WWE 2K26: CM Punk to be the cover wrestler for the game

2K has announced WWE 2K26, the new installment in the flagship WWE video game series, developed by Visual Concepts, which will be available starting March 6 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

CM Punk, the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, graces the cover of the Standard Edition with a defiant expression and a pose worthy of a Triple Crown Champion. One of the most celebrated and subversive figures in WWE history, CM Punk previously appeared on the cover of WWE ’13 and is also the star of the 2K Showcase in WWE 2K26.

The King of Kings Edition celebrates the in-ring career and legendary behind-the-scenes aura of WWE Hall of Famer and current CCO (Chief Content Officer) of WWE, Paul “Triple H” Levesque. The Attitude Era Edition evokes nostalgia for one of the most iconic eras in WWE history, featuring exuberant personalities like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Stephanie McMahon, Undertaker, Kane, Trish Stratus, Lita, Chyna, Kurt Angle, and the Dudley Boyz. The brand-new Monday Night War Edition “super-premium” includes content related to WWE Superstars from the Attitude Era, as well as a selection of the biggest WCW names of the time, including “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Goldberg, Booker T, and Eric Bischoff. The King of Kings, Attitude Era, and Monday Night War editions will be available worldwide on Friday, March 6, 2026, seven days before the Standard Edition, which will be released on Friday, March 13, 2026.

“As a kid, I could only dream of being on the cover of a video game. Now I join a very exclusive group of WWE Superstars who have done it twice,” said CM Punk. “I enjoyed narrating the 2K Showcase, which gave me the opportunity to tell fans the unfiltered true story of the moments, matches, and controversies of my career. Players will be able to step into my shoes, relive some of my most glorious moments in WWE, and face challenges I never even had the chance to compete in.”

“WWE 2K26 introduces several new match types and gameplay features requested by the community,” said Greg Thomas, President of Visual Concepts. “The team has worked hard to refine the in-ring action while expanding creative options to offer players unprecedented freedom.”

WWE 2K26 Updates and New Features

• 2K Showcase: Punked – CM Punk’s Personal Journey: CM Punk revisits moments from different eras to relive incredible moments from his career. Narrated by “THE BEST IN THE WORLD” himself, the Showcase will allow players to relive iconic matches and face WWE legends in Fantasy Warfare scenarios. For those who truly want to test themselves, the Showcase Gauntlet will push players to their limits. CM Punk’s rise, rebellion, and return make this 2K Showcase the most personal ever;
• “BEST IN THE WORLD” Roster with over 400 characters: The largest roster in franchise history, with over 400 playable Superstars, including current talents from RAW, SmackDown, and NXT, Legends, and WWE Hall of Fame members. Featured names include: John Cena, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Rhea Ripley, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Iyo Sky, Andre the Giant, Drew McIntyre, Bron Breakker, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Seth Rollins, Logan Paul, Stephanie Vaquer, Eddie Guerrero, Liv Morgan, Bret “Hitman” Hart, Penta, Charlotte Flair, Randy Orton, plus new additions and returns like Rey Fénix, Rusev, Blake Monroe, and many more;
• Four new match types, new offensive tools, and gameplay improvements: New matches including I Quit, Inferno, 3 Stages of Hell, and Dumpster, stackable tables, new usable objects like shopping carts, thumbtacks, and larger, more interactive environments. Intergender matches are available in all main modes. The Attack and Stamina system has been revamped, with improved physics that make the action more dynamic and dangerous. Interactive entrances and the addition of Booker T and Wade Barrett to commentary further enrich the audiovisual experience;
• Creation Menu – doubled Superstar Creation and Image slots, plus Body Morphing: Now 200 Superstar Creation slots are available, doubling the previous number. Community Creations support up to 2,000 images and feature advanced body and face modeling tools and two-tone hair coloring options, for unprecedented creative freedom;
• My GM – more shows and more Superstars per match: New intergender matches, 5, 6, and 8-person matches, and support for more match types. A greater number of shows per season introduce new managerial challenges;
• My RISE – new theme and increased replayability: Players define their My SUPERSTAR’s path through two new division-based storylines, where heroic or villainous choices impact their MY PLAYER like never before. Players can continue playing even after completing the main stories, with more unlockable content and objectives to achieve for increased replayability;
• Universe – the Draft arrives!: The WWE Draft enters the Universe sandbox mode. New features also include a new Guided Creations Universe, Watch Show mode, improved Money in the Bank cash-ins, and new promo types;
• The Island – new story and new environment, available on all platforms: The Island is now bigger and more social than ever, available for the first time on PC. Players will choose one of three factions and fight for control through a revamped progression system. The new Scrapyard Crawl environment, new Towers, new shops and branded gear, an expanded My SUPERSTAR editor with face photo import, plus improved missions complete with Superstar voiceovers, cutscenes, and dialogue screens, enrich the immersive experience.
• My FACTION – chemistry is key: The collectible combat card mode returns with new intergender formations and Quick Swap matches. Players can collect cards with new designs and boost their performance with new Faction Chemistry and Interruption support. New themed card packs and objectives will continue to be released regularly throughout the year, with seasonal content updates.
• Ring Pass – DLCs are enriched with more post-launch content than ever before: The brand-new Ring Pass offers players additional incentives by allowing them to earn XP in all game modes, excluding online lobbies. There will be 60 free levels and 40 premium levels to reward progression: by reaching level 40 of the Premium Season of the Ring Pass, players can unlock Superstars, cosmetic and customization items, VC, My FACTION and The Island content, and much more.

