WWE 2K26 replaces DLC with battle passes and players complain about the grind

Visual Concepts has replaced the traditional DLC model in WWE 2K26 with a Ringside Pass system, announcing six drops across the year. The free track already includes the old WWE Legends, belts and arenas that would previously have been available through an in-game shop or a straightforward unlock-DLC, and some players report that certain match customizations—down to choosing what weapons appear—can void progress entirely.

Time investment is emerging as a major sticking point. One reviewer says 30 hours of play barely pushed them past the halfway point of a 40-tier pass, while YouTuber ThisGenGaming reportedly played MyRise two-and-a-half times, completed Showcase, a chapter of The Island, a World Tour segment in MyFaction and 40–50 regular matches to reach level 40, taking roughly 40 hours to do so.

There is also an option to pay $77 per season for tier skips. Players on the WWEGames subreddit have reacted negatively, with one post reading, "I paid $150 for extra content and they want me to burn myself out just to use it?

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