The Island is Back in WWE2K26

In my review for WWE 2K25, I said that it was one of the best sports games in recent memory

It's a fact I stand by today. The presentation is top-notch, the feel of combat is smooth and enjoyable, and the wide depth of content from its gameplay modes kept me coming back for more throughout the year.

However, there is one blemish on an otherwise incredible game: The Island. 2K and Visual Concepts touted it as a landmark feature that lets you gain favor with Roman Reigns, our former Tribal Chief. In reality, it was a microtransaction playground where the most effective way to succeed was by swiping your credit card.

It's a shame, as there was so much promise to let your MySUPERSTAR character interact with WWE Superstars and essentially engage in a storyline that was relevant to WWE programming. Instead of scrapping it for WWE 2K26, though, Visual Concepts is looking to expand on The Island and wants it to be an integral part of the WWE 2K community.

The Island is Available for All Platforms, Features Expanded Customization Options

During a recent conference call, 2K and Visual Concepts confirmed that not only will The Island be returning this year, but it will also be available on all platforms. Last year, it was exclusive to Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, which meant that a significant portion of the WWE 2K playerbase did not have access to one of the game's biggest modes.

That's one way they're looking to change the public's perception of The Island. Another is their long-term goal for its place in the WWE 2K franchise: "We're really trying to lean into The Island being a place where there's a community." There was plenty of promise and potential to achieve this last year, but it was muddled down by a sense of feeling that, in order to truly succeed on The Island, you needed to pay to win.

Still, it's nice to see that the team isn't giving up on the mode after one year. In fact, they're adding more to it. The story picks up right where they left off. Roman Reigns is no longer the Tribal Chief and, as a result, there's a power struggle between three new factions.

Visual Concepts has also upgraded The Island's quests with new cutscenes and dialogue screens, among other things. There's the potential for more immersion to be found, and even if The Island can feel like a somewhat immersive RPG storyline experience for our MySUPERSTAR wrestler, that's a win in my book.

Speaking of which, the MySUPERSTAR builder has been expanded to include face-photo importing. There's also the addition of new shops, branded gear, and more.

Visual Concepts is saying all the right things. We'll see if it pays off, and The Island is a more enjoyable experience when WWE 2K26 launches this March for PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.