The official cover star for WWE 2K26 has finally been unveiled: none other than the “Best in the World,” CM Punk. The announcement took place today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the Royal Rumble Kickoff show. The event, hosted by Michael Cole, set the stage for a weekend of massive wrestling action, but the gaming news took center stage early in the broadcast.
While fans have known about the special editions of the game for weeks, the face of the standard edition remained a mystery until today. Previously, 2K confirmed three alternate versions: the Attitude Era edition, the Monday Night War edition, and the King of Kings edition. The Attitude Era and Monday Night War covers feature a collage of numerous legends who defined those periods in sports entertainment history. Meanwhile, the King of Kings edition highlights WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. However, the coveted spot on the main edition belongs solely to the current World Heavyweight Champion.
It is the first time Punk has been featured on a WWE video game cover since WWE ’13, which was released during the “Summer of Punk” era. Notably, that game was published by THQ, making WWE 2K26 the very first time Punk has graced the cover of a game published by 2K Sports.
During the Kickoff show in Riyadh, Punk appeared live to react to the unveiling. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, acknowledging the rarity of being selected as a cover athlete multiple times in a career. “It is my pleasure and honor, as a little kid I could only dream of being on the cover of a video game and now I’m joining some esteemed dignitaries who have been on the cover twice.”
Best in the World….. STILL 😏 @CMPunk #WWE2K26 pic.twitter.com/KVYpnQ57hC
— #WWE2K26 (@WWEgames) January 30, 2026