WWE 2K26 Hands-On Preview
Last week, COGconnected was invited to Creatorfest, an event co-hosted by 2K Games and Xbox. Creatorfest gave media outlets and content creators the opportunity to go hands-on with the upcoming WWE 2K26. I spent hours playing many of the various modes that WWE 2K26 has to offer. I can say with confidence that fans of the WWE 2K franchise are going to be happy with what 2K26 offers. And for those that haven’t played a WWE game in a while, 2K26 is looking like a great place to jump back in.
It’s not always easy for a franchise that has annual releases to truly deliver an experience that feels worthy of an annual purchase. Developers really only have a year or so to improve on the previous entry in enough meaningful ways to justify a new release. Fortunately, WWE 2K26 is on track to being a worthy successor to WWE 2K25, but moreover, probably one of the best wrestling games ever made.
Visually Stunning
When I first dived into WWE 2K26 on Xbox hardware, what struck me was just how impressive and polished the visuals looked. The Superstars look incredible. Their entrances, which now feature some new interactive elements, looked very close to what you’d see on TV. The arenas and crowds look great too. And I think a large part of this was due to the team at 2K finally saying goodbye to previous generation consoles. WWE 2K26 will be exclusive to current generation hardware, including Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Ditching yesteryears consoles was a smart move, and wrestling fans will get an overall experience that just plays and looks better as a result.
WWE 2K26 is absolutely bursting at the seams with content. 400+ WWE Superstars, both past and present, are included, making it the largest roster in WWE 2K history. Included in this collection is WWE Superstars from every era, from the 80s until today. A heavy focus is being given to WWE Superstars from the Monday Night Wars era and, my personal favourite, the Attitude era. As they’ve done before, you’ll also see multiple versions of many WWE Superstars, giving us a chance to re-live various eras, gimmicks and looks. While 2K hasn’t revealed a complete roster yet, we do know many of the include names, including some of my personal favourites such as LA Knight, Trish Stratus, Sol Ruca, Goldberg, Diamond Dallas Page, and Kurt Angle (it’s true, it’s true!). An official, up-to-date roster can be found here.
Beyond the massive roster is the sheer number of modes available to try out. While there aren’t any new modes in 2K26, the devs at 2K have refined each and every mode in meaningful ways.
The Island
The Island returns in a big way. This year, the island has three separate factions that the player can join; Order of Anarchy, lead by CM Punk, Order of Shadows, lead by Rhea Ripley, and Order of Tradition, lead by Cody Rhodes. For my time with The Island, I picked the Order of Tradition. After being greeted by Cody Rhodes, and then coached by Chad Gable, my created character had his first taste of action against the “original” El Grande Americano. Everything is fully voiced by their respective Superstars which continues to add so much to the overall package.
MyRISE
MyRISE features your created character taking on the role of The Archetype in a new story dubbed “The Comeback”. First, you’ll decide if you want to participate in the men’s or women’s division. In my playtime, I opted for the men’s division, which sets me up for an absolute beatdown by Bron Breakker. As the story progresses, there are many opportunities to interact with various in-game characters. The dialog and decisions made will impact how the story plays out and whether my character lean towards being a “good guy” or “bad guy”. This is one of the modes I’m most excited for as I can’t wait to see how the full story plays out. And with the branching storyline, I could see myself coming back for a second playthrough.
MyGM
I haven’t done much with MyGM in previous WWE games, but that might change with WWE 2K26. MyGM is a fantasy draft built into WWE 2K26. Players first set the upcoming season’s criteria, such as length and starting budgets, and then the magic happens. You’ll pick your brand, such as NXT, Raw, or Smackdown, and how many AI opponents you’ll face. Then you’ll participate in a draft where you pick which Superstars will join your brand – keep in mind, you have a budget, and your opponents are also picking Superstars. Once you’ve built up your brand then it’s time to put on a show for your audience. You’ll customize each show, such as setting up matches, promos, and more.
Once you’re all set up, you’ll have the option to simulate, spectate or even play the matches. You create the WWE content calendar that you want while competing against other brands. If you’re a fan of football or hockey fantasy drafts, this is the place for you.
CM Punk’s Showcase
The Showcase mode has been a staple of 2K’s WWE games for ages. Over the year’s, it has highlighted key matches for many different WWE Superstars. We’ve seen Mark Henry, Rey Mysterio, Ultimate Warrior, Daniel Bryan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the Bloodline. This year, the spotlight turns to the incredible career of CM Punk. Narrated by CM Punk himself, this Showcase takes players through a variety of his career’s biggest moments. We’ll also get some unique “What if” matches with CM Punk squaring off against WWE Superstars that he never actually got in the ring with.
My time with CM Punk’s Showcase was brief. I did battle with JBL in a match from early on in CM Punk’s career. Fans might remember CM Punk and JBL had quite the feud at one point. My time with Showcase was just a taste of what was to come. But considering CM Punks incredible career, I anticipate this Showcase will be a highlight in WWE 2K26!
Playtime
So, how does WWE 2K26 feel? It felt great. There is still a learning curve. And in the build I played, I didn’t have access to the tutorial, which I definitely could have used. Fortunately, WWE 2K26 will come with a robust tutorial mode that will be a must for newcomers and long-time fans. Despite the learning curve, and lack of tutorial, I still found myself holding my own in most of the matches. Before you’re hit by an attack, you’ll be prompted to counter. The counter window is short, so you’ll need to be quick on the draw. Part of the challenge is recognizing when the counter window will pop up when your opponent begins an attack, and with each wrestler, it’s dependent on their move set. Learning the timing comes down to squaring off against the same opponents over and over and learning what to look for.
As for offence, I was striking and grappling and doing all the things to wear my opponent down. On-screen prompts helped. I’ve sometimes felt a bit lost during my first handful of matches in previous WWE games, but in 2K26, I wasn’t so helpless.
Speaking of on-screen prompts, they’ve added some new entrance prompts to increase interactivity. These allow players to pump up the crowd, or fire off some pyrotechnics. It’s a cool new feature, but having the on-screen prompt during the entrance kind of detracts from the cool entrance visuals. I’m hoping they’ll allow players to disable the on-screen prompt, while still allowing us to engage in these new entrance mechanics.
Final Thoughts
My time with WWE 2K26 was quite enjoyable. I am truly looking forward to spending more time with the game when it launches in March. With a massive roster of 400+ Superstars, tons of game modes that have been tweaked and improved upon, and brand new match types such as the 3 Stages of Hell match and Inferno match, there is plenty to look forward to. Fans can get in on the action with the standard version on March 13, 2026. Alternatively, dive into WWE 2K26 seven days earlier, March 6, 2026, with the Monday Night War Edition, Attitude Era Edition, or King of Kings Edition.
Be sure to check out our previous WWE 2K26 preview where we highlight the Top 6 Things to Look Forward to.
