WWE 2K26 Switch 2 Review

WWE 2K26 Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

If you have been following What’s It Like? for a while, you will know I took a long hiatus from wrestling. I dropped out at the end of the Attitude Era when The Rock stepped away, and only returned to WWE while reviewing 2K25. Since then, it is safe to say I have been hooked. I have been following incredible superstars like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and our homegrown Rhea Ripley, while also discovering legends from before the Attitude Era like Bull Nakano. So when 2K gave me the opportunity to review WWE 2K26, the latest entry in the long-running franchise packed with a huge roster and a wide range of modes, I was ready to step back into the ring. What’s it like? Choose your superstart, lace up those boots, and prepare to make an electrifying entrance as we review WWE 2K26 on Nintendo Switch 2.

For the uninitiated, or for gamers who haven’t played a wrestling game in a while, WWE 2K26 gameplay is a fine balance between technical fighting and aiming to please the crowd. A good player can beat their opponent to a pulp within minutes, but a great player will work the crowd and mix up moves in and around the ring to create an electrifying match. This is what makes WWE 2K26 so incredibly fun. There are times when you are almost toying with your opponent to get those match rating stars up, and other times when you are desperately trying to end the match with a lower rating because you have taken a beating. That risk and reward make every match exciting, no matter which superstar you play as. Along with the variety of modes like Hell in a Cell, Backlot Brawls, and the amazing Royal Rumble, players will rarely tire of what is on offer here.

Speaking of what’s on offer, WWE 2K26 makes its return with a much more refined story experience. Both MyRISE and Showcase offer improved narratives and meaningful player choices across the board. MyRISE follows your champion making a comeback after a few years away from the ring, while Showcase delivers a really cool retelling of CM Punk’s career, including dream matchups and an incredibly challenging 20-opponent gauntlet. I personally found MyRISE more engaging than last year’s Invasion storyline, and unlocking some of the superstars in Showcase felt genuinely rewarding. These two modes are just a small taste of what WWE 2K26 has to offer. The game is packed with content, including My Universe, My GM, which is my personal favourite, The Island, which feels better balanced than last year, with three main storylines, plus a massive creation suite and user-generated content. Whether you are a die-hard wrestling fan or someone who just dabbles, there is so much here that you will rarely run out of things to do.

My Universe lets you create your own version of WWE by managing superstars and storylines. Think of it as a sandbox where you can do almost anything you like.

My GM is my favourite mode by far. You compete against up to three other general managers for revenue and fans. I had a blast setting up promos and match interferences to create hype around rivalries, then settling the score with title matches the week before a pay-per-view, or PLE as they are called these days. There is something incredibly satisfying about simulating smaller fights while still taking control of the key matches to influence the outcome.

My Faction brings back the card-pack style gameplay from 2K25, letting you use in-game or real currency to stack the deck and build your roster. Part of the fun is the thrill of opening packs and finding something rare. I pulled a particularly great Bull Nakano card, and honestly, it made me so excited. I never really understood the appeal of FIFA Ultimate Team or even My Faction in 2K25, but after getting some exciting cards in 2K26, it clicked for me and added a fresh layer of fun to the game. The only downside is that in-game credits can still be a grind to earn, though they did seem easier to get than in the last iteration. On top of that, the option to buy currency with real money is still there, and that kind of monetisation can sting, especially when you just want to enjoy the mode but have to grind.

This is where WWE 2K26 earns some criticism. The monetisation can still feel ruthless, especially with a paid battle pass in the form of the “Ringside Pass” on top of an already premium AAA title. To 2K’s credit, they have improved the rate at which you earn levels and moved all unlockable superstars to the free tier, as well as gifting 20 of the 40 levels to all players, but early adopters might still feel like their wallets have been suplexed onto the floor. On the upside, the user-generated content here is phenomenal. After noticing he was missing from the roster, as he’s only new to the franchise, I downloaded Danhausen within minutes and was blown away by how accurate and over-the-top the creation was. User-generated content adds massive longevity to the game, keeping the roster fresh well beyond official updates and even including characters outside of the WWE roster.

Graphically, WWE 2K26 is a subtle improvement over 2K25, with better lighting and shadow effects. The game looks great on the Switch 2 in both docked and handheld mode, with wrestlers’ entrances and personalities captured perfectly. As matches go on, wrestlers sweat and show signs of wear and tear, and there is a lot of attention to detail across all modes that makes 2K26 come together into a visually impressive package. The game’s performance holds up well for the most part, running at 60 frames per second in almost everything except the Royal Rumble, which stays locked to 30. The game also still does that odd thing when zooming in for highlighted moves, where it instantly drops to 30 fps, then back to 60 fps. I don’t really know why it does this, but apparently it happens across platforms. For a full and detailed graphics and performance breakdown, you can check out our video on the YouTube channel.

For WWE superstars looking into accessibility, 2K26 features a wide range of options for both accessibility and difficulty. These include multiple camera settings, such as turning off camera shakes and cuts, options to tweak AI difficulty and abilities, changing rapid presses to a slider, disabling in-ring quick time events, and isolating audio sources. While you cannot fully respec your controls, they are fairly intuitive, and the game provides extensive player onboarding through the Performance Centre to help hone your skills. As always, I recommend doing further research to make sure WWE 2K26 suits your accessibility needs.

Despite the continuation of ruthless monetisation, WWE 2K26 is an improvement in almost every way. From the deep, technical gameplay that challenges you to balance winning with the spectacle of a match, to the expansive MyGM mode and the much-improved Island, WWE 2K26 is the ultimate game for wrestling fans. There is so much content here that players will not run out of things to do until next year’s entry, and the open-ended sandbox of My Universe means WWE can be whatever you make it. Much like balancing the spectacle of your matches, WWE 2K26 impresses with tweaks and improvements that finely tune the gameplay to keep you on the edge of your seat, no matter which mode you play. WWE 2K26 continues 2K Games’ championship run with the franchise, delivering an electrifying experience for wrestling fans on the Nintendo Switch 2.

So, What’s it Like? WWE 2K26 is like WWE 2K25, but better.

In the interest of full disclosure, a review copy was provided by the publisher, but this doesn’t influence my score.

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