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After a couple of iffy years, the WWE video games have hit their straps in the last couple of years since the whole thing underwent a bit of an overhaul and rebuild. Of course, it’s an annualised sports game, so there’s, of course, going to be a few out of flavour, live-service inclusions and modes built around player retention and spend, but I make a point to avoid those. So while I don’t spend a lot of time exploring The Island, or put much effort into tearing packs to build up the card-based MyFACTION, I’m far more interested in what the team has done to further expand the match suite while improving the grappling itself.
And, of course, a clear highlight each year comes in the form of the Showcase mode, which, as you’d expect, is so often a delight for marks who fancy themselves as wrestling historians and fantasy bookers alike. Although he’s spent more than a good share of his career outside of the company, including his time beforehand in ECW, Punk has still enjoyed a career most would dream of, and this mode is the perfect chance to relive and alter parts of it. Due to time, I clearly didn’t see out the entirety of Phil’s career, though the first handful of matches are classics, including bouts against Orton, The Undertaker, and John Cena—a famous match where Cena put to bed the “four moves” taunts by pulling out a bloody hurricanrana.
I kind of wish, just as it was during the 40 Years of WrestleMania mode that was presented by Corey Graves a couple of years back, that archival footage would be woven seamlessly throughout, rather than serving as the prologue to each match. I suppose it’s a difficult task when you’re changing recorded history more often than not, but I found that level of production felt so special so to go backwards is a minor shame. Despite that, Phil himself is such a good storyteller that it remains a joy to go through the motions and enjoy what the mode has to offer.
Due to the game’s mode suite being quite large and having limited time, I only got to enjoy the first half hour of MyRISE. This time around, business picks up on the RAW after Mania, the night after either Jordynne Grace or Bron Breakker, accompanied by the incomparable Paul Heyman, collected the Undisputed strap. As the returning “Archetype,” a superstar who’d experienced ultimate success before being put out for a long stretch, it becomes a comeback tale. After suffering immediate embarrassment from the champ, you’re tasked with summiting the mountain again and reclaiming what you believe is yours, and although the choices are very black and white, the game lets you decide what kind of superstar you’re going to be. You can remain the people’s champion, or sink to new lows to backstab your way up the ladder.
It’s easy to forget, because they do entertain us week in and week out, that these superstars aren’t actors and, unfortunately, the writing and performances don’t seem any better than any other year on record. It’s odd that someone like Paul, an actual godking at cutting promos and handling himself on the microphone, can lose all of that swagger once he enters a voiceover booth.
Otherwise, it’s a similar formula to other entries where you take matches, face the press, pump up your attributes, and get chewed out on social media by other stars—sometimes it’s kayfabe, other times they’ll slide right into your DMs to call you a bitch. I recall certain matches being optional in previous years, whereas I got the impression they’re simply spread throughout the story this time around. While it sounds like there’s a bit to do here, I still feel as though the player is a passenger throughout most of it; the choices you make will determine whether it’s the left or right path, but it’s rather shallow in terms of actual agency.
As I mentioned earlier, I feel as though the last couple of entries have built upon its foundational mechanics well. I don’t think it can be argued that, as wrestling fans, we perhaps take for granted how great the gameplay for the modern WWE 2K games is. Every change and addition made for this year’s iteration feels geared at making the experience more interactive, seamless, and in keeping with WWE’s production standards.
Before the bell sounds, players can set the tone of a bout by choosing from all-new pre-match actions, whether that means playing to the crowd or ambushing your opponent with a surprise attack. It’s a neat touch that makes each match’s opening moments feel a bit more unique. Similarly, stamina has been reworked in that it now limits a wrestler’s ability to reverse or counter if they’re gassed. There’s a revamped physics system that feels much more contextual and realistic, allowing players to engage with their surroundings more believably. I also particularly love the new drive mechanic, which is similar to drag and chain wrestling, giving players more control over ring placement. Once in a grapple, you can basically force an opponent backwards into either the ropes or the corner and leave them vulnerable to the next attack.
In addition to being able to stack tables once again, the shopping trolley and thumbtacks have been added to the weapon selection for this year’s release. There are few bumps more gruesome than a tacks bump, so the latter is particularly exciting; any opportunity to recreate the Orton and Cactus Jack spot from Backlash is a welcome one.
Of the new match types, I’d argue Inferno is perhaps the most exciting from both a mechanical and visual standpoint. The slow build towards the match’s red-hot crescendo often becomes a genuine tug of war; there’s a genuine excitement in that. The Dumpster Match, I feel, fails to differentiate itself from the Casket Match and loses a bit of lustre as a result. Although I feel the I Quit Match should have perhaps been the pick of the bunch, its central mechanic of asking for your foe’s surrender is a little bland and lifeless; it feels like a slightly more involved Last Man Standing where the aim is to simply pulverise the enemy until they can’t stands no more.
Three Stages of Hell is as fun as the match types you populate it with, but it is effectively a two-out-of-three falls match all dressed up. Regardless, it’s tremendous main event fodder if you’re putting together a card in either the Universe or GM mode.
One area I’m particularly let down by is its graphical fidelity. For the first game in the series to leave behind the now-aging last generation, I expected a substantial leap in quality; however, instead of a night-and-day difference, it’s more night-and-later-that night. Of course, I previewed the game on PC, but still didn’t really notice any marked improvement over last year’s version, except for perhaps improved load times and framerate.
WWE 2K26 is, from the handful of hours spent with it, another fine wrestling title from a team that has worked out what it takes to put great “graps” to screen. It controls so well, and matches do manage to ebb and flow as seamlessly as live events do. CM Punk, and the personality that he is, feels like an inspired choice for both the game’s marquee mode and cover. I look forward to getting deeper into his career to see the story of what could have been had Phil Brooks not taken his ball and gone home, one of the company’s most tantalising “what if?” scenarios.
