Wrestling games are great, from classics like the original SmackDown! on PS1, or WCW vs NWO: Revenge on the N64, all the way to 2K’s stellar simulators, you don’t need to be a regular viewer of WWE TV to get a thrill out of them. In fact, many wrestling fans discovered The Sport of Kings by playing the video games at a friend’s house when they were younger.
But wrestling games have always had a problem with identity, torn between being a frantic arcade-style beat-em-up or a realistic wrestling simulator. This has always been the case, but in WWE 2K26, it’s becoming a noticeable issue. As WWE 2K games have evolved and become more realistic, through the years, we’ve reached a point where the series needs to decide what it wants to be.
Styles Clash
For those who don’t know, WWE 2K games skipped a year in 2021 after the disaster that was WWE 2K20, giving the series a reboot of sorts with WWE 2K22. Since then, each game has slightly improved over the last, and WWE 2K26 is no different. Every year, the WWE games get tighter and more realistic, and this looks great, but it’s starting to feel jarring when set against wrestling’s naturally campy, OTT style.
While 2023’s AEW Fight Forever leaned into the arcade style, WWE’s games have gone in the opposite direction, and while hardcore fans may love the level of detail on display, it may be overwhelming for beginners. WWE 2K26 is far from a game you can just pick up and play without knowledge of the mechanics, and this was always the appeal of older wrestling games.
So while we commend the devs for building the prettiest and most technically sound WWE game to date, I wish there were a mode that matched the presentation. Even the MyFaction mode, the most arcadey mode the game has, is a massive timesink with a lot of grinding. It’s immersive and offers many hours of fun, but even this is aimed at the more hardcore fans.
Still the Best in the World
Those who purchased last year’s offering may be wondering whether 2K26 is worth buying, as it offers a similar experience. In my view, that depends on how you feel about CM Punk. The Second City Saint is the cover star this year, and as WWE heads towards WrestleMania with CM Punk holding the WWE Heavyweight Championship, having him be the face of the game feels fitting.
CM Punk is also the focus of this year’s Showcase mode, with select matches from his off/on-and-off-again WWE career being playable. The man himself narrates the action, which makes it feel extra special. Showcase mode is always a highlight of WWE 2K, and this year’s really nails what it’s about.
While Showcase mode should be a celebration of a wrestler/faction’s career, it also makes sense to try to make it as current as possible, so CM Punk was an ideal choice, as was last year’s focus on the Bloodline.
If you completed everything WWE 2K25 offered and are hungry for more, or if you’re a big CM Punk fan hyped to relive his career before his match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, then I strongly recommend WWE 2K26.
Like it has every year since 2022, this year’s entry raises the bar even further. However, WWE 2K really needs to decide if it wants to fully embrace being a wrestling simulator or lean back into the breezy arcade style of the past.
FAQs
Yes! WWE 2K26 is the first game in the series to bring the stars of AAA to a WWE game. And yes, you can play as Mr. Iguana.
There are no active TNA roster members included; however, recent TNA stars like Joe Hendry (who’s now in NXT) are, as is the legendary TNA wrestler Abyss. While Abyss never wrestled for WWE, only for TNA, he now works as a producer within WWE and appeared as Abyss on TV, bidding farewell to AJ Styles when he retired from in-ring competition.
Yes. MyRise, The Island, GM Mode, and all the others return from 2K25. Each has been given an overhaul and offers a new experience from last year’s entry.
