WWE 2K26

WWE 2K26 benefits most from having been built on a tremendous foundation – one that has barely had to change, but continues to in ways that are starting to hurt more than help.

It works well, has a seemingly unlimited number of gameplay options, and with the various upgrades introduced, this is the most enjoyable a WWE game has been at release in years, even if it still feels largely familiar.

New Payback abilities involving the ref are also welcome.

My feelings while playing 2K26 began to mirror my current relationship with the on-screen product: It’s still enjoyable, but the negatives are catching up to the positives.

WWE 2K26 offers another net gain over its predecessor, ensuring the series continues to evolve in a positive direction. While its new reversal system will initially divide players and the spectre of microtransactions continues to loom over MyFaction, the overall package introduces more quality-of-life features to ensure each of its numerous modes is better than it was last time.

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WWE 2K26 offers a more well-balanced card than last year, including some welcome tweaks to core gameplay, fun new match types, and solid additions to most modes. As with most annualized sports franchises, a lot of the improvements feel rather piecemeal, and the addition of a grindy new Ringside Pass nearly pushes the game into the realm of NBA-2K-style over monetization, but this veteran franchise can still deliver thrills, for a price.

WWE 2K26 continues to build on its predecessor in many ways, but the annual cadence appears to be taking its toll creatively.

WWE 2K26 is the third mainline WWE game on a Nintendo platform in nine years. 2K has been building on a foundation of the core game for many years, now, and the year-by-year refinements are paying off. Handheld gamers will be eating well knowing that they can continue their Universe progress on the go. For those who haven’t played a WWE game for a while, this will feel amazing given the plethora of modes, which can feel intimidating and overwhelming at times, but having that many content options is not a weakness but a strength to the longevity of WWE 2K26. Those who buy WWE annually may not feel enough of a big leap from year to year, but given Nintendo Switch owners have been largely starved of the franchise, then this shouldn’t be the case at all.