WWE 2K26 Official Review: It's Clobbering Time

For as many improvements as WWE 2K26 continues to build on, its continued strong set is its graphics and gameplay options. The features from last year remain, including the sweat, blood, and bruising, and the action itself remains the best part of the game.

2K Games has made a solid effort in fully enhancing the player's experience with WWE 2K26, and it's visually stunning. The entrances, including options for pyro and fire in the ring, match the excitement and visuals of the actual in-ring product, and the new match options to either bully or ref bump add an entirely new level of drama to gameplay.

As always, its biggest draw is its roster depth, with WWE 2K26 boasting over 400 WWE Superstars, Legends, and surprises, including Joe Hendry and Mr. Iguana as downloadable characters. Several returning surprises from last year, as well as the surprise news of The Hardy Boyz joining the game in Ringside Pass, Season 4, give you every opportunity to recreate your favorite WWE moments, or create your own, like having Rhea Ripley beat Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship, or New Jack and Jacob Fatu facing off in the new Inferno Match during an episode of WCW Monday Nitro (please play this match exactly as I laid out here, I promise you won't be disappointed).

CM Punk's Showcase Just As Great As We Thought It'd Be

Speaking of creating new WWE moments, WWE 2K26's cover Superstar, CM Punk, receives his much-awaited close-up moment with his second cover, the first being WWE '13. The navigation of the story, hosted by Punk himself, flows naturally and serves not just as a fun playing experience, but as a reminder of how great a career he's had thus far.

It's hard to have imagined this being fumbled in any way possible, and 2K Games firmly makes "Punked" the most enjoyable playing experience of the game. Punk's Showcase includes his 2008 SummerSlam match against JBL, his epic Bad Blood Hell in a Cell match with Drew McIntyre, and the fantasy warfare match everyone's been waiting for: CM Punk vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

For those who are impatient and defiant like myself, Showcase Mode offers a Gauntlet option, where players can bypass the prolonged Showcase Mode and take on 20 opponents, one after the other, to unlock all the options right away. It's a fun but exhausting challenge to complete, one that's not for those who are weak of heart, but giving fans a chance to do it their way amplifies the CM Punk experience.

One of my personal frustrations with Showcase Mode consistently is the quickness of some of the objectives, making it feel like an impossible mission to achieve in such a short window, which makes an option like the Gauntlet an attractive one to players who just want to get through it all fast. It doesn't take away from the overall experience of the Showcase itself, but it continues to keep me on my toes a little bit more than I'd like to be.

The Island Is Better This Time Around

WWE 2K26 brings back The Island, a fully immersive and interactive playing experience for fans. The objective this time around is to join one of three competing factions: The Order of Tradition, The Order of Anarchy, and The Order of Shadows, who are competing for control of The Island after the Tribal Chief was dethroned.

I chose to follow The Order of Shadows for my journey through The Island, and there were significant improvements to the features from last year. The cut scenes offer actual dialogue to help progress the story, additional customization options are available to make your player more unique to you, and The Scrapyard is a cool new environment to play in.

The Island is a much easier defined player experience than last year's introduction, and feels far easier to navigate with the Order choices, giving you a defined story based on your choice of Order. It still feels difficult and somewhat complicated to explain in writing, and with no spoilers here for this one, the best way to learn The Island is to just dive right in, immerse, and explore.

MyRISE And Character Creation Continues To Improve On Itself

Fans who consistently clamor for creative freedom in creating their own characters will rejoice at MyRISE's options this year. A breadth of additional features and options to make your character as close to you, or your perceived self, as humanly possible, are here in WWE 2K26, with a brand new MyRISE story mode.

MyRISE's story is on par with last year's, as your progression follows The Archetype, a returning Superstar who is back to show they still have it, challenging Paul Heyman's champions, Jordynne Grace or Bron Breakker. Heyman is as integral here as he was for the Showcase Mode for The Bloodline last year, but his treacherous ways will leave you questioning whether you should follow your gut or follow Heyman's dark pull.

There's so much more customization available for your Superstar, with over 200 CAW and 40 body types, and there's some incredible reward options, including the indie-era CM Punk and The Burnt Fiend, the latter of which was a personal wish list item for me. It's another enjoyable and exciting playing experience inside the game, and with a more straightforward approach than last year's, the overall playability has me coming back for more.

Final Verdict: Another Improvement On An AIready Fantastic Experience

Players will get their chance to get their hands on WWE 2K26 on March 13th, with four separate covers to choose from. In addition to the Standard Edition with CM Punk, other versions include The King of Kings Edition with DLC surrounding the career of Triple H, The Attitude Era Edition with DLC from WWE's fabled Attitude Era spotlighted, and the millennial wrestling fan's dream come true, The Monday Night Wars Edition, featuring the stars of WWE and WCW facing off, including the nWo black and white themed entrances.

A game with this much excitement behind it, featuring a cover Superstar we never thought we'd see again in WWE, promised to deliver on its offerings, and it does in every measurable way. For any small flaws, WWE 2K26 continues to excel and enhance the brand's legacy with its gameplay and additions, and is truly the best offering in the WWE 2K series.

FINAL SCORE: 9/10

Pros

• CM Punk's Showcase was phenomenal.
• Best roster ever - thank you for bringing New Jack back.
• MyRISE continues to impress.

Cons

• The Island still feels a little confusing but less so than WWE 2K25.
• 90 seconds to complete objectives is still really tough.