WWE and 2K Games have been teasing the latest installment in the professional wrestling series game over the last few days, and fans of the popular franchise finally have something to cheer about. During the January 23 episode of SmackDown, WWE officially unveiled the WWE 2K26 ‘Attitude Era’ Edition.
The Attitude Edition is a special edition of the popular WWE 2K series that pays tribute to one of the most iconic periods in professional wrestling history. The era from the late 1990s to the early 2000s in professional wrestling was marked by larger-than-life characters, intense rivalries, hardcore matches, unforgettable catchphrases, and the emergence of various breakout stars.
The cover of the game showcases many iconic superstars from professional wrestling including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Kane, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Trish Stratus, and Lita.
WWE posted the video on its X handle with the caption, “The era that changed everything… No rules. No filter. No apologies.”
Leaks suggest that the Attitude Edition could feature the return of the Inferno Match, the Dumpster Match, 3 Stages of Hell, and I Quit matches.
WWE 2K26 ‘Attitude Era’ Edition release date:
The video posted by WWE reveals that pre-orders of the game will begin on 30 January 2026. WWE and 2K Games have not yet announced the release date for the game, but leaks suggest that the game could be launched within Take-Two Interactive’s fiscal year Q4 2026, which suggests a launch by early March 2026.
In any case, if 2K Games follows its usual pattern, we should have more details about the standard edition and any other editions planned, along with the release date, in the next few weeks.
WWE 2K26: What’s expected so far?
While the “Attitude Era” edition will celebrate the legacy era of professional wrestling, the standard WWE 2K26 has been tipped to centre on the career of CM Punk, capturing his rise in WWE up to the 2011 “Summer of Punk,” along with his 2023 surprise return to the sport. The game is expected to feature “What if” scenarios and fantasy match-ups that reimagine key moments from Punk’s career.
There are also rumours of Island Mode making a comeback in the game with a sequel storyline where Roman Reigns has been removed as ‘Tribal Chief’ and three rival factions struggle for control of the “Island of Relevancy,” one of whom is also tipped to be a new group called “Order of Anarchy.”
