Visual Concepts, the longtime developer for 2K's game titles WWE 2K and NBA 2K, has reportedly hit the video game industry once again with layoffs, with an undisclosed number being laid off, according to a new report from Insider Gaming. More specifically, it has been reported that the teams working WWE matches were the hardest hit by layoffs.
WWE 2K26 comes less than three months after its release on consoles and a few months away from the highly-anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6 under Take-Two's overarching umbrella.
In a follow-up, Mike Straw, a prominent insider at Insider Gaming, reported that the ringside pass format was “a disaster” that led to finger-pointing among developers.
Ringside Pass, a new introduction for WWE 2K26, was a controversial element that eventually experienced a revamp after negative feedback.
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Foreword, historically speaking, WWE 2K games have used a season pass model, with players gaining access to all the content they paid for when it was released. Similarly, those with the “Deluxe” or “Ultimate” edition are often given an “Accelerator” upgrade that instantly unlocks any unlockable or grindable content.
However, 2K26 did away with that in favor of the Ringside Pass, a take on the Battle Pass system that only gave players access to the DLC they paid for. after They grind for it.
Naturally, the players were angry. Elsewhere, others started exploiting the game and trying to find an easier way to meet the requirements for the content they already paid for.
2K, however, patched that method, while simultaneously reworking some of the ringside pass to better meet players. Things didn't go too well when a developer accused players of trying to circumvent the system.
Now, all DLC characters are unlocked from the get-go. However, the damage was already done in the eyes of most fans, affecting what was arguably the best WWE match since the old SmackDown vs. Raw days.
Flash forward just a few weeks, and some of its developers have reportedly been laid off.
- 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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