WWE 2K26 Review of Early Scores and Gameplay Videos on Early Release Date

The early reviews are in for WWE 2K26, with some touting its improved gameplay mechanics and in-ring action, while others note its shortcomings, beginning with the pay-to-play model that plagued the franchise a year ago.

Despite some negatives, the reviews are mostly positive and hype the commitment to improving the majority of the existing modes.

Dive deeper into those reviews with this collection of them ahead of the game's wide release on March 13.

Release Information

Release Date: March 6 (early release for premium editions), March 13 (standard edition)

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Nintendo Switch 2

Pricing: $69.99 (Standard), $99.99 (King of Kings Edition), $129.99 (Attitude Era Edition), $149.99 (Monday Night War Edition)

Rating: ESRB T

Pre-Order Bonus: The Joe Hendry Pack (Joe Hendry, Joe Hendry My Faction EVO card, MySuperstar CAS Part: Joe Hendry T-Shirt, MySuperstar Island emote: Joe Hendry spin), early access, and virtual currency

Early Reviews

"WWE 2K26 is a good game standing among great games."

Joshua Duckworth of Game Rant specified that while the latest entry in the WWE and 2K annals is still a good game, it lacks the overall quality its predecessors had.

He wrote, "While it's generally solid on a technical level, WWE 2K26 feels creatively weakened at times."

Duckworth noted that the in-ring gameplay is as advanced as ever, but not without some bugs. MyGM, Universe, MyFaction, and The Island are all top-notch and improvements over other years, but MyRise and Showcase underwhelmed, a common occurrence for the latter in recent years.

He wrapped up his review stating, "There's fun here, but it's undermined by a lack of creative ambition. Creativity within its offerings is what elevates a good wrestling game into a memorable one, but WWE 2K26 often feels trapped in a creative plateau."

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"This game considerably better than last year's version."

Matthew Aguilar of Comic Book wasted little time praising this year's edition over last year's, writing, "Now WWE 2K26 has arrived, and not only has it made huge strides in last year's flawed addition, but it is better than last year's game in just about every way."

He added that the "wrestling is truly second to none, and that's partly why this year's game is one of the best in the series."

His review awarded the game a score of 90 according to MetaCritic.

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"WWE 2K26 is a brilliant wrestling game where it counts – but..."

Ben Wilson of Games Radar awarded the game 3.5 stars, but cautioned that one big issue that presented itself with last year's release is prominent again in 2026.

"For now, action in the ring is solid, and some of the best in the series, but it can sting when rewards feel so miserly and centered on monetization over skill," he wrote.

He continued, "The widespread hope was that the nickel-and-diming would be adjusted, post release. Instead, 2K doubled down." For example, the price of MyFACTION packs went up, among other costly additions or price increases.

The game's continued pay-to-play model for some of its top modes, he noted, will inevitably cause backlash, even if other aspects of the release are top-notch.