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Classic legends of the ring join WWE 2K14 in today's DLC
The third installment in the WWE 2K14 downloadable content roadmap arrives today, bringing with it a handful of famed old school wrestlers and new character creation items. For a purchase price of $9, the aptly titled "WWE Legends and Creations Pack" offers players a chance to step into the squared circle as "Ravishing" Rick Rude, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Bruno Sammartino or Jake "The Snake" Roberts (pictured above, mid-DDT). Virgil is also included in the DLC pack, though fans with fond memories of his time working as Ted DiBiase's valet will be happy to hear that 2K plans to also release the virtual Virgil as a free taste of today's DLC additions. Finally, the WWE Legends and Creations Pack adds 14 new character heads to the host of items already included in the game's wrestler creation suite. Those who purchased the WWE 2K14 Season Pass will receive this DLC for free, though keep in mind that this is the last addition the game will receive. We checked with 2K this morning to see if the publisher had any future plans for WWE 2K14 DLC, but were told that "today's release is the last one currently scheduled for WWE 2K14."
Here's the full roster for WWE 2K14's '30 Years of WrestleMania' mode
The complete roster for WWE 2K14's 30 Years of WrestleMania mode was announced earlier today by legendary WWE commentators Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler, during an appropriately dramatic and (Ric) flair-filled press event held at this weekend's WWE SummerSlam AXXESS event in Los Angeles. The roster, listed in its entirety after the break, is made up of 33 wrestlers, 10 of which have "Retro" variants, bringing the entire cast of characters up to 43 unbelievably giant, sweaty men. Highlights of the list include relatively recent personalities such as The Rock, CM Punk and John Cena, as well as classic competitors such as Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Mick Foley, Ric Flair and Goldberg. It's worth noting that these wrestlers have been announced specifically for the 30 Years of WrestleMania mode, and that 2K Sports has yet to divulge which will also be available for use in the game's other modes.
WWE 2K14 alternate cover art contest wins with Daniel Bryan entries
Both winners of 2K Sports' alternate cover art contest for WWE 2K14 featured Daniel Bryan in their entries, the developer announced today. The winners, Mike Rodriguez of Corona, CA and Alexis Zankowitch of Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, France will see their art appear as an insert on the inside of every copy of the game in their respective regions. The cover art on the front of every box features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. 2K Sports also recently unveiled the game's 30 Years of WrestleMania mode, which has players completing over 45 matches across the event's 30-year history. WWE 2K14 is slated to launch October 29 in North America and November 1 internationally on PS3 and Xbox 360. %Gallery-196046%
PS3 gets pay-per-view streaming with Live Events Viewer app
PlayStation is expanding its streaming footprint one piledriver at a time with the new Live Events Viewer. Announced at E3 and available today, the app will let you buy and watch pay-per-view events -- starting with this Sunday's WWE SummerSlam -- directly from your PS3 without the need for a cable subscription. Sony is promising that new programming will be available on a weekly basis and that there will be free content in addition to PPVs, too. All that's available right now are UFC and WWE specials, but according to the US PlayStation Blog, concerts, races and "other entertainment events" are en route. You could also get your scripted and unscripted fisticuffs fix on the Xbox 360, but you need an active Xbox Live Gold subscription to use them.
