Once again, the last stretch of yet another WrestleMania season stands before us, and the annual 2K WWE gaming product graces our various storefronts – and, as you’d expect, it’s pretty much business as usual. Combining a selection of returning “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” features with a fresh lineup of brand-new ones (some coming off as more of a Danhausen-level curse than a blessing, unfortunately), this year’s WWE 2K26 might not nail every single spot with equal finesse, but there’s still enough core positives here to likely keep loyal fans (mostly) entertained and happy.

Opening up the main menu and diving into the first area any sane individual would likely check out (for the essential list of unlockable wrestlers, cosmetics, and arenas, mainly), WWE 2K26’s Showcase mode focuses on the man currently set to main event this year’s WrestleMania against Roman Reigns – “The Best in the World”, CM Punk. Complemented by live-action clips of Punk’s insights into the mode’s array of historic and fantasy matchups, players will once again complete objectives (tied to those precious aforementioned unlockables) mid-fight as the game transitions between actual gameplay and cutscene. If you’re the kind of player who wants to get Showcase out of the way as quickly as possible, though, the option to play through it all, Gauntlet match-style, is available to you – and you’ll scoop up all the rewards in one go for your perseverance.



As for the in-ring action proper, developers Visual Concepts have added a handful of much-welcomed storyline and immersion-oriented functions to matches (with one potentially highly controversial exception I’ll get into in a bit). These include the ability to decide how match openings are approached (like shaking your opponent’s hand or making an aggressive charge right off the bat, for example), activating pyro effects and wrestler taunts during entrances, utilizing an enhanced spectator mode that aims to emulate the average TV viewer experience with more dynamic camera angles, and massively improving physics behaviour with regards to contact with ringside objects and weapons. These features are perfect for players who like to focus on the fantasy booking/rivalry building aspects of the game, like me.

WWE 2K26’s Showcase mode focuses on the man currently set to main event this year’s WrestleMania against Roman Reigns – “The Best in the World”, CM Punk.

Naturally, the match type/stipulation pool has been switched up for this year’s entry – boasting both returning staples and all-new offerings. Whether you’re looking to crank that danger dial in an Inferno match, push yourself (and your opponent) to the limit through 3 Stages of Hell (with ringside debris unfortunately resetting between matches, although body damage seems to be retained), assert your dominance in an “I Quit” bout, or bury your opponent in a Dumpster match (a visual variant on the Casket match, in all honesty), there’s plenty of variety on display when it comes to match choice.



Circling back to that “highly controversial” addition I mentioned earlier, WWE 2K26’s stamina system sees a notable series of adjustments that will inevitably rub a decent amount of the playerbase the wrong way. Once a player exhausts their stamina gauge through sprinting or landing attacks on their opponent (dodges and move reversals now consume a substantial amount of stamina, as well), an additional purple wheel appears indicating wrestler fatigue – effectively disabling your ability to continue reversing incoming offense until the timer trickles down.

I don’t necessarily have a huge problem with this adjustment, but it does end up making some matches feel more frustrating than they probably should be, and the feature can be tweaked for some modes (as far as I can tell). I could be imagining things here, but the AI’s reversal rates also felt a tad overtuned in some scenarios – and I’m not convinced this purple stamina wheel even applies to them. As I said, though, that’s just the feeling I got, and I could be totally off the mark.



Another controversial topic surrounding the WWE 2K26 release is the Ringside Pass, swapping out traditional DLC for a battle pass system that takes more time to actually get through than I was anticipating – with experience earned through most available gameplay modes. You’ve got your standard dual-tier setup, with free and premium (currently R199 on Steam for Season 1) options – containing rewards including everything from wrestlers (the first season is themed around WWE’s recently acquired Mexican professional wrestling promotion, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide) to MyFaction cards, and even championship belts. The one silver lining here is that the current and future Ringside Pass seasons have no expiry date and can be completed at your own pace – although I don’t think anybody out there would deny this is a step in the wrong direction, as far as purchased DLC is concerned.

Another controversial topic surrounding the WWE 2K26 release is the Ringside Pass, swapping out traditional DLC for a battle pass system that takes more time to actually get through than I was anticipating...

Meanwhile, the other expected modes return in full force. MyRise places you in the role of the Archetype, returning to WWE after a period of absence and looking to reclaim their rightful place at the top of the professional wrestling mountain. The formula this year retains the player heel/face choices and associated storylines/mission and match star rewards/replay value, but I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed it as much as prior years’ narratives. My beloved MyGM now features significantly expanded match booking variety and starting budget options, allowing more freedom in brand roster formation and management. You can now also disable the Power Card store, if you were never a huge fan of the feature. Of course, it goes without saying that there’s way more going on here than I could cram into this review.



The same can be said of MyFaction (now supporting intergender action and incorporating a trait balance/ring chemistry system for your team) and Universe (bundled with a setup wizard of sorts, that ends up feeling a little underwhelming and shallow). The online, open-world Island mode now features three primary factions, or “Orders”, for new players to pick from – Cody Rhodes’ Order of Tradition, CM Punk’s Order of Anarchy, and Rhea Ripley’s Order of Shadows, which is obviously the best choice. The standard gameplay loop focuses on completing quests (with voiced dialogue), levelling up your custom character with, you guessed it, VC, challenging faction combat Towers for rewards, and maybe engaging in the occasional intense brawl in the new Scrapyard zone.



WWE 2K26 might not be a perfect upgrade from last year’s entry, but it’s still a satisfying, meaty bundle of wrestling goodness. As always, there’s an incredible amount of content here to mess around with, and the new physics system adds another level of realism (or occasional bit of unintentional comedy) to your in-ring activities. Despite a few missteps and questionable choices here and there, many of which will likely end up being adjusted or changed via future patches (Ringside Pass, purple stamina wheel, the odd visual bug), WWE 2K26 is still a (mostly) good time.

*PC Review code provided by 2K | WWE 2K26 is now available at Nexus Hub for R1,380