As always, there’s a lot of speculation around the upcoming roster for the next WWE game, WWE 2K26. There are questions around whether Joe Hendry will make an appearance, and there are even rumors about some TNA wrestlers making the cut. Unfortunately, when it comes to Mick Foley, we do have a bit of a spanner in the works when it comes to his inclusion in the next game.
Mick Foley — also known as Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack — openly declared his decision not to renew his Legends contract with the company. The deal is set to expire in June, which raises the question for developers and the fans: Will one of the most influential WWE superstars maintain his presence on the digital canvas?
Foley’s choice is supposedly driven by moral disagreements with the company’s external relationships, particularly with sitting US President Donald Trump. Now, his contract doesn’t expire till June, and 2K26 is set to release a bit before that. But that’s still not a 100% confirmation that he’ll make an appearance in the game.
Legally, It’s Not An Issue Yet
If we simply look at Foley’s contractual expiration and the game’s release schedule, the timing is highly convenient for Foley’s inclusion. The WWE Legends contract — which includes the right to use his name, image, and likeness — runs until June. That does mean that if the company wants to, they can easily include him in the game with no legal issues.
They also don’t need to worry about 3D scanning or motion capture that much, as there’s a high chance that part of the development is already done. There’s also the chance that they’ll just reuse some assets and “enhance” them for the latest release. While Foley’s decision regarding the non-renewal of the contract will be looked at by the company, the developers should have no problem using his character in-game.
The existence of a signed contract clearly means that both parties are obliged to abide by it, making WWE 2K26 potentially Foley’s farewell appearance in the series (should he be present to begin with).
No Official Statement
This news of discontinuing the contract broke just 24 hours ago at the time of writing, so there is no official word from WWE yet. WWE’s history showcases several incidents of characters being removed at the last moment. The most relevant example is the removal of Brock Lesnar from the WWE 2K24 roster due to his alleged involvement in Vince McMahon’s civil suit.
This proves that the corporation possesses the power to execute a “scorched earth” deletion of any popular character, no matter what the agreement. The difference, however, is that those deletions were related to legal or internal issues, and Foley’s non-renewal is an act of moral separation.
Given that Foley is a fan favorite superstar and a legend of his era, a last-minute removal of his character would create massive backlash for the company. It is unlikely that they would make such a retaliating move and upset the fans, so the consensus is that Foley is safe for WWE 2K26. Again, this is just speculation based on common sense.
Regardless, it is almost certain that Mick Foley will be absent from WWE 2K27. If he does make an appearance in 2K26, that appearance will unfortunately be his last in a WWE game for the foreseeable future.
