WWE 2K26 just replaced DLC with a 40-level Ringside Pass — here’s everything in Season 1
WWE 2K26 has torn up the old seasonal DLC calendar and bundled years of licensed wrestlers, arenas, championships and currencies into a single 40-tier “Ringside Pass.” That matters because the way you earn legends, MyFaction packs and VC now ties directly to RXP and a $9.99 premium track – not individual DLC drops.
Key takeaways
The Ringside Pass replaces separate DLC drops with 40 tiers players unlock by earning RXP; the premium path costs $9.99.
Season 1 spreads classic legends (Hogan, Undertaker, Hart, HBK), championship belts, MyFaction packs and VC across free and paid tiers – so nothing is strictly “safe” behind a single paywall, but value is split.
Hands-on previews (GamesRadar, IGN, VGC) suggest players will spend more time in modes like The Island and MyFaction, making the RXP economy central to progression.
Steam News flagged a bigger issue: cosmetic bundles and optional microtransactions in WWE 2K26 could add up to nearly $500 if bought piecemeal – the Ringside Pass doesn’t exist in isolation.
Why this actually matters — and why you should care
Battle passes are familiar on the surface: a free track and a paid track. What changes here is what’s being consolidated. Instead of buying a single wrestler pack or arena for $5-$15, 2K has parceled that same inventory into a linear, season-length progression. That gives players clearer visibility on what they’ll eventually own — but it also centralizes the grind. If you play modes a lot (and VGC/IGN previews argue you will, thanks to entrance overhauls, new reversals and deeper Island/MyFaction hooks), you’ll be chasing RXP in a way that directly affects your sense of progression.
That $9.99 premium price looks reasonable until you remember the rest of the store. Steam News’ breakdown that cosmetic and content bundles could total nearly $500 isn’t a prediction so much as a math problem: optional purchases multiply fast. The uncomfortable observation PR will prefer you ignore is simple — the pass reduces friction for some purchases while making the whole ecosystem more dependent on repeat spending.
Where the sources agree (and where they push different angles)
Steam/official reveals: roster and mode lists are comprehensive — the game will ship with a stacked lineup and mode updates.
GamesRadar and IGN previews: gameplay and presentation tweaks (entrances, stamina-linked reversals, expanded chain wrestling) should keep players engaged, increasing the value of RXP.
VGC hands-on videos: provide early looks at how those features play out and underline that players will actually spend the time needed to progress the pass.
Steam News: flags the microtransaction arithmetic that makes a $9.99 pass one piece of a much larger monetization picture.
The Season 1 Ringside Pass — full unlockables
Below is the full Season 1 list as published alongside the Ringside Pass reveal. Free tiers are earned with RXP; the premium track requires $9.99.
Free unlockables (Tiers 1-40)
1: AAA RXP Booster (10% RXP, 2 hours)
2: Latino Heat Bundle — Eddie Guerrero 97, WWE Tag Team Championship 02-10
How long is Season 1, exactly, and what’s the average RXP-per-hour you can reliably get from The Island/MyFaction/universe matches? Those are the numbers that determine whether the free track is realistic or a tease. If RXP is stingy and season length short, paying $9.99 becomes less optional and more inevitable. I’d ask 2K: show the math — season duration, average RXP rates, and whether future content will be exclusive to paid tracks.
What to watch
Official RXP earn rates and season length disclosure — that will tell you how grindy the pass is.
Community response on Steam/Reddit once players hit mid/late tiers — watch complaints about paywalling or pacing.
Extra store bundles and promotions — Steam News’ $500 figure depends on whether 2K bundles or discounts items later.
How quickly 2K adds more seasons — frequency changes total cost calculus for long-term players.
Sources used: official Steam news roster/mode reveals, GamesRadar and IGN hands-on previews, VGC gameplay coverage, and Steam News reporting on microtransaction totals — all of which paint the same overall picture: WWE 2K26 is built to be played and paid for over time, not just purchased once.
TL;DR
WWE 2K26 replaces separate DLC with a 40-tier Ringside Pass (40 free tiers via RXP, $9.99 for the premium path). Season 1 mixes big legends, arenas, belts and MyFaction currency across both tracks. Watch RXP earn rates and the store — the pass is affordable, but the wider microtransaction system is where costs add up.
