Hulk Hogan Officially Removed From Upcoming WWE 2K16 Video Game

Polygon, the video game website owned by Vox Media, has spoken to representatives for 2K Games, who gave them (as well as IGN) the following statement:

We are highly respectful of the way that our partners choose to run their business and manage our partnerships accordingly. We can confirm that Hulk Hogan will not appear in WWE 2K16.

Polygon also asked the 2K representative if Hogan would be removed from any past WWE games. They were told that while it was a "fair question," the company has "no other comments at this time."

WWE 2K16 is being hyped as literally the biggest WWE video game, with by far the most expansive roster in the franchise's history. Unless something changes drastically in the next few months, though, we now know one WWE legend who won't be in the game.

Stone Cold Steve Austin Confirmed As This Year’s WWE 2K16 Cover Star

WWE and 2K Sports have officially announced that ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin will be the cover star of the upcoming WWE 2K16 video game, set for release on current and last generation XBox and Playstation video game consoles, October 27th.

It was reported several months ago that the developers were working on a campaign mode built around Austin’s career, with both Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler being brought in to do voice-over work for the game.

WWE 2K16 will boast the largest roster ever assembled in a WWE video game, with over 120 unique characters promised to ship with the game on day one.

WWE Creates New YouTube Gaming Channel

WWE today launched UpUpDownDown, a new YouTube channel focusing on the world of video gaming, hosted by WWE Superstar and avid gamer, Xavier Woods®. Woods, also known to online players by his handle “Austin Creed,” will be joined by YouTube celebrities, WWE Superstars and video game editors who will star in daily programming about everything in the world of gaming – from current hits like “WWE 2K15” and “The Witcher” to classic series like “FIFA” and “Grand Theft Auto.”

“By leveraging WWE’s massive influence on YouTube and tapping into a content vertical that scores highly among our fans, we’re poised to make an immediate impact with this new channel,” said Lisa Fox, WWE Executive Vice President, Content. “We’re confident that UpUpDownDown will entertain not only WWE fans, but gamers everywhere.”

WWE has a powerful presence on YouTube, having served more than 5 billion video views in the last 12 months and boasting more than 6.4 million subscribers, making it the No. 1 Sports channel on the platform ahead of the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, ESPN and NASCAR.

Programming for UpUpDownDown will include:

• UpUpDownDown Plays (Mondays) – A “Let’s Play” style show featuring Woods and other personalities playing through today’s hottest titles.

• For the Lolz (Wednesdays) – Woods and others explore the vast worlds of popular sandbox games like Grand Theft Auto V, where just about anything and everything can happen.

• Jump Scares (Fridays) – Delving deep into the horror genre, players push their intestinal fortitude to the limit by creeping through the industry’s most bloodcurdling games.

• Superstar Savepoint (Saturdays) – Guests are tasked with jumping into a random game totally “cold,” and must help lead Woods to gaming glory in this unpredictable co-op experiment.

• Gamer Gauntlet (Sundays) – Woods and friends challenge each other for more than gaming bragging rights, with losers suffering pre-determined penalties.

WWE Q1 Earnings Call Recap: WrestleMania Success, Network Price Increase?, Total Divas, More

* George Barrios mentions they released their quarterly financial results on their website earlier.

* WrestleMania happened in quarter 1 of 2015, as opposed to quarter 2 2014. This has an effect on the huge profits.

* WrestleMania was the highest grossing live event in WWE history.

* Total Divas was E! network's number one show. Vince McMahon says this is because the Kardashians were on hiatus.

* McMahon mentions Smackdown will move to USA, and thinks that will improve viewership alone.

* McMahon jokingly invites listeners to join Tough Enough.

* 196,000 WWE Network subscribers were international. 94 percent of subscribers access the Network at least once a month.

* "From inception to 3/31/15, WWE Network had attracted nearly 1.8M unique subscribers w/ 74% of subscribers active as of that date"- George Barrios. They aren't going to update subscriber numbers on this call.

* Barrios repeatedly mentioned that WrestleMania was in Q1 this year instead of Q2.

* WWE video game profits improved over 30 percent. WWE Supercard is mentioned as a contributor. PPV revenue was also ahead of expectations.

* The Q&A portion starts. WWE says they're always looking at expanding the advertising model for the Network, but doesn't think it'll be in 2015.

* McMahon says it's possible they could change the price of the Network for WrestleMania or Summerslam, but have to look at the info. He says as of now they're not, but it's possible in the future.

* Most of the WrestleMania PPV buys were international, according to Barrios.

* "Advertisers aren't interested in simple rating. Our programming is engaging. Not just an experience, but immersive."- McMahon

* Laura Martin calls Vince McMahon the best business man of anyone she covers.

* Someone's phone goes off, and their alert tone was Michael Cole yelling "Oh my!"

* Barrios is asked what they've learned incrementally about the sources of churn. Barrios says he doesn't think they've learned anything.

