Game review: WWE 2K26 (Xbox Series X)

I say this a lot in my reviews, but it's sometimes hard to write something new when a game franchise is released every year. For example, I've been reviewing MLB The Show for over 10 years now, and every game seems to be the same. 

WWE games used to be like this, but last year, WWE 2K25 introduced a new game mode called 'The Island'. This is WWE 2K's version of 'The City' in the NBA 2K video games. It appears the mode was received well by players because 'The Island' is back in WWE 2K26. 

Before I talk about 'The Island', I'm going to discuss some of the other features of WWE 2K26. Some new features are good, while others are questionable at best. Let's dive in and see what this game offers. 

From a visual standpoint, WWE 2K26 still offers 4K resolution running at 60fps at all times during gameplay on Xbox Series X. To the naked eye, the graphics are identical to those of WWE 2K25, although some lighting and hair physics have been improved for some wrestlers. 

Even though the game aims for 60fps, I experienced some lag during offline gameplay many times during my review of this game. It usually happens when lots of wrestlers are in the ring at the same time, or when you are grappling a lot. 

Speaking of character models, the female wrestlers actually look pretty good in WWE 2K26 most of the time. I remember in one game, Bayley looked horrible, but she looks accurate in this year's game, which is a good sign. 

The only time the character models suffer is for retro superstars. Visual Concepts gave the wrong style of hair to the 2011 version of Randy Orton, and some of the older CM Punk character models look funky, too. Don't get me started on the funny hair retro Triple H has in the game as well!

In terms of gameplay, the controls are identical to last year's game, although there are improved ragdoll physics when you slam a wrestler on top of the steel stairs. Not to mention, the game comes with several new match types. 

The new (and returning) match types include an Inferno match, 3 Stages of Hell, I Quit, Dumpster, and Brawls. An Inferno match sees the ring apron being set on fire, and your goal is to set fire to your opponent. 

I Quit is when you beat an opponent so bad that they have to say "I quit" on the microphone. Dumpster is when you have to bury your opponent inside a literal dumpster, while Brawls is backstage fights. 3 Stages of Hell is an epic long match that consists of three match types in a two out of three falls format.

As for Showcase mode, WWE 2K26 focuses on the legendary career of CM Punk this year. Instead of just playing through memorable matches in his career, you can also play dream matches that he never got to experience in real life. For example, WWE 2K26 lets you have dream matches such as CM Punk vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, and even CM Punk vs. Eddie Guerrero. 

The only disappointing thing about this year's Showcase mode is that it criminally does not include CM Punk vs. John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011. I know Vince McMahon was a part of this match, but they could have replaced him with a generic character model as they did years ago with Mike Tyson in another game.

MyRise is a returning mode where you play as a created female or male wrestler known as 'The Archetype'. They have been absent from WWE for two years while pursuing a career in Hollywood, but now they are back. 

You have to face Paul Heyman's Bron Breakker or Jordynne Grace, who are the current world champions for the male and female divisions, respectively. The cool thing about MyRise is the fact that you can be either a babyface or heel to experience different matches and storylines. 

The Island returns, and it's a bigger island with more matches and experiences for fans to discover. At the beginning, you have to either pledge your allegiance to CM Punk, Rhea Ripley, or Cody Rhodes. The Island introduces Mortal Kombat-like towers where you have to win every match challenge to finish them. 

The only thing about 'The Island' mode is that it's 100% dependent on the 2K servers. If the servers are down for whatever reason, you cannot play this mode. The mode might also be unplayable in the future, too, I believe, when the servers are shut down in favour of newer games. 

The other major new feature in WWE 2K26 is the all-new Ringside Pass. This is like a Battle Pass in Fortnite, where you are encouraged to play the game for many hours to unlock certain wrestlers, VC, card packs, and more. 

There's a free tier with rewards, as well as a premium tier, which comes with better things like wrestlers from Mexico's AAA promotion. It is a bit controversial because you still have to grind to get DLC wrestlers you already paid for, but modern developers love player retention these days. 

Most of the other returning modes in WWE 2K26 are all the same. MyGM is where you play the role of a general manager, and you can fantasy book your own matches. The only catch is that you have a budget to take care of, so you cannot get every wrestler you wish on your roster. 

Universe mode is back, and this is where you have no restrictions on booking your fantasy WWE shows. There are new WWE Draft cutscenes in Universe mode, and this will affect which shows your wrestlers will appear on. 

Lastly, there's MyFaction, which is where you earn cards to build your ultimate wrestling team. If you pay for the more expensive versions of WWE 2K26, you'll get access to better card packs and better wrestlers.

There is also a ton of other modes where you can create your own wrestler, arena, championship, MITB, entrance, show, images, and videos. The new feature is that you can now save up to 200 created wrestler slots this year. This is really cool if you want to download other people's creations of the AEW roster. 

While WWE 2K26 packs a lot of content, it isn't a perfect game. Grinding to earn DLC you paid for is a pain, plus the framerate lag is annoying. Not to mention, missing CM Punk's most famous match is also frustrating. 

However, WWE fans will still love everything else WWE 2K26 has to offer this year. The game has over 400 wrestlers, and the MyRise and The Island modes will keep players entertained for many hours on end. 

Verdict: 8.0/10