WWE 2K26 Hands-on Preview: Taking Out Competition With the Kitchen Sink
It is a little strange to think that not so long ago, the WWE 2K franchise was, quite frankly, one of the worst sports options out there. But since a reset and a year off after the despicable WWE 2K20 the franchise has been on a sharp rise, with each successive title getting stronger and stronger. Now here we are at the 2K26 version, and the question is, is that still the case? Well, thanks to 2K Australia, I got to spend about four hours with a pretty much full build of the game to find out if the franchise is still on the up and up or if things have stalled out a bit.
Now, I want to start by saying that I missed last year’s edition of WWE. So I am coming in after a year’s break, and therefore some of the things I am talking about may have appeared last year. That said, I have to say, I was impressed by the sheer number of things to do. This is (as the heading suggests) the kitchen sink approach to the WWE, with just about everything you could possibly think of (and plenty you probably couldn’t) available. WWE fans know that there is an amazing amount of variety in their favourite slice of sports drama and WWE 2K26 is clearly trying to capture all of it. In fact, if anything, the main menu is slightly daunting in a way that I can imagine players new to the franchise might be a bit lost as to where to start.
Let me talk about the main modes I got to try in my four-hour preview, which was, honestly, not enough to cover everything I wanted to. The first thing I jumped into was the MyRise, which is the story mode. Every year, there is a story for players to build their own character and then live out the drama of a WWE storyline. This year, whether you are a male or female superstar, the story is built around a comeback. Your wrestler has taken a couple of years off and is now ready to return to the bright lights of the main stage. It is a classic wrestling setup, and in the hour I spent with it, I could tell I wanted to see how it all played out. Players have a surprising amount of freedom on how things play out, and their choices will determine the storyline, making multiple playthroughs a legitimate option. As for the mechanics, if you have played MyRise before, you know what to expect. Fight battles, meet fans, get abused on social media, earn XP, improve your fighter. It isn’t breaking new ground, but it more than does the job.
This year’s Showcase focuses on one of the most polarising superstars in wrestling history, and that is CM Punk. In true Punk fashion, his segments are outspoken, biting and, if I am honest, slightly bitter, but fans will love it. Players will not only get to take part in Punk’s classic matches, but they can play out some wishfulfilment by changing the results or taking part in some fantasy matches. It is a nice stroll through Punk’s history as told by the man himself. I dabbled in this one for about half an hour, and it was easy to get sucked in by the drama. Say what you will about Punk (and many do) he makes for compelling viewing.
Finally, I spent a good amount of time checking out the Island. This is a mode that was introduced last year, and for those that don’t know, it is the WWE equivalent of the City from the NBA 2K franchise. It acts as a kind of shared world story mode where players can socialise, go up against each other or simply explore a massive amount of single-player content. This year, the Island starts out with a choice to make: which faction will earn your allegiance? The three faction heads are CM Punk, Cody Rhodes and Rhea Ripley. I, being a good Aussie, immediately chose Rhea. From there, it is into the create-a-wrestler mode (which, as always, is great) and then dived into the story stuff. It takes players through the different fight options available, some cool locations in the city, extra challenges and some truly bonkers story elements. I can see this mode becoming an addiction pretty quickly, especially after having completed the MyRise mode. I really want to dig more into this upon the full release and see if it can hold up to my initial excitment or if it wears a bit thin after a while.
As for the wrestling itself. It feels great. Snappier than I remember from 2K24, and everything has a nice flow to it. The little minigames associated with things like chain wrestling, submissions, and getting up from a pin have all had a touch-up and seem to function a bit more elegantly. I also found that things that traditionally were a bit frustrating in the WWE games, like using equipment (ladders, chairs and the like) as well as multi-opponent matches, have been tidied up, making the experience more natural and less irritating. There hasn’t been a huge change in the nuts and bolts of things, but it is clear the team have gone over things and polished what needed polishing, and it is nice to see some things that have been annoying for a while get some much-needed attention.
The last thing I want to talk about is the tutorial. This is a comprehensive and deep tutorial that really gives prospective players all the tools they need to become the King of the Ring. Tutorials are important, especially when the game has as many mechanics as this one does, and here 2K have done a bang-up job of making sure players are well equipped to take on the world of WWE. I strongly suggest that even returning players run through it, because it will really help fine-tune your skills.
The overriding feeling I have after playing WWE 2K26 is that I want more, and frankly, that means it is a pretty successful preview. There was so much content I didn’t get to explore, and I still have some questions. Will the Island hold my interest? Will MyRise have a satisfying story? Will a whole mode based around CM Punk irritate me? Why is Dirty Dom so popular? Hopefully, all of those questions are answered satisfactorily (well, except the Dom one… no one can explain that) when the game is released, because if they are, I feel pretty confident in saying this could be the best WWE game yet.
WWE 2K26 is coming to PC, Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series on the 13th of March.
