Platform Specific WWE Games: Why?

[WrestleCrap'sRD]

I was curious as to why there are platform specific WWE games? Think about it - any other fighting or sports games are exactly the same across the board. Madden, for instance, is basically the same game on every system. So is Soul Calibur II (with a change of character here or there). Why then does THQ make different WWE games for every system? Wouldn't it make more sense to develop one game, then release it for all the systems? It seems to me that would be much cheaper (for them) than their current model...

RD

[kev]

So dedicated fans (I'll call them, wackos) need to buy more than one game every year.

On a related note, Day of Reckoning is pretty dang good. I just wish it weren't so hard.

[punqsux]

see now this could be good or bad. this could have ment great things if ps1 was getting the n64 rasslin games. but think about this. raw multiplatform.

yeah...

[WhipSmartBanky]

Raw 2 isn't half bad though. I find myself playing it more than WM19.

But yeah, I'm betting it's to get people to buy more than one WWE game.

I treat them like sports games...I wait until they get to $10 or less before I grab them.

[Wshakspear]

Ive wondered about this. Just having one game would mean they could continue to add and improve the game by leaps and bounds for all systems...then again, Tony Hawk still looks like shit

[sblymnlcrymnl]

Ive wondered about this. Just having one game would mean they could continue to add and improve the game by leaps and bounds for all systems...then again, Tony Hawk still looks like shit

It may look like shit, but it plays like a mutha fuckin' dream.

[Ikohn4ever]

I am goin with to make more money

[guyver2077]

so true fans can go buy all 3 of them like me lol.

also i would guess so they can vary the roster since they cannot fit everyone on the roster in one game.

[WhipSmartBanky]

so true fans can go buy all 3 of them like me lol.

also i would guess so they can vary the roster since they cannot fit everyone on the roster in one game.

Bullshit.

[ZForce915]

They do it for the same reason they have a PPV every month (soon to be 2 a month). $$$

[guyver2077]

lol...i know the gamecube's 1gb limit forces them to cut alot off.. and supposedly smackdown will have a weak roster as well because of all the space the improved polygons are taking up.

[kristianator]

just buy the newest smackdown, and you don't have to buy any other wwe game

[vrs1650]

I agree with WSB, wait untill they get cheap and then buy them. I agree though, i think one game, three systems could be wonderful for wrestling, but as long as people buy all three they will keep doing it.

[guyver2077]

i actually like having 3 different games because it gives me 3 different games to look forward to...also three different engines so they are all unique.

i wish they would assign each game like a seasonal realease. like one come out first quarter. then another the third quarter etc. so theyw ouldnt all come out at the same time

i like the animation in smackdown alot and it gets the most attention from thq but i prefer the cube engine cause its more realistic. smackdown is insanely fast

[Wshakspear]

lol...i know the gamecube's 1gb limit forces them to cut alot off.. and supposedly smackdown will have a weak roster as well because of all the space the improved polygons are taking up.

To be quite honest, its not really the polygons fault. Its more or less overworked developers. These game have to be made in a certani amount of time, thus improved graphics take a lot of time, and not everyone can get the better treatment..compare it to Gran Turismo in that respect

[Smell]

i always get the new smackdown games the day the come out

its one of the few days im not a cag

[guyver2077]

i always get the new smackdown games the day the come out

its one of the few days im not a cag

yup i dont even think twice about the price whenever a new wwe game comes out for any system. i cant even wait for the new gba game and ngage game coming out.

[punqsux]

i wish aki would just make a game that would be nothing but caw's.

prolly on xbox would be best. allow like 300 CAW's and custom soundtracks and the standard AKI 6000 moves.

thats all. no license, no anything.

[AdamInPlaidum]

i wish aki would just make a game that would be nothing but caw's.

prolly on xbox would be best. allow like 300 CAW's and custom soundtracks and the standard AKI 6000 moves.

thats all. no license, no anything.

I could definiely see Fire Pro doing something like that.

[KingDox]

well I'm kinda glad that each console does get their own WWE game. That way the xbox doesn't get some PS2 port and look crappy.

Also maybe they know that people hate the way raw feels and love the way Smackdown feels or the other way around and instead of creating some type of "groove" system like Capcom vs SNK 2 they just figure they will make different games.

[Scahom1]

i always get the new smackdown games the day the come out

its one of the few days im not a cag

Oh hell yeah. Forget GTA, Halo 2, and MGS...the new Smackdown is my most anticipated game this holiday season. Kinda sad ain't it?

[rebenns]

They could do it to make more money. But, it also increases development costs, as creating a new game costs far more than porting from one system to another.

[DigitalSpace]

yup i dont even think twice about the price whenever a new wwe game comes out for any system. i cant even wait for the new gba game and ngage game coming out.

I think that's the first time I've read about anyone being excited about the release of any N-Gage game.

[mykevermin]

I'll be fine as long as Razor Ramon, err, Carlito Carribean Cool, is included in one of the new games.

Something like that.

Moneywise, I don't like the games being console specific, because I *will* buy them all, sooner or later. I also like the fact that the games play differently. Smackdown tends to be a faster paced arcade-style game (though the last iteration seems to have changed that a bit). The GC games are slower and attempt to emulate the AKI style (which I think they do a very good - but not great - job of doing).

They developed Raw for Xbox in order to keep the streak of awful wrestling games for Xbox alive. I enjoy Raw 2, somewhat. However, when an entire team of developers is fired two weeks before the game's release, it does not bode well for a title in the slightest.

Finally, for the hardcore wrestling gamers, Spike's King of Colosseum II was released in Japan this past week. The first titles are still some of the best wrestling games I've ever played, so if you're an importer, I highly recommend this.

myke.

