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  • Why WWE 2K26 is the Right Time to Bring CM Punk’s Story Back to WWE Video Games – Xbox Wire

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    CM Punk is no stranger to the cover. He first graced it in WWE ’13, marking the start of a new era for the franchise. Shortly after WWE ’13 launched, Punk stepped away from WWE, but 2K continued building and evolving the WWE 2K series in the years that followed.

    When Punk made his long-awaited return to WWE in late 2023, our team immediately began exploring how to welcome him back into the game. That moment came with his return to the roster in WWE 2K24 through the ECW Punk Pack. From there, the focus shifted to something bigger as we looked for the right moment to meaningfully celebrate Punk’s legacy, impact, and industry-changing voice within WWE 2K.

    That moment arrived in April 2025, when CM Punk headlined WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas. For us, it was clear. WWE 2K26 was the right stage to bring Punk back to the forefront and honor his journey as only WWE 2K could.

    Building the Themes For The Best in The World

    CM Punk is known for his rebellious, anti-authoritarian demeanor, never shying away from speaking his mind or doing whatever he wants, such as his infamous “Pipe Bomb” promo when he broke the fourth wall and shared his unfiltered thoughts to the world on Raw. His no-nonsense approach endears him to the WWE fans, but not necessarily within the establishment of WWE; once leaving Money in the Bank with the WWE title held hostage, his contract having expired that same night after defeating John Cena.

    We wanted to play within these themes in WWE 2K26 this year starting with the era that owned the term “anti-establishment”, The Attitude Era. It was an era that took shape out of necessity during the Monday Night War at the turn of the millennium while rival company WCW was on a 52-week streak of winning the TV ratings, riding the wave of popularity from the nWo (Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash) and rising stars like Goldberg and Booker T.

    WWE finally began turning the tide with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Undertaker, Kane, and Triple H to name a few, to eventually break that streak and turn Monday nights into must-see TV.

    Beyond the themes of rebellion and anti-establishmentarianism, we still wanted a more direct link between CM Punk and this era of WWE. This is when we approached WWE with the idea of the WWE 2K26 King of Kings Edition, with Triple H on the cover. Triple H is the perfect bridge, as a staple of the Monday Night War and Attitude Era, as a founding member with Shawn Michaels and Chyna, and then redefining the group as leader of D-Generation X with the addition of the New Age Outlaws and X-Pac, together invading WCW on live TV and then later in his career feuding with CM Punk during Punk’s initial run in WWE before Triple H played an important role in bringing Punk back to WWE in 2023.

    Bringing CM Punk’s Story To Life

    WWE 2K26 brings the themes of CM Punk’s career, nods to WWE history, and the Monday Night War era to the game.

    2K Showcase for WWE 2K26 is another captivatingly curated list of matches from CM Punk’s career, brought to you by CM Punk, who worked with Visual Concepts to bring his story to life for this mode, similar to John Cena for his WWE 2K23 Showcase. This Best in the World 2K Showcase traces Punk’s story across multiple decades, reliving his rise, rebellion, and return. Players can experience iconic rivalries and explore fantasy scenarios that imagine a world where Punk never left WWE or if he faced his heroes from the Attitude Era.

    Bringing The Attitude to Our Gameplay Updates

    The Attitude Era also comes to life in our gameplay dates for WWE 2K26 with the inclusion of extreme match types such as the Inferno Match made famous between Undertaker and Kane’s notorious storyline, the Dumpster match, 3 Stages of Hell and the I Quit match. New weapons including thumbtacks and the ability to stack tables will enable players to heighten the stakes of the mayhem they create in WWE 2K26.

    WWE 2K26 will release with four different editions – Standard Edition with CM Punk as the cover star, the King of Kings Edition featuring Triple H on the cover, the Attitude Era Edition paying homage to multiple WWE stars of that era, and The Monday Night War Edition.

    The Monday Night War Edition is the most premium offering for a WWE 2K title to date, including all the content included in the Attitude Era Edition as well as the Monday Night War Edition Pack and WrestleMania 42 Pack.

