Ric Flair Addresses WWE 2K Absence and Reveals Surprising Superstar Earnings

Ric Flair has shed light on his absence from the WWE 2K series, revealing why fans haven’t seen him return since his last appearance in WWE 2K22.

When asked if he was surprised not to be included in WWE 2K25—or if anyone had reached out to him about it—Flair explained:

“I knew about it, but I didn’t expect to be, as I’m still under contract at AEW. Unless you’re on the cover, you don’t make any money anyway. Maybe 0.3% or some damn thing!”

His comments have drawn attention across the wrestling community, particularly for what they imply about superstar pay in video games. In years past, appearances in WWE’s games were seen as highly lucrative, with former talent like Maven sharing stories of wrestlers jumping at the chance to be scanned backstage, knowing a healthy payday could follow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uftR6JWmiUQ

Now, Flair’s remarks suggest those days may be long gone—and they also cast doubt on whether he will appear in WWE 2K26 given his ongoing AEW contract.

That said, Flair’s assumption may not tell the full story. Despite being signed to AEW, Billy Gunn was recently confirmed as part of the upcoming WWE 2K25 Attitude Era DLC Pack, showing that exceptions—or workarounds—can be made.