There are plenty of huge new changes to the WWE 2K franchise in the series’ latest entry. Launched today after a week of early access for those who pre-ordered the game’s special editions, WWE 2K26 is on the cusp of being the greatest wrestling game ever.

There’s plenty to love about WWE 2K26 but it definitely isn’t quite the finest grappler in videogames. That title still firmly belongs to WWE No Mercy, the Nintendo 64 exclusive released back in 2000 – before the Federation became World Wrestling Entertainment. And if 2K Games wants to topple it, they’ll have to roll back one of the newest, most controversial changes made in 2K26.

In 2K25, it really felt like the developers were trying to address some of the issues the series has faced in years gone by. It was a far more fluid experience and this year, rather than reinventing the wheel, 2K Games have tweaked it for the better even more.

The main gameplay experience is as crisp as it’s ever been. The addition of a new purple reversal wheel dictates how frequently you can spam the button to avoid taking damage without further penalty, and every move really feels like it matters.

This is helped mainly by the ragdoll physics 2K26 has taken full advantage of. Suplexing foes from atop structures, vehicles or turnbuckles has never felt so satisfying – not least because there’s no invisible wall keeping them within the confines of the ring.

Gamers have been crying out for some of the major changes that have arrived in 2K26 for some time. WWE fans wanting to live out their fantasy booking dream with a draft in Universe Mode got their wish, and some of the new match types are throwbacks to the iconic Attitude Era.

MyGM mode gets a decent amount of attention, too, which is perfect for a player like yours truly who lives for the simulation aspect rather than the gameplay when it comes to the WWE games. Stepping into the shoes of beleaguered Raw General Manager Adam Pearce has never been quite so detailed nor so entertaining.

MyRise and MyFaction are more of the same, unfortunately. The story mode is another plod through silly storylines, some laboured voice acting and matches that feel like the WWE equivalent of fetch quests.

As for Showcase Mode, it’s again another highlight reel of the cover star’s career. CM Punk gets the treatment once again, following his decade-long absence from WWE, but it could be time to take this old, tired and stale dog out to pasture – Showcase Mode, that is, not the current World Heavyweight Champion.

The sheer joy of WWE 2K26 however is underscored by the black cloud of the new Ringside Pass system. WWE’s version of a battle pass replaces the older DLC model, meaning that players need to grind their way through the game to earn Ringside XP (RXP) to unlock new characters.

While this in theory means that players can choose to pay for new content with time rather than money, in practice the free and premium tracks of the Ringside Pass still gate wrestlers behind a paywall. All of the WWE Legends that players could obtain via Virtual Currency are now on the free pass, but plenty of current, active stars are locked behind the premium pass – which for Season 1, is themed on AAA.

But it’s not just wrestlers or playable characters gamers have to pay for. Arenas, outfits and even championships are locked unless they purchase the premium Ringside Pass.

For instance, if I wanted to book Dominic Mysterio to lose both his Intercontinental and AAA Mega Championships on the same night in Universe Mode, I can’t. Why? Because the AAA Mega Championship belt is locked on the premium track.

At best, it means paying for the premium Ringside Pass and making my way through the levels. But the worst part of this is that active wrestlers and championships aren’t available until you grind your way to them and that seems silly when you just want to dive into Universe Mode and live out your dreams pretending you’re Triple H and booking the most ridiculous WrestleMania moments imaginable.

There’s nothing wrong in this writer’s eyes with a battle pass system in live service games. Fortnite, EA Sports FC, Call of Duty and all the other cool kids are doing it.

But WWE 2K26 isn’t really built for a live service feature. There’s not really a power curve to try and follow throughout the game’s year-long cycle – there’s no upgrading a Superstar a la Ultimate Team, for example.

It feels like an extraordinary misstep into microtransaction hell that could have been entirely avoided. And as such, it dampens one’s enthusiasm to log on and work your way through the Pass to unlock titles or characters that really ought to just be available if they’re currently on WWE television.

So, my fantasy is on hold for the moment. Hopefully, 2K Games will see the backlash to the implementation of the Ringside Pass – not to mention the moving of goalposts to make it harder to grind RXP – and they make it a little less restrictive going forward.

It’s an especially frustrating thought when almost everything else about WWE 2K26 is really, really good. The game mechanics are great, the new match types are great, and all the new features genuinely enhance the player experience.

For now, WWE 2K26 is a fun game to play but it’s ultimately soured by the Ringside Pass. Until these extra cash-grabs are knocked out, 2K’s games will have to settle for second-best.