WWE 2K26: 9 Things You Need To Know
5. The New Weapon Physics Add A Level Of Realism
Weapons, and more specifically their level of realism, have been a principal point for 2K and Visual Concepts to focus on following the 2022 series reboot. WWE 2K22 was packed with newly mo-capped animations, whilst new weapons have been added in the ensuing trio of titles, including a trash can, an American football, an apple, a door, and (that fabled WWE weapon) a light tube.
The evolving physics will carry over into WWE 2K26, too, which will also see the series return of the shopping cart (last seen in SmackDown: Here Comes The Pain), thumbtacks (Legends Of WrestleMania), and the ability to stack tables (WWE 2K20). New rag doll physics will see digitised wrestlers react more appropriately to landing on weapons, similar to how they did in SmackDown vs. Raw 2011. For instance, in that game, a simple body slam onto a steel chair would leave a wrestler writhing around in pain as opposed to the standard body slam animation.
Thumbtacks will also stick into a wrestler's body rather than disappear into the abyss, while there will also now be support for slamming opponents onto the steel steps. You could do this following a mid-cycle 2K25 update, but the reactions weren't appropriate for the sickening landings; skipping to 54 seconds in the gameplay trailer will show you Chyna being absolutely hammered by a top-rope Riptide onto the steel.