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WWE 2K26 Ringside Pass Changes: Premium DLC Characters Now Start at Tier 1

From Season 2, WWE 2K26’s four Premium Ringside Pass DLC characters are Tier 1 claims. The change does not make them free, while tier progression now costs 625 RXP.
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Starting with Season 2, WWE 2K26 puts all four DLC characters in each future Premium Ringside Pass season at Tier 1, where Premium Pass players can claim them when the season launches. The change does not make those characters free: players still need Premium access. 2K also lowered the RXP needed per tier from 800 to 625, according to its March 30, 2026 announcement.

What changed in the Ringside Pass?

On March 30, 2026, alongside Patch 1.07, WWE 2K Support announced changes to Ringside Pass progression and Premium DLC placement. The RXP requirement fell from 800 to 625 per tier beginning with Season 2, and 2K said it would not increase in future seasons. Consumable RXP Boost values were also set to increase. The most direct change for players seeking DLC wrestlers: all four DLC characters in future Premium seasons would be placed at Tier 1 and available to Premium Pass players to unlock when each season launched.

The Season 2 announcement confirmed the placement in practice: Ax, Smash, Crush, and Kelly Kelly were Premium-track rewards claimable at Tier 1. In the same season, Oba Femi SNME ’25 was a free-track reward at Tier 40. Season 5 later provided another official example of four Premium characters available at Tier 1. These examples show the distinction: the update moved Premium season DLC characters to the first tier; it did not move every character to Tier 1 or make Premium DLC free.

Does Tier 1 mean the DLC character unlocks automatically?

No. Tier 1 means the eligible characters are immediately available to claim in the Ringside Pass menu when the season launches, provided you have Premium Pass access. It is not an automatic grant to every player, and it does not remove the need to claim the rewards. Premium access also does not automatically grant every other Premium reward; those continue to unlock as you progress through their tiers.

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#1 Best Overall
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WWE 2K26 - PlayStation 5
  • THE SHOW NEVER STOPS: Run the world’s greatest show your way and live out your WWE fandom to the fullest. Experience the most expansive gameplay to date with rebellious Legends of the Attitude Era and Superstars of today.
  • MORE SUPERSTARS THAN EVER BEFORE: Featuring the most stacked lineup in franchise history with 400+ playable WWE Superstars and Legends including The Rock, Triple H, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and fan-favorites like Rey Fénix, Rusev, and Blake Monroe.
  • 2K SHOWCASE: Rewrite wrestling history and relive CM Punk’s greatest rivalries in a world where The Voice of the Voiceless never left, including fantasy historical scenarios. Punk’s rise, rebellion, and return make this the most personal Showcase yet.
  • NEW MATCH TYPES AND MORE: Bring the chaos to every corner of the ring with new match types, including I Quit, Inferno, and Dumpster. Plus, take the fight to The Island in the new Scrapyard Brawl arena, experience an updated progression system, and test your skills in MyFACTION with Quick Swap, a fast-paced, team-based mode. Enjoy interactive entrances, new crowd interactions, and fresh commentary from Booker T and Wade Barrett.

How the free and Premium tracks work

Every season has a free track, with a purchasable Premium track alongside it. Both tracks progress as you earn RXP: reaching a tier makes its free reward available, and its Premium reward available if you have Premium access. WWE 2K Support’s Ringside Pass FAQ, published February 23, 2026 and updated July 8, 2026, describes about 60 rewards across 40 free tiers and 120 total goods across both tracks. Rewards can include VC, MyFACTION packs and MFP, Island banners, DLC Superstars, Create-A-Superstar parts, Island taunts, and Personas.

The Tier 1 policy applies to the four DLC characters on future Premium season tracks. It does not mean that all Premium rewards are at Tier 1, or that free-track characters share that placement. Season 2’s Oba Femi SNME ’25 at free Tier 40 is a concrete example of a character reward that remained later in the free track.

How to earn RXP

RXP is earned by playing supported modes while connected online. The FAQ lists Play Now, Universe, MyRISE, Showcase, MyGM, MyFACTION, and The Island. Matches in these modes generally need to be played rather than simulated or abandoned.

Rank #2
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WWE 2K26 | Standard Edition | XBOX Series X|S Digital
  • THE SHOW NEVER STOPS: Run the world’s greatest show your way and live out your WWE fandom to the fullest. Experience the most expansive gameplay to date with rebellious Legends of the Attitude Era and Superstars of today.
  • MORE SUPERSTARS THAN EVER BEFORE: Featuring the most stacked lineup in franchise history with 400+ playable WWE Superstars and Legends including The Rock, Triple H, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and fan-favorites like Rey Fénix, Rusev, and Blake Monroe.
  • 2K SHOWCASE — Rewrite wrestling history and relive CM Punk’s greatest rivalries in the most personal Showcase yet.
  • NEW MATCH TYPES — Bring chaos with I Quit, Inferno, Dumpster matches, and more, plus the new Scrapyard Brawl arena.
  • EXPANDED UNIVERSE MODE — Control your WWE Universe with the new Draft, Creation Wizard, Watch Show mode, and more Promo types.
  • Online-lobby matches do not earn RXP.
  • Matches with at least two local human players do not earn RXP.
  • Matches with friends through Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox, or similar services do not earn RXP.
  • Simulated or entirely AI-run matches do not earn RXP, except Universe Watch Mode.
  • Matches you quit or disconnect from do not earn RXP.

Optional tier skips are available to Premium players, but they are not required to keep progressing: the FAQ says players can continue unlocking rewards with RXP without additional purchases.

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Who received the 20-tier grants?

