WWE 2k26‘s Ringside Pass just came out, and added Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick as a playable character.
The update that introduced Zelnick also features Matt Cardona, LA Parka, Torrie Wilson, and Brian Pillman, but Zelnick is, for some reason, the one every WWE—and GTA—fan is talking about. Searching the internet for reactions on this kind of thing often makes for great content, but most fan reactions here range from “what?” to “wtf?” And I get it.
If this doesn’t seem bizarre enough to you by itself, check out Zelnick’s entrance, which features over thirty seconds straight of the commentators praising him with heartfelt stuff like, “there’s a hell of a difference between making games and stepping foot in that ring”, which, like, Zelnick doesn’t even really make games. Also, the WWE is not the UFC. It’s truly dangerous entertainment, but not when you’re a big-time CEO. We know that because we have proof of billionaires on that stage—it could be a dumb ritual that must happen every two decades or so to appease the wrestling gods—and the only people who suffered were the ones watching. Also, if there’s anything even faker than the WWE, it’s WWE in video game form.
Zelnick also makes his entrance to the tune of something very different from what you’d expect out of a true wrestler. My Way—no, not the Limp Bizkit version, the one by Frank Sinatra. I’d never throw shade on the man, but I doubt this is the kind of place he was thinking of to display the beauty of this song when he recorded it.
The entire Zelnick entrance almost feels like it’s playing in slow motion, but it’s just an extremely boring choice for something as crazed and fast-paced as WWE. Also, you cannot choose to use My Way on any other character. I wonder if he’s trying to send across the most on-the-nose message of all time. He couldn’t have been too distant from consumer reality to know what would happen, right? So, kudos to him on that, at least.