    WWE 2K26 is coming to Xbox Series X|S on March 13, 2026. The Monday Night War and Attitude Era Editions include 7-day early access, starting March 6.

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    Danielle Partis, Xbox Wire Editor

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  • AEW, CM Punk Reportedly Discussing Contract Buyout

    AEW, CM Punk Reportedly Discussing Contract Buyout

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    CM Punk, as expected, may be done with AEW for good.

    According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer (h/t WrestlingNews.co), Punk and AEW are discussing a contract buyout that would end Punk’s brief tenure with the company: “Those with close knowledge of the situation said they are in talks with Punk about a buy-out of the remaining years of his contract, which tells you that they are not looking to bring him back.”

    Punk, of course, hasn’t been seen in AEW since his infamous backstage brawl involving The Young Bucks at September’s All Out pay-per-view. AEW and its President Tony Khan have been tight-lipped regarding the incident because of the potential legal ramifications of revealing information about the investigation, which has sent shockwaves through all of pro wrestling.

    MORE FROM FORBESWWE Reportedly Revamping Pay-Per-View Schedule In 2023By Blake Oestriecher

    It’s long been reported that Punk isn’t expected back in AEW and is likely going to end his tenure with pro wrestling’s No. 2 promotion barely a year after making his triumphant return to the squared circle. Punk’s rant at the post-All Out media scrum was the driving force behind that premature AEW exit, and his short stint with the company shockingly came to a screeching halt on the very same night that he became the AEW World Heavyweight Champion.

    Aside from some indefinite suspensions, however, the only confirmed deperature since the AEW “Brawl Out” was that of Ace Steel, who has reportedly been let go by AEW. Steel, a long-time friend of Punk and backstage producer for AEW, is no longer with the company, but that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise after Steel given that his involvement in the Punk-Bucks melee came shortly after he was fined for swearing on TV.

    AEW getting rid of a seldom seen producer is one thing. But AEW moving on from a star the caliber of Punk, Omega, Nick or Matt Jackson? That’s a whole different ballgame.

    Ranking among AEW’s highest paid stars, Punk had been lauded by Khan as a significant TV ratings draw for AEW and one of its cornerstones, despite Punk’s lengthy absence from the ring and the fact that he wasn’t an AEW original. As fans have seen with Cody Rhodes, losing a top star can have a huge effect on a pro wrestling company’s backstage environment, and in the case of Rhodes, it sure feels like he was the glue that was holding AEW’s locker room together.

    On the other hand, Punk had been well known as a “divisive personality” in AEW and in pro wrestling in general, which is both part of the reason why he was able to reach the pinnacle of the business and a contributing factor to why he so unceremoniously left WWE in 2014 and then stayed out of pro wrestling for the next several years. It’s also why there’s a lot of “anti-Punk sentiment” in AEW right now. With a big personality and a main event-level push comes a lot of attention, pressure and envy, and Punk entered AEW in 2021 and was instantly pushed as one of the comnpany’s biggest stars.

    His brief AEW stint, though enjoyable and certainly memorable, will down as one of the most significant events in AEW’s four-year history. That’s because Punk’s expected AEW deperature represents a major turning point for AEW after Punk became a polarizing and divisive locker room figure. Since Punk has been gone, veteran stars like Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho and Bryan Danielson have stepped up as locker room leaders, resulting in substantial improvements to AEW’s locker room morale.

    Even if Punk’s contract is bought out, however, the damage has already been done.

    Numerous AEW stars are looking to exit the company and go or return to WWE, a reality that was likely expedited by morale issues that, at least in part, stemmed from Punk’s involvement in creating a divided locker room. But Punk appears to be as good as gone, and in reality, the negative effects that would be created by bringing him back far outweight any potential positives.

    AEW has enough homegrown stars and established names to right the ship and do so without Punk, so if he’s bought out? Expect those WWE return rumors to heat up, but don’t be surprised a contract buyout marks the end of Punk’s career altogether.

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    Blake Oestriecher, Contributor

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