WWE 2K26 is the best-reviewed game in the series in a long time, but players “hunt” thanks to microtransactions and crashes it doesn't look kind.
I wouldn't blame you if it felt like WWE 2K26 came out of nowhere this year. Previous WWE games had good marketing timing, but 2K26 dropped out of the blue last month without much warning. That strategy seemed to work, though, as it was 2007's SmackDown Vs. Raw has since become the most highly-reviewed match on the series.
Critics have been kinder to this year's WWE game than they usually are, and it looks like Visual Concepts is on a winning streak. That streak is a bit tarnished now that everyone is getting their hands on the game, as its user reviews aren't exactly glowing for a number of reasons.
WWE 2K26 hit Steam with “mixed” reviews that look set to drop further
Metacritic user reviews are particularly damaging
WWE 2K26 has been out for a few days now, and it has already attracted its fair share of controversies. The biggest issue so far is the introduction of the Ringside Pass, which is basically WWE's version of the Battle Pass that you need to grind out to unlock characters, even if you pay $150 for the most expensive version of the game.
Ragdoll Physics is the best thing to happen to WWE 2K in decades
WWE 2K26 is hilariously violent in the most video game way.
That Ringside Pass has been a huge bugbear for WWE players (especially since 2K exploited grinding), and that's reflected in the game's Steam reviews. At the time of writing, 50 percent of the 759 WWE 2K26 reviews on Steam are negative, leaving the game with a “mixed” review score.
Many user reviews call the Ringside Pass “predatory” and the amount of grind and DLC in the game, but that's not the only issue. Many players on Steam have reported performance issues and crashes, while others have complained that the usual annual release is too similar to last year's WWE 2K25.
It's not just Steam that shows how upset WWE players are with 2K26's Battle Pass, as its Metacritic user score of 2.1 makes the disappointment all too clear. Metacritic's reviews call things similar to Steam reviews, but are even more brutal, especially when the gloss from critics is placed near the 80s.
WWE 2K26
- issued
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March 12, 2026
- ESRB
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Juvenile / Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), User Interaction
- developer(s)
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Visual concepts
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