* CableVision in Canada is targeting for cutters. This could open up the possibilities for more deals with Rogers, but they say the Canadian model is different.

NXT Wrestlers Confirmed for WWE 2K15 Video Game

Triple H hosted a WWE 2K15 media event today at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, to promote the career mode, where a wrestler starts out his career at NXT. The official Instagram account of 2K confirmed that Adrian Neville, Bo Dallas and Sami Zayn, who were on hand for the event, will be in the game.

2K's WWE SuperCard Breaks Record

Sting Talks About Working with WWE and a Possible Match Against The Undertaker

Sting recently spoke with The UK's Mirror Online to promote the WWE 2K15 video game. Below are some highlights:

Being involved in the game:
"Why now? It's a now or never thing. I've done so many things in the wrestling business but the one thing I'd never done was wrestle or be a part of the WWE family. I didn't want too hang it all up and retire and disappear again without having done that in some capacity."

Having a match for WWE against The Undertaker:
"I've made it clear I'd love to have one last hurrah, one last big match hopefully. And of course I've been outspoken about Undertaker being the opponent. I know what happened at Wrestlemania where Brock Lesnar broke his streak. I think, or at least I'm hoping, that Taker's still going to come back and that he's not done. If he's not done, and he would consider doing it, I'd love to work with him one time. I'd love to wrestle him one time before I call it quits."

Sting also noted that he's "all for" appearing on WWE TV to promote the video game and the match with The Undertaker could take place at WrestleMania 31. Sting also said it would be an honor to go into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Update On WWE 2K15 Release

The upcoming WWE 2K15 video game is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

A report released last week by Gameinformer.com suggested the game would be pushed back to "Fiscal 2015", around the time of WrestleMania 31 however the release date of game has been listed as October 28 for USA and October 30 everywhere else

The game has been announced for PS4, PS3, XBox One and XBox 360.

Rumor Mill - WWE Executives Not Happy With Mick Foley

Several top WWE executives are reportedly upset at Mick Foley. This is due to the blogs and tweets he made in regards to the booking of Daniel Bryan around the Royal Rumble. Foley was very critical of the company during that time about how they were booking Daniel Bryan and not listening to the fans.

They're likely not happy about his latest blog, where he explains not signing a new Legends deal because he was disappointed with the payoffs on the past two video games.

2K Announces WWE 2K14 Downloadable Content and Season Pass Program

Rumor Mill - JR/WWE Update: Ross Said to Have Been "Let Go," "Retirement" Excuse Said to be a PR Move, What Really Caused Ross' Departure

Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer just released a breaking audio update, and has provided even more information on the developing story of Jim Ross announcing his retirement from WWE.

According to Meltzer, JR met with Vince McMahon in Connecticut last night, and all but a handful of Vince's inner circle had any idea why the meeting was taking place.

The reason why Jim Ross was let go from WWE was due to his inability to control Ric Flair at the WWE 2K Sports panel that took place the night before SummerSlam. As we noted earlier, there was talk of letting JR go "the minute the panel ended," as WWE felt he should have cut Flair off and regained control of the event.

Meltzer further noted that the part of the panel that drew the most heat for Flair was when he made mention of his son Reid's death and when he joked that John Cena never used to drink before they met but now he downs a six pack of beer every night.

The update went on to note that WWE is using the "retirement" excuse as a PR move to avoid major uproar over the firing of a beloved WWE talent and Hall of Famer. Meltzer stands by his belief that Ross was let go entirely due to the 2K Sports panel because just a couple weeks ago during his Q&A session in The UK, Ross said he had no plans to retire from WWE.

Another interesting note is that aside from Vince McMahon, Triple H and a couple other employees mentioning it on Twitter, no WWE wrestlers have commented on the news of JR retiring.

Rumor Mill - Possible Reason For Jim Ross' Retirement From WWE

As previously reported, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has announced that he is retiring from WWE effective immediately.

In an update to this story, The Wrestling Observer reports that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon "had a role" in Ross's departure from the company. The website states that the two men met on Wednesday to discuss Ross's future with WWE, a conversation which led to Ross deciding to retire.

Word is that the "unruly behavior" of Ric Flair at the WWE 2K14 panel, which took place at last month's SummerSlam Axxess, was a factor in Ross's decision to retire, as WWE management felt that as the host of the event, Ross should have cut Flair off after he went off-script and made "several controversial remarks" not only in front of WWE executives, but also in front of executives representing 2K Sports.

source: wrestling observer

Paul Heyman credits WWE with a "true youth initiative"

Scott Fishman of The Miami Herald is featuring an interview with WWE's Paul Heyman discussing aspects of the new WWE 2K14 video game and giving credit to WWE for evolving and creating new younger stars on the roster.

Heyman added, "You have to credit WWE for it has a true youth initiative. It’s starts at the top. You can demonstrate all day how great you are, but if the guys at the top or the executives or the chairman of the board doesn’t sit there and say, ