We were already skeptical about WWE 2K25’s The Island when it was revealed, and eventually, it did turn out to be a bit of a dud. The mode wasn’t available on PC, the exclusive content was underwhelming, and the microtransaction focus was unsurprisingly aggressive. According to SmackTalks on X/Twitter, the mode will be returning for the upcoming WWE 2K26.
Needless to say, because of how poorly received this mode was in 2K25, fans don’t care much for its return with next year’s game. Many people on Twitter/X and Reddit are arguing that most players never truly asked for this mode in the first place, and the ones who did engage with it found it to be lackluster. Here are one fan’s honest sentiments:
“More of the same, nickel and diming, unfinished product, and worst of all untouched universe mode.”
The Island Needs A Lot To Improve
A few weeks ago, we wrote about how WWE 2K26 can transform the Island into something that’s actually engaging. First off, it needs a better showpiece story; there needs to be enough content to make players return, and more time needs to be spent in matches rather than walking around. Regardless, even if it doesn’t do all that, some fans aren’t surprised it’s coming back:
“Of course it is. It did what it was supposed to. Make money. That Goldberg pack alone will have sold a ton.”
The frustrations with modes like The Island aren’t just about microtransactions, though, even if that’s a big part of it. People feel like the game has an identity crisis in its design philosophy. As one fan put it, sometimes they “treat it like a completely legitimate combat sport void of story or a completely fantastical fictional world that has nothing to do with wrestling.”
One of the more damning indictments of The Island is the idea that it’s a sort of necessary evil rather than a genuinely fun game mode. As a player, you are sometimes forced to interact with this mode to unlock content that feeds back into what you actually want to play: Universe Mode or Exhibition.
If the mode was actually engaging, you’d dive in for the pure enjoyment of it, even without the exclusive characters or arenas that are held hostage. A game that is entirely based on the spectacle of professional wrestling is supposed to be fun, not a chore or a persistent grind.
