We’re just a few weeks away from Early Access for those who have purchased WWE 2K26 Attitude Era or the Monday Night War Edition and we’re excited to share with you all the updates that are in store for The Island.
To give you a little more insight, we’re excited to have none other than Cody Rhodes, the leader of the Order of Tradition, give you the scoop himself:
Last year, players stepped onto The Island and challenged Roman Reigns for control of the Island of Relevancy. With Roman Reigns gone, so too has the balance of power. Three factions now compete to shape the future of The Island, each with its own philosophy, leadership, and vision.
In this Ringside Report, we’re breaking down what’s new this year on The Island, including story updates, the different factions, progression systems, and a ton of new features.
THE THREE ORDERS
As mentioned, three factions have emerged, and players must now align themselves with one of these Orders and help lead them to control. Each Order brings a distinct identity and leadership to The Island. Get a rundown of them below:
- Order of Tradition: Forged in the squared circle, The Order of Tradition is a collection of true believers in the heritage and history of the business. Some operate honorably, while some may use more underhanded tricks to achieve their ends - though both methods are tried and tested. The common denominator? All have a vested interest in carrying the old ways forward and seeing them instilled in the next generation, from attention to in-ring skill and technical ability, to a love of spectacle and over-the-top showmanship. Led by Cody Rhodes, they’re fighting to inspire those principles through dominance on The Island.
- Order of Shadows: They found a natural home in the shadow of the former Deadlands. Members of this Order find comfort in the unexplained and all that goes bump in the night. With an unofficial leader in Rhea Ripley, The Shadows has not only become a refuge for the “freaks and the weirdos” but a rallying cry for those who wish to bring that weirdness out from the shadows entirely and reshape The Island in their own image. Tangling with this Order teaches opponents to question their own senses and rethink what they believe is possible.
- Order of Anarchy: This Order is not just for those who want to redefine the rules, it’s for those who want to question the concept of rules entirely. Big, bold, and unapologetic, they see The Island not just as it is, but as what it could be. Under the right leadership, of course. Perhaps one of the most… creative Orders, Anarchy questions the status quo with not just words, but each and every action. Though the words are pretty good, too - helmed by CM Punk, they’ve got some of the boldest mic skills in the biz.
And choose wisely – while each Order member is able to play every main path story, your allegiance will inform the specific viewpoint you have on events as they unfold. Progression is more non-linear than before, allowing players to dive into story missions in the manner they choose.. Additionally, each Order also has a new enterable landmark location and a dedicated PvP arena for players to explore.
THE SCRAPYARD
At the center of much of The Island dispute and at the very center of The Island itself, sits The Scrapyard. When the arena where Roman Reigns was defeated was demolished following… certain events… those on The Island abandoned it and used it as a space to discard their trash as they moved in and started remaking The Island to fit their needs. But as the legend of that defeat grew, and rumors spread… so did the whispers about what transpired and what had perhaps been left behind on those grounds.
Now? Each Order fights for control of not only The Island, but The Scrapyard, and for what it may hold. Some are true believers in a hidden power, while others are only believers in the power of emerging victorious over an enemy. Whatever you believe, The Scrapyard is a combat zone like no other, to test yourself head-to-head against the best The Island has to offer, and show up and show out for your Order.
In 2K26, the Scrapyard also features increased verticality that allows players to climb scaffolding, fight across elevated platforms, knock opponents off structures, and perform attacks from higher vantage points. All of this introduces new ways to play on The Island!
MySUPERSTAR BUILDER & PROGRESSION
In WWE 2K26, we’ve included additional customization options for your MySUPERSTAR. With the inclusion of the Photo Face feature, players can further customize their MySUPERSTAR just the way they want. World Taunts are also a new inclusion. Want to DX Chop someone on The Island? Now players can express themselves the way they want via emotes, which can also be earned through progression on The Island.
A new addition to The Island is the Prestige System, which introduces four progression tiers.
- Recruit (OVR 70–85)
- Disruptor (OVR 75–90)
- Blueprint (OVR 80–95)
- Legendary (OVR 85–100)
Each Prestige Level has attribute caps. Upon reaching the cap, players unlock a Prestige Quest to advance to the next tier. Players can reach higher OVR Levels to gain access to more power, badges, and rewards.
TOWERS
Towers introduce a repeatable PvE experience that players can participate in endlessly to earn rewards and increase their reputation in each Order.
Players can choose their Tower run size (small, medium, large), which determines the total number of stages a Tower run contains. Every time the player starts a new tower run, their stage is randomly generated. Each tower stage contains a dynamic path of different node types consisting of matches, rewards, choices and boss fights.
The main reward to earn in Towers Mode is “Order Reputation.” By earning “Order Reputation,” players can gain access to a large table of rewards specifically for that Order Tower.
Up for a challenge? Keep your eyes peeled for Mega-Challenge Tower Events. These are event Towers tied to the season’s theme and offer rare rewards for completion.
MULTIPLAYER UPDATES
Multiplayer on The Island sees a few major additions in WWE 2K26 as well!
With MyTAG, players can form a persistent two-person team and participate in cooperative multiplayer PvP activities across the Island. Start looking for your tag team partner ASAP!
A few new match types have been added:
- Triple Threat
- Fatal 4-Way
- 2v2 PvP
Seasonal Ranked Play is also now included. So get ready to take on new challenges and claw your way to the top. Ranks reset each Ringside Pass season, so get ready to take on new challenges and claw your way to the top.
Players progress from Bronze 4 to Platinum 1, with seasonal leaderboards for:
- 1v1 PvP
- 2v2 PvP
- Order Reputation
- Championships
If you make it to the top, stay on your toes, because the top 10 players on weekly leaderboards will be awarded a Championship belt.
With three Orders vying for control, it’s up to you to choose your allegiance and shape what comes next. So gear up and get ready to jump into The Island in WWE 2K26!
