WWE 2K27 Officially Losing 32 Superstars

Every year, a new WWE 2K game brings another roster update, with some wrestlers making their debut while others disappear for one reason or another, and WWE 2K27 is currently slated to lose a significant number of superstars. This is nothing new, but it seems that there have only been more and more layoffs, losses, and the like happening at WWE, so WWE 2K27 could be facing a bigger shake-up than normal.

Of course, neither developer Visual Concepts nor publisher Take-Two Interactive have commented on this (it’s a WWE thing at the end of the day), but it’s worth mentioning that WWE 2K27 is confirmed to be in development. It typically follows a formulaic marketing approach, meaning fans can probably expect a reveal around the Royal Rumble with a release to follow in March. It’s a formula that works, although not everything in the upcoming game will follow the same formula as WWE 2K26.

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WWE 2K27 Losing 32 Superstars (At The Very Least)

As noted by Smackdown Hotel, there are currently 32 superstars who are on the WWE 2K26 roster that will most likely not appear in the next game. Contracts, likeness rights, and character rights can be a little hard to navigate, but the simplest answer is that from the post-WrestleMania quotes to the more recent departures of The New Day from WWE, these 32 superstars are most likely just gone when WWE 2K27 releases. Between now and then, it stands to reason that this number can really only go up, but it depends on rights and returns, of course.

Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.

Easy (15s)
Medium (10s)
Hard (5s)
Permadeath (5s)

Start

Round 1

Which one doesn’t belong?

0/10

Results

0/5

Best: 0/5

—

Per Smackdown Hotel, these Superstars are likely to be axed in the next game:

Alba Fyre

Aleister Black

Alex Shelley

Andre Chase

Apollo Crews

Ava

Cactus Jack

Chris Sabin

Dexter Lumis

Dude Love

Erick Rowan

Ilja Dragunov

Jaxmyn Nyx

JC MAteo

Joe Gacy

Kairi Sane

Kofi Kingston

Mankind

Mick Foley (Manager)

Nikki Cross

Pat McAfee

Ridge Holland

Santos Escobar

Sheamus

Tommaso Ciampa

Tonga Loa

Tyler Breeze

Uncle Howdy

Xavier Woods

Yoshiki Inamura

Zelina

Zoey Stark

While some would certainly want fans to think that their removal from this video game roster (and WWE at large) was an issue with the Superstar getting over, there are deeper stories for most, if not all, of these departures. Many believed The New Day would be WWE lifers, but after a more than 50% cut (according to Kofi), Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods are now in AEW as The New Level, Kofi, and Austin Creed. The Wyatt Sicks, including Uncle Howdy, are special to many fans, and seeing them here is heartbreaking (especially as they were DLC for WWE 2K25). Meanwhile, Mick Foley and his personas broke with WWE over its growing affiliation with President Donald Trump.

These departures, as well as the worry of who’s next, could make WWE 2K27 feel very different from its predecessor before players even start adding new wrestlers to the mix. With the next WWE 2K installment expected to build on the roster and features established by previous games, losing so many recognizable superstars could have a noticeable impact on the overall lineup.

Unfortunately, AEW may be able to provide an alternative to WWE—competition is loved in capitalism—but that’s not true in the video game department. AEW Fight Forever was reportedly a massive flop, but hopefully the company reevaluates and perhaps, one day, The New Level will be appearing in a new AEW video game, possibly among others.