkwardly staring at you. It feels like a visual novel at this point.
MyGM returns and allows you to take control of the business. With everyone in the IWC stating that they feel they can book better than HHH, this is your time to prove it. Hosted by Xavier Woods, this mode has all the mechanics and depth to really have you feel like the product is yours. That said, there are some moments where, during intergender matches, a wrestler will state the wrong gender when wanting a rematch; otherwise, those looking to run the joint will have a blast.
Myfaction is also back, and if making teams of wrestlers via cards is your thing, then it’s been revamped to be even deeper of an experience than before, and hell, you can even have CM Punk’s dog Larry as your manager. As usual, you’ll buy card packs to open that have wrestlers, various customization cards for your profile, and additional managers. While I don’t mind the card aspect, I do wish the opening of the packs were a bit more addictive. Still, if MyFaction hooked you in the past, then you’ll likely get what you want out of it here.
The Island is back, and, for the first time, available on PC. However, what has changed is the inclusion of three factions all looking for control: The Order of Tradition led by Cody Rhodes, The Order of Anarchy with CM Punk, and The Order of Shadows ruled by Rhea Ripley. This is a nice change and offers a lot to chew on, even if many of the performances feel wooden and stiff. Also, why is Chelsea Green not accompanied by Alba Fyre?
Key features for this updated mode also include the new Scrapyard map, which is a massive environment that has a ton to explore during your matches. You also have 2-player tag team matches, as well as Triple Threats, and Fatal 4-Way bouts as well. However, where players are likely to lose the most time are the new Towers that feature a series of gauntlet-style matches that offer up rewards as well as boosting your reputation.
The Island also has a new feature that has players extremely split on, and me, included. When you increase the rank of your created superstar, you can eventually prestige. This then allows you to rank up higher, but reduces your rank a bit to then have you build it back up. While some editions come with VC, the paid currency, having to spend this to see your character’s rank almost reset, just to raise it back up, is a bizarre move and feels built to have you spend more money on VC, or grinding the hell out of your character.
Actually, to that end, one of the first things you'll see as you load up this mode is the Nike store, which is absolutely crazy. Sure, this isn't new or something exclusive to WWE 2K26, but the VC dependence on this mode, to excel, is unfortunate to see. In fact, there is not a single menu or section in this game where 2K isn’t trying to sell you something. From cosmetic items in The Island, to the Ringside pass, to the varied and highly expensive versions of this game, it does show that not only is the actual WWE product overpriced, but the game can be as well.
While each of these modes does feature some much-needed improvements and depth to what players want in a new yearly release, Visual Concepts has added some new and returning features to the game across multiple fronts. Inferno Matches return for the first time since 2K14. We also see the inclusion of an I Quit match, where you solve a mini-game to prevent you from losing while your opponent attempts to counter your efforts. Three Stages of Hell is here, having you choose three match types where you'll want to win best two out of three. Lastly, Dumpster matches are here, but ultimately feel just like a variation of the casket match.
Weapons also see enhancements with advances to physics, to thumbtacks and shipping carts added, even if the latter is hard to control. Still, the thumbtacks are a fun addition, especially as they stick to the wrestler, which is a fantastic addition here.
However, the biggest change to gameplay is via the reversal system, which was a sticking point in previous entries for being too easy to counter a move. Reversals are now based on your stamina. As you deplete your stamina, a purple gauge will then deplete before you can sprint or counter anything further. It is a nice change, but when you are taking on two opponents, being tossed around with no chance to react does sting a bit. However, it does balance out traditional matches a lot and prevents matches from being a ‘wait to counter’ scenario, and now it's about exhausting your opposition, which is technically what wrestling is.
When it comes to the actual act of wrestling in 2K26, Visual Concepts has certainly put a lot of effort into how good it actually feels, even if it is not very “new” user-friendly. This isn’t a game you can just pick up and play, and that is a shame. It's been a solid wrestling game for years, but the new models (those that have them) and the more improved controls over the years have really built a good feeling game. While I wish it would emulate the actual product better and have the crowds be improved to provide that authenticity, the current title still produces a good-feeling wrestling game.
Prior to release, fans were hesitant and critical of the removal of standard DLC in favor of the paid Ring-Side Pass. While a good idea in theory, the execution has divided fans, and for good reason. While the game promotes that there are 400+ wrestlers, some are behind this pass, including those who have been part of the included roster in the past. Paid DLC in the past gave you immediate access to those wrestlers, whereas via this pass, you'll need to grind away to unlock them, including those who are on various editions of the game. Now, that said, it is fairly quick to push through some of the pass, but there is nonetheless a grind to reach the end of each pass, which thankfully, these don't expire. Still, if someone was keen on playing as Hollywood Hogan, who is on the cover of the Monday Night Wars Edition of the game, he is on tier 39 of 40 in the pass, requiring a ton of work to unlock. Sure, you can pay to skip tiers, but since you’ve already paid a ton for that edition of the game, why is this a thing in the first place.
The bulk of my criticisms with WWE 2K26 are due to the fact that the core foundation here hasn't changed in years, with each yearly entry renovating instead of innovating. Crowds are largely lifeless, and the mixture of old and new models is shocking at times, especially due to the fact that some of these scans are years old. 2K26 is a solid wrestling title at its core, frankly, the best it's ever been, but so much of what is here is rooted in old systems and a foundation that is extremely dated. With the focus solely on current-gen hardware, Visual Concepts needs to follow through on 2K27 as an experience you simply couldn't get on past consoles, and push the series forward instead of taking the three-count in the past, like CM Punk did against Undertaker back at WrestleMania 29.
Developer - Visual Concepts. Publisher - 2K Games. Released - March 13th, 2026. Available On - Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, PC. Rated - (T) Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence. Platform Reviewed - Xbox Series X. Review Access - A review code for WWE 2K26 was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Jeff is the original founder of Analog Stick Gaming. His favorite games include The Witcher III, the Mass Effect Trilogy, Hi-Fi Rush, Stellar Blade, Hellbade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and the Legend of Heroes series, especially Trails of Cold Steel III & IV.