[mykevermin]

I should also provide a 'hello' and a 'thank you' to the OP. Your website made me realize that the "run-in guy" of the early 90's was not a figment of my imagination. Your first book was excellent, and I look forward to your second.

Now, if only someone could confirm that Good Humor put out an ice-cream bar called "Colossal Fossil" many moons ago, which had a totally nasty-ass gummy dinosaur placed inside it. Then, and only then, will I be truly at peace with myself.

myke.
...obviously does not have his copy of King of Colosseum II yet.

[ViolentLee]

i wish aki would just make a game that would be nothing but caw's.

prolly on xbox would be best. allow like 300 CAW's and custom soundtracks and the standard AKI 6000 moves.

thats all. no license, no anything.

What do you think of AKI's recent games? It's done the Ultimate MUSCLE titles (GC, PS2), and the Def Jam series. I loved Day of Reckoning, but I still think Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 (which became No Mercy in the U.S.) is the best wrestling video game. Also thought Giant Gram 2000 for Dreamcast was sweet.

As for the original question, I don't care why they do it. I think it's a good idea, since most licenses or franchises just get cookie-cutter ports on all three systems. It's cool someone's doing console-exclusive content besides the console makers themselves. I do know that one guy at THQ presides over all of them, though, so there is a lot of communication between the teams (plus, Yuke's in Japan develops all three).

[mykevermin]

As for the original question, I don't care why they do it. I think it's a good idea, since most licenses or franchises just get cookie-cutter ports on all three systems. It's cool someone's doing console-exclusive content besides the console makers themselves. I do know that one guy at THQ presides over all of them, though, so there is a lot of communication between the teams (plus, Yuke's in Japan develops all three).

I never had the patience to get into Giant Gram real deep, so I don't appreciate it the way some people gush over it. King of Colosseum II has a less arcade-style play, resembling the fire pro series (and it also has John Tenta!). The down side, if you're familiar with FPW, is that once you've mastered the timing, then you have essentialy 'mastered' the title. Other titles take ages to master.

Yuke's develops all three? What is the lastest word on an xbox game? Anchor was responsible for the Raw series - is Yuke's developing the next Xbox title? Will there even *be* a next Xbox title?

Another positive (somehow) reason for three distinct titles involves how it helps the consoles. For some reason, the Gamecube has greatly suffered in third party titles this console generation. In some cases (ESPN sports 2K5), no GC title is made, while others (Madden 2005) are released later (even if only a week, a week for a gamer is significant). In addition, it would appear that GC versions of titles may not sell as well as the PS2 or Xbox counterparts (which would explain why I was able to buy GC True Crime and SSX3 at the TRU 50% sale for $10 each, but the other console versions were not on sale). To summarize, third party titles have not sold Gamecubes, unless they were exclusive games. To that extent, the WWE marketing idea is excellent.

They should make scant updates to their titles like with 32X WWF Raw - Just add Kwang! I think I still have that game, but no sega console :(

This thread is awfully slow moving, so I don't think it will hurt anyone to ask: what does the demise of Acclaim mean to you as a fan of wrestling games? I don't know the likelihood of another company continuing the Legends of Wrestling series, so it seems to be that from now on, only WWE (and Rumble Roses!) will be the major wrestling titles, until TNA gets a game (which should be a 3d platform game, with the player taking control of Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo alternately in each subsequent stage as they chase each other down. Since nobody at that company knows which to present to the viewer as the protagonist, then you will get to choose both! Brilliant!)

Err, back to Acclaim: while I loved the idea of LoW, I thought that the most recent game was a travesty, a shame, and somewhat reassuring of the power of laissez-faire capitalism. If a company continually puts out a lousy product, it will not succeed as a business: the free market will prevail. Now I will not be suckered into spending money on a wrestling game I want to own simply as a way to placate my compulsions.

myke.

[ViolentLee]

Yuke's develops all three? What is the lastest word on an xbox game? Anchor was responsible for the Raw series - is Yuke's developing the next Xbox title? Will there even *be* a next Xbox title?



You're right. Spaced on that. My bad. It was 2am.



They should make scant updates to their titles like with 32X WWF Raw - Just add Kwang! I think I still have that game, but no sega console :(



Or WWF Rage in the Cage for Sega CD. Same as all the other damn 16-bit wrestling games, but with FMV clips from each wrestler. With 30 wrestlers, however, it was at least good for a rental.



This thread is awfully slow moving, so I don't think it will hurt anyone to ask: what does the demise of Acclaim mean to you as a fan of wrestling games? I don't know the likelihood of another company continuing the Legends of Wrestling series, so it seems to be that from now on, only WWE (and Rumble Roses!) will be the major wrestling titles, until TNA gets a game (which should be a 3d platform game, with the player taking control of Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo alternately in each subsequent stage as they chase each other down. Since nobody at that company knows which to present to the viewer as the protagonist, then you will get to choose both! Brilliant!)

Err, back to Acclaim: while I loved the idea of LoW, I thought that the most recent game was a travesty, a shame, and somewhat reassuring of the power of laissez-faire capitalism. If a company continually puts out a lousy product, it will not succeed as a business: the free market will prevail. Now I will not be suckered into spending money on a wrestling game I want to own simply as a way to placate my compulsions.



I'm with you, man. I liked the concept of LoW, but they never were well executed. I had high hopes for pt. 3 after E3, but it turned out to play worse than the first two. It's good that THQ is putting old-school Superstars in their games now, which will serve to soften the blow.

I have been hoping Bam would publish a PS2 Fire Pro at some point, but I doubt that'll happen. Really, the only place to go with wrestling games, since WWE dominates the sport, is fictional.