Posted in: 2K Games, Games, Video Games, WWE 2K | Tagged: preview, WWE 2K26

Rewriting History & Making Our Own: We Preview WWE 2K26

We got a chance to preview WWE 2K26 before the game launches, and we did it in the home of WWE itself in Stamford, Connecticut

We've done previous versions of the WWE 2K series in the past, and while some of them were awesome (like going to last year's Royal Rumble for WWE 2K25), the company decided to do something a little different this time around for WWE 2K26. This year, both 2K Games and the company rolled out the red carpet, literally, for an event in the one place we never thought they'd let any of us go to willingly: WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. We were invited to come play a mostly-completed build of the game at their offices, along with several other gaming journalists, content creators, and those who frequently cover professional wrestling, to see how it all shakes out ahead of its release.

WARNING: We are going to be talking about several of the game's modes, so if you'd rather wait for our proper review at launch, or just want to be surprised, this is your one warning to turn back.

So let's start witht eh basic gameplay. When you just wanna play with a friend, you have a plethora of options. All the normal 1-v-1, 2-v-2, triple threat, options that have bene here for ages. Only now you have a few new options to play with. You won't see a Casket Match, but you will see a Dumpster Match, as recently seen frm Chelsea Green and Michin, but more famously from WrestleMania XIV. You'll also see the Inferno Match, which has featured Kane in pretty much all of them. Both having their roots in the Attitude Era, which is fitting since the Monday Night Wars are a fixture here. Basically, almost any kind of match you've ever seen in WWE (with a few exceptions) is at your disposal.

When it comes to the wrestling, it appearss they've taken last year's model and improved on it in a few areas. Fighting the CPU doesn't feel like your battling a monster that just keeps getting up, it will actually stay down for a change when you defeat it. Chain wrestling, combos, finishers, and more have been given slight adjustments that make them feel like the flow far more naturally than before. I don't feel like I'm in a tug-of-war with the system to do what I need to do, which is a vast improvement that needed to happen. I also enjoyed the added realism in certain aspects, like if you use thumbtacks, they actually stick into a person and aren't just a prop on the ground. Or the option of shaking hands and starting the match off with something beyond a rushed punch.

The Roster is 400+ wrestlers deep across men and women of today, legends, and other personalities that have been added to the mix. While a good chunk of it will be available at launch, you'll have to also unlock a lot of it, or buy DLC packs and special editions to get the rest. Its kind of an interesting position for this edition of the franchise, as they're offering you more than ever before, but they're also going to make you work extra hard for all of it. That said, you're getting some comprehensive additions when it comes to the current crop of superstars, so its not like if you can't play as CM Punk from 2011 right away, the game is ruined. Its just a thing you'll have to work your way toward.

We tried out a little of MyGM mode, and not much has changed in the way you do things, but some new content has been added. Such as choosing your prefered show to include things like WCW Nitro, ECW, and other promotions that have been around in the past. You also have more options in selecting a GM, many of whom arenot wrestlers in the game, but are managers and figureheads that come with their own perks and drawbacks. My favorite was managing with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, as his benefits offered more for people who went with bigger ideas. Drafting is still pretty much the same with the budget to watch and trying to make sure your show does better than the competition week to week. We didn't get too into the weekds with it, but it was very much a challenge to stay on top.

We also tried out a little of the new MyRISE section, as this year's version has you playing as a returning superstar trying to get back into the mix. Only to find yourself running into the next great thing in either Bron Breakker for the men's side and Jordynne Grace for the women's. It's an interesting take on the story, as you're not starting from scratch, per se, but making a name for yourself all over again after already being at the dance.

We didn't get a ton of time to try MyFACTION because there was a lot going on. I'll be real, the card game isn't quite my thing, but I get why its here as there are players who are obsessed with it and will do anything to trade cards and earn items through doing so. If you like making a faction of characters based around the cards, the good news is that its still here and probably has some new features that will enchance what you're doing.

The highlight of the WWE 2K26 preview for us was the Showcase, as CM Punk takes center stage for this one. Much like previous versions of this, you play through his career highlights, seeing the matches that really made him and solidified his place in the company's history. But much like the Roman Reigns version in 2K25, you get to explore a lot of history that you get to relive and rewrite. This is a moment for you to have fun reliving his career on your terms in many ways, without getting into spoilers, and even having dream matches he wishes he had, and some he wishes he could correct.

Speaking of Roman, The Island is back, but its been given a facelift. This is another section we didn't get to spend a lot of time in, but it also comes with everything you experienced from the previou sgame and more. Its a great playground to hang out with people in and bash each other over the head with cinderblocks, while also getting some new fashion going. Superstar creation has also been given some upgrades, but again, much of what you experience in the previous game is here with some new features. You can still make the superstar of your dreams in whatever way you see fit, for the most part.

Overall, this is a pretty solid entry, and we didn't have any real issues playing it or experiencing anything we wanted to try out. That said, this IS a preview, we didn't get to try everything under the sun, and we're pretty sure the devs left some stuff out to keep you guessing of how the final version of WWE 2K26 will play like. For now, we're impressed, and we look forward to the full launch on March 13, 2026.

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