Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick said his unexpected playable-character appearance in WWE 2K26 was his own idea, intended as an amusing nod for industry insiders and fans. He confirmed, however, that he will not appear in Grand Theft Auto 6, ending speculation prompted by the crossover-style cameo.

Zelnick performed motion capture for the character, who has a 77 overall rating, weighs 165 lbs in-game and receives a bespoke entrance with Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. He said the downloadable content performed well despite a puzzled online reaction, while also arguing that WWE 2K could potentially grow to double or triple its current size if Take-Two continues improving it and offering new, brand-appropriate features.