2K’s March 30 notice described two separate grants, not an ongoing entitlement. All current and future players were to receive enough RXP to unlock 20 Season 1 tiers. A separate grant of enough RXP for 20 Season 2 tiers applied to players who installed the game, linked a 2K account, and played before April 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM PDT. The notice said the RXP could take up to 24 hours to appear after login. That Season 2 qualification deadline has passed.

Rank #3
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WWE 2K26 | Monday Night War Edition | XBOX Series X|S Digital
  • MONDAY NIGHT WAR EDITION — Includes the Monday Night War Pack (Shawn Michaels ’97, Macho Man ’98, Roddy Piper ’98, WCW Thunder ’98 Arena), Attitude Era Pack, King of Kings Pack, Joe Hendry Pack, WrestleMania 42 Pack, 100,000 VC, MyRISE Boost, and Season Pass (Ringside Premium Seasons 1–6).
  • WWE VS. WCW RIVALRY RETURNS — Reignite the legendary Monday Night War with iconic Superstars, classic arenas, and exclusive content spanning WWE and WCW history.
  • THE SHOW NEVER STOPS: Run the world’s greatest show your way and live out your WWE fandom to the fullest. Experience the most expansive gameplay to date with rebellious Legends of the Attitude Era and Superstars of today.
  • MORE SUPERSTARS THAN EVER BEFORE: Featuring the most stacked lineup in franchise history with 400+ playable WWE Superstars and Legends including The Rock, Triple H, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and fan-favorites like Rey Fénix, Rusev, and Blake Monroe.
  • 2K SHOWCASE — Rewrite wrestling history and relive CM Punk’s greatest rivalries in the most personal Showcase yet.
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What you need to use the Pass

The Ringside Pass requires WWE 2K26 and an internet connection; 2K’s Season 4 notice also specifies a 2K account. Premium availability and bundling can depend on season, platform, edition, and date. For example, the Season 4 notice described Premium Season 4 as included through the Season Pass in the Attitude Era and Monday Night War editions, as well as individually purchasable. Buying the base game alone does not establish that you own Premium Pass access.

Best Value
Sale
WWE 2K26 | Attitude Era Edition | XBOX Series X|S Digital
  • ATTITUDE ERA EDITION — Includes The Rock ’99, Kane ’98, Chyna ’97, Triple H ’98, Stephanie McMahon ’00, Joe Hendry, and more.
  • RINGSIDE PASS SEASONS 1–4 — Expand your roster with four post-launch Seasons, each unlocking four new Superstars and additional rewards.
  • THE SHOW NEVER STOPS: Run the world’s greatest show your way and live out your WWE fandom to the fullest. Experience the most expansive gameplay to date with rebellious Legends of the Attitude Era and Superstars of today.
  • MORE SUPERSTARS THAN EVER BEFORE: Featuring the most stacked lineup in franchise history with 400+ playable WWE Superstars and Legends including The Rock, Triple H, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and fan-favorites like Rey Fénix, Rusev, and Blake Monroe.
  • 2K SHOWCASE — Rewrite wrestling history and relive CM Punk’s greatest rivalries in the most personal Showcase yet.
Rank #4
WWE 2K26 Monday Night War - PC Steam [Online Game Code]
  • The Monday Night War Edition Includes: Monday Night War Edition Pack (Playable Superstar: Shawn Michaels DX, Playable Superstar: Macho Man Randy Savage ’98, Playable Superstar: Rowdy Roddy Piper ’98, Arena: WCW Thunder ’98, MySUPERSTAR Island emote: DDP’s Bang!), Attitude Era Edition Pack (Playable Superstar: The Rock ’99, Playable Superstar: Kane ’98, Playable Superstar: Chyna ’97, MyFACTION EVO Card: Stone Cold Steve Austin, MyFACTION EVO Card: The Rock, Arena: RAW is WAR ’98, MySUPERSTAR Island emote: Undertaker Thumb Across the Neck, MySUPERSTAR Island emote: HBK DX Crotch Chop), King of Kings Pack (Playable Superstar: Triple H ’98, Playable Superstar: Stephanie McMahon ’00, MySUPERSTAR Island Emote: Triple H Signature Taunt), the Joe Hendry Pack (New Playable Superstar: Joe Hendry, MyFACTION EVO Card: Joe Hendry, MySUPERSTAR CAS Part: Joe Hendry T-Shirt, and MySUPERSTAR Island Emote: Joe Hendry Spin), Superstar Mega-Boost (100,000 VC and My Rise Mega-Boost), Ringside Pass Premium Season 1, 32,500 VC, and 7-day Early Access.
  • THE SHOW NEVER STOPS: Run the world’s greatest show your way and live out your WWE fandom to the fullest. Experience the most expansive gameplay to date with rebellious Legends of the Attitude Era and Superstars of today.
  • MORE SUPERSTARS THAN EVER BEFORE: Featuring the most stacked lineup in franchise history with 400+ playable WWE Superstars and Legends including The Rock, Triple H, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and fan-favorites like Rey Fénix, Rusev, and Blake Monroe.
  • 2K SHOWCASE: Rewrite wrestling history and relive CM Punk’s greatest rivalries in a world where The Voice of the Voiceless never left, including fantasy historical scenarios. Punk’s rise, rebellion, and return make this the most personal Showcase yet.
  • NEW MATCH TYPES AND MORE: Bring the chaos to every corner of the ring with new match types, including I Quit, Inferno, and Dumpster. Plus, take the fight to The Island in the new Scrapyard Brawl arena, experience an updated progression system, and test your skills in MyFACTION with Quick Swap, a fast-paced, team-based mode. Enjoy interactive entrances, new crowd interactions, and fresh commentary from Booker T and Wade Barrett.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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