The Premium Ring Pass replaces the previous DLC model, rewarding players with new, unreleased playable characters not present in the base roster, including current Superstars, Legends, Alternate Characters, and some surprise names. Six Seasons of the Ring Pass are planned throughout the year, with Season 1 available at launch, which will include unlockable Superstars and Legends, previously available through the WWE 2K Supercharger, in the free tier.

New motion-based features for Nintendo Switch 2

WWE 2K26 on Nintendo Switch 2 will offer several additional features made possible by the console’s hardware, including touchscreen and mouse support, GameShare and GameChat, single Joy-Con play, and the ability to use mouse controls in the Creation Menu for face and body painting. The Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game will also support Image Upload and cross-platform Community Creations.

WWE 2K26 Editions

WWE 2K26 will be available in four editions: Standard Edition, King of Kings Edition, Attitude Era Edition, and Monday Night War Edition.

• Standard Edition with pre-order bonus: Players who pre-order the Standard Edition of WWE 2K26 will receive the Joe Hendry Pack, a bonus pack that includes playable Superstar Joe Hendry, a Joe Hendry shirt cosmetic item, the Joe Hendry My FACTION EVO card, and the Joe Hendry Island Spin Emote. Those who pre-order any edition of WWE 2K26 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC will also receive the WWE 2K25 base game in digital version. Players who pre-order the Attitude Era Edition or the Monday Night War Edition on PlayStation or Xbox between January 29 and February 23 by 8:00 AM PT will receive 15,000 VC in WWE 2K26 and 67,500 VC in WWE 2K25.
• King of Kings Edition: The King of Kings Edition includes the Standard Edition, the Joe Hendry Pack, Premium Ring Pass Season 1, and 32,500 VC, plus the King of Kings Pack, which includes playable Superstars Triple H ’98 and Stephanie McMahon ’00, and the “Triple H Signature Taunt” Emote for The Island. The King of Kings Edition will be available starting March 6, 2026, seven days before the Standard Edition.
• Attitude Era Edition: In addition to all content included in the King of Kings Edition, the Attitude Era Edition includes access to Premium Ring Pass, Seasons 1-4, plus the Attitude Era Edition Pack, which includes playable Superstars The Rock ’99, Kane ’98, and Chyna ’97, the “Rattlesnake” My FACTION EVO cards of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and “People’s Champ” The Rock, the Raw is War ’98 arena, and the “Thumb Across the Neck” Emotes for The Island by Undertaker and “DX Crotch Chop” by Shawn Michaels. Also included is the Superstar Mega-Boost, which grants 200 My SUPERSTAR attribute points for My RISE, and over 100,000 VC. The Attitude Era Edition will be available starting March 6, 2026, seven days before the Standard Edition.
• Monday Night War Edition: In addition to all content included in the Attitude Era Edition, the Monday Night War Edition includes access to Premium Ring Pass, Seasons 1-6, plus the Monday Night War Edition Pack, which includes playable Superstars Shawn Michaels DX, Macho Man Randy Savage ’98, and Rowdy Roddy Piper ’98, the WCW Thunder ’98 arena, and the “Bang!” Emote by Diamond Dallas Page for The Island. The Monday Night War Edition also grants access to the WrestleMania 42 Pack, which includes the WrestleMania 42 arena and three WrestleMania 42 Persona Superstar cards, to be unlocked automatically after launch. The Monday Night War Edition will be available starting March 6, 2026, seven days before the Standard Edition.