WWE 2K14 gets 30th anniversary WrestleMania mode
WWE 2K14 will include a single player campaign mode that spans the 30-year history of WrestleMania, 2K Sports announced. Called "30 Years of WrestleMania," the mode tasks players with completing over 45 matches separated into five different "eras" in WWE's lengthy history. 2K promises authentic arenas, gear, entrances and other presentation elements, as well as video packages and cinematic cut scenes to set the stage for each match. Much like WWE 13's Attitude Era mode, players will complete objectives to unlock items such as playable wrestlers and alternate attire in 30 Years of WrestleMania, with most goals oriented around replicating moments from the matches as they happened in real life. WWE 2K14 will hit the mat on October 29 for Xbox 360 and PS3. 2K recently announced a special Phenom Edition of the game, which features The Undertaker's "American Badass" character. %Gallery-195822%
WWE 2K14 Phenom Edition brings back the American Badass for $100
2K Sports announced a special edition for WWE 2K14 that features arguably the best wrestler in the business, The Undertaker. Coming in a collectible tin coffin, the Phenom Edition includes a copy of WWE 2K14, an art card signed by The Undertaker, a controller skin, the first disc of "The Streak" DVD set that details the Deadman's undefeated streak at WrestleMania and a special playable version of The Undertaker's "American Badass" character from the Attitude Era. Players that pick up the Phenom Edition also gain access to the Ultimate Warrior in WWE 2K14, a playable character otherwise locked to pre-orders. The Phenom Edition is available for pre-order on Amazon or the WWE Shop for $100. The game is slated to strut into stores on October 29. %Gallery-195175%
Yahoo announces six original shows, WWE streaming partnership
It's been just under a week since Yahoo scored exclusive rights to stream Saturday Night Live clips, but the old guard of search has just divulged more of its video plans at its Digital Content NewFront event. Taking a page from Netflix's playbook, the firm announced its original comedy lineup will be released in a "binge-viewing" style á la House of Cards this fall, and added Tiny Commando, We Need Help and Losing Your Virginity with John Stamos to its humor roster. Mayer and Co. also revealed a trio of lifestyle programs called Fashion Recipe, Cinema & Spice and Grill Girls, which are headed online at some point later this year. In addition to its in-house programming, Yahoo's partnered with the WWE to create an online wrestling hub starting this summer, which will include clips, a 30-minute Monday Night Raw pre-show, two original weekly shows with 50 episodes per year, an archive of full historic matches and more. The folks in Sunnyvale are also set to stream video content from Conde Nast Entertainment, and expand their relationship with ABC News thanks to World News Behind the Headlines, Nightline: Online and GMA Live. News junkies will also be able to tune into the CNBC's Talking Numbers. For descriptions of the outfit's original shows -- and how it'd like to catch your attention with ads -- hit the jump for the full press release. [Image credit: Yodel Anecdotal, Flickr]
THQ owed WWE $7.6 million, disclosure statement reveals
A recent disclosure statement filed by THQ revealed details of the terms the publisher came to with the WWE and series developer Yuke's when the publisher folded. At the time of THQ's bankruptcy filing in December 2012, it owed approximately $7.6 million to WWE for marketing and royalties expenses, as well as $15 million to $20 million to Yuke's.According to the statement, THQ, WWE and Yuke's all signed termination agreements on February 12, 2013 that relieved THQ of responsibility in paying WWE and Yuke's of those claims. THQ agreed to pay WWE royalties for sales of WWE games during its Chapter 11 case, and will also pay Yuke's $250,000 in settlement for royalties from sales during the time of its bankruptcy filing.As a result, WWE and Yuke's terminated existing contracts with THQ in order to pursue a publishing agreement for future WWE games with Take-Two. Damage claims against THQ that were eliminated as a result of the termination agreement "may have exceeded $60 million," according to the document.
WWE 2K14 taps The Rock for cover spot
Part-time draw The Rock will grace the cover of the latest WWE game, WWE 2K14. Casey Collins, Executive Vice President of Consumer Products, announced the news (via Pasta Padre) prior to this past weekend's Wrestlemania 29 event, where The Rock lost his championship belt against John Cena. Don't worry, we're sure he'll get it back in time to promote the game later this year.The WWE license was held by THQ for years, up until the company's collapse late last year. THQ then proceeded to auction off its assets, with Take-Two securing the WWE license and placing it under its 2K Sports banner. WWE 2K14 is due this fall.Update: We followed up with 2K Sports to confirm what this game is actually called. The original announcement by Take-Two called it "WWE '14," but Joystiq has confirmed with 2K Sports that the game will indeed be called WWE 2K14. All references to the game in this post have been updated with the correct title.
Take-Two officially takes over WWE license, WWE 2K14 coming in fall
We knew this was coming last week, but now it's official: Take-Two is now the holder of the WWE license. The first game to come from the new WWE publisher is due this fall, titled WWE '14 – in line with 2K Sports' branding of sports games. [Update: The original ESPN source cited a name change, but Take-Two's press release confirms the new game will be called WWE '14.] Take-Two struck a five-year deal with WWE, WWE executive vice president of consumer products Casey Collins confirmed to ESPN. The previous WWE license holder was THQ, who has been pumping out wrasslin' games since 1999. THQ has since become no more, forced to sell off all its assets to the highest bidder – but before that silent auction, THQ and WWE got together to hold private bidding for the license. According to Collins, Take-Two was the right fit, a publisher he sees as "a leader going forward on these next-gen systems." Not only that, but Take-Two's success with the NBA 2K series also spurred interest, Collins said. "The work they do, and the quality of the games they put out and how they've been able to grow their franchise with not only the simulation aspect of the game, but also the entertainment aspect, we thought they'd be a perfect partner." WWE '14 will launch this fall, a joint collaboration between 2K Sports studio Visual Concepts and longtime WWE series developer Yukes, located in Japan. As part of this five-year deal, Take-Two has also hired on some designers from THQ to work with Visual Concepts. "What we're going to do moving forward is meld Yukes with the team at Visual Concepts, so we can have the best of both worlds," Collins said. "Having Yukes' experience and then getting the Visual Concepts guys on board with them, we think this is going to be a dynamic duo." Collins confirmed that folks from THQ's "Fight Team" were being hired at Take-Two to help Visual Concepts with the transition. "The THQ Fight Team is also being brought over, and they'll report directly to Visual Concepts. Their experience in the marketing, their experience in the development, their experience with our franchise for years ... we thought that it was very valuable to keep that continuity." [Note: Image taken from WWE '13, but you probably knew that because it says WWE '13 right on the image.
Take-Two to publish WWE games pending court approval
Take-Two Interactive is set to enter a publishing deal for WWE games, confirming a previous report. IGN obtained a quote from the parent company of 2K Games, 2K Sports and Rockstar that it expects to take over the license previously held by defunct publisher THQ."At this time, the agreement is pending court approval and we anticipate that it will be finalized shortly," a company representative told IGN. "We are very excited about the potential of this agreement and will have more to share at the appropriate time."Take-Two plans to keep developer Yukes on to helm the franchise. The exact financial terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed. WWE isn't the only thing Take-Two picked up from the collapse of THQ, spending $10.9 million on Turtle Rock's still secret Evolve during the asset auction last month.
Report: THQ's WWE license going to Take-Two
While most of THQ's coffers have already been cleaned out, there's been no official word on any party making a move on the WWE license. An IGN source suggests Take-Two will take over the WWE line of games. The negotiations for the WWE license apparently took place outside of the formal THQ auction, IGN notes. According to documents obtained by Joystiq, Take-Two has already spent $10.9 million snagging Turtle Rock's Evolve from THQ.
WWE '13 slamming retail October 30
WWE '13 has an official spring off the ropes date of October 30. THQ reiterated the title would launch this year in a recent investor call and accidentally flipped the switch last week on the game's trailer.The financially troubled publisher has six games launching this fiscal year (ending March 2013). Darksiders 2 is set for August 14, Saints Row's Enter the Dominatrix is in September, WWE '13 slams October and Company of Heroes 2, Metro: Last Light and South Park in 2013.
Daily iPad App: Wrestlefest brings the smackdown
THQ recently released a game called Wrestlefest on the App Store, and it's a weird mix of retro gaming and iOS. If you're a WWE fan, you'll probably love Wrestlefest. There's plenty of knock-down and several WWE stars, plus various game modes and moves to enjoy. The game itself is hard to quantify. It's actually a remake of a 1991 wrestling game, and fans of that version will like this one, too. The graphics are clean and clear, the music is faithfully represented, and the controls are as good as they've ever been, despite being transferred over to virtual buttons and a joystick. I should qualify the statement, "the controls are as good as they've ever been." Wrestling games fighting games, of course, but with emphasis on crazy comebacks and loony action. As a result, Wrestlefest doesn't really work too well for me. It's not always clear what's going on, and it seems like the best strategy is to mash the buttons as hard as possible. When that doesn't work, I don't know what does. Perhaps my experience would be different if I were familiar with the original game. But since I'm not, I feel a little lost while playing Wrestlefest. Of course, THQ wants you to play anyway. The game is available in a free version with limited content, and if you find that you like it, you can pay US$2.99 to unlock everything and play as much as you want.
WWE WrestleFest on iOS today, coming to XBLA, PSN, PC, Android in 2012
Well, this is definitely the craziest thing to happen in wrestling games in quite some time -- and wrestling is a sport built entirely on human insanity. WWF WrestleFest, the classic arcade game by Technos, has been updated for release on iOS by THQ. The new "WWE Wrestlefest" has smoother graphics and an updated roster of wrestlers (a rostler, if you will) including John Cena and Randy Orton, alongside old-school wrestlers like the late "Macho Man" Randy Savage. It's also been modernized with "an extensive downloadable content program."The app is available in a free "Lite" version and a $2.99 "Premium" version for iPhone, and both "Lite" and paid for iPad.THQ also plans to release this new WrestleFest on XBLA, PSN, Android, and PC, sometime in 2012. So we hope the new version is good.
Mattel Apptivity hands-on (video)
Mattel thinks it has the secret to succeeding where so many others have failed in bridging that divide between the virtual and the physical -- and it might be right. While plenty of other toy companies have tried pairing hunks of plastic with apps in the past, Mattel has gone the extra mile, incorporating its recognizable brands and partnering with top tier developers. Later this year the company will launch Apptivity, a line of toys made from conductive plastic that interact with iPad games -- some which you're already quite familiar with, like Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja and, of course, Angry Birds. The games will get an update when the toys hit the market with new features and play modes specifically designed to utilize the physical pieces. Other brands, including WWE, Batman and Hot Wheels will also be part of the first batch of toys designed to be played with on your iPad screen.None of the apps or the toys themselves were quite ready for prime time yet, but Hot Wheels, WWE, Fruit Ninja and Cut the Rope were all at least playable. The Apptivity mode in Cut the Rope and Fruit Ninja are pretty intuitive, but it took a bit of practice to get the hang of Hot Wheels. We had trouble finding the sweet spot on the screen that kept our car speeding along while leaving room to see upcoming obstacles. The line of toys will launch exclusively in Apple Stores in May with Hot Wheels (which will cost $20), followed by the rest in July. Check out the gallery below and the video after the break for a few more impressions.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
WWE '12 review: Men in Tights
Pro wrestling has never been depicted as well as it has in WWE '12, a decidedly non-wrestling game. Sure, it's got "wrestling" embedded somewhere in its acronymic title, but WWE '12 acts like a fighting game. In pro wrestling, the "other guy" in a match takes bumps, and helps dictate the pace of the bout. The video game versions of wrestling don't include blatant options to take falls. There is no intentional means of losing to give a low-card wrestler a "push." WWE '12 continues the tradition of advancing the illusion of wrestling. Both as a video game and as an extension of the WWE product, it accomplishes that task exceedingly well. %Gallery-125042%
WWE All Stars enters the 3DS ring
WWE All Stars, THQ's arcade-style wrestling game, is leaping from the top rope onto another platform: the 3DS. There, the exaggerated wrestlers will get to be exaggerated into a third dimension. The 3DS game will come pre-packed with the 13 rasslers offered as DLC for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, and two exclusive gameplay modes, Gauntlet and Score Scramble. Gauntlet is a survival mode in which players have to take on every wrestler in the game. Score Scramble challenges players "to either reach a specific point total or to finish a timed match with the highest point total." The 3DS version of All Stars arrives on November 22. Unfortunately, we don't expect a BrawlStick release for this one.
Quaggan SMASH: Guild Wars 2 reveals its most cute -- and deadly -- race yet
Look at that guy up there? Isn't he just the cutest thing ever? Oh, ignore the teeth -- Quaggans are big softies, really. ArenaNet is back with another exposé on the races of Guild Wars 2. This time the studio's focusing on the Quaggan, which it calls "our most cuddly race." But what do cuddles and creatures that look as though they should already be sold as plushie dolls through the ArenaNet gift shop have to do with the rough-and-tumble fantasy world of Guild Wars 2? While the peaceful and polite race wouldn't normally make waves, the Quaggans have an interesting ability to "hulk out" and go on rampages when they get mad. As the saying goes, "Do not make Quaggan angry. You would not like Quaggan when Quaggan is angry." Therefore Quaggans have to be mellow to avoid a non-stop WWE battle royal -- although at times, unleashing their inner aggression can save their hides. It's this dynamic ArenaNet latched onto while fleshing out the race's place in the world. You can read more about the dolphin-like Quaggans over on the ArenaNet blog.
WWE All-Stars review: Larger than life
In the last decade, wrestling video games have done an exceptional job of recreating the dense rules, convoluted dramas and worn bodies that comprise the popular television enterprise that entertains the red meat-eating swath of America. It is a strange, slightly silly pursuit: creating a realistic replica of a fantasy. And yet, developers and publishers have, without asking why, fed us real-fake wrestling games, where punches whiff and luchadores disappointingly obey the laws of gravity. WWE All-Stars, the latest wrestling game from THQ, sounds, in name alone, like another addition to this long, dull line of reality-fantasy-simulators. It's not: Its wrestlers are brawny theme park caricatures; its drama is shallow and direct; and its rules are nonexistent. %Gallery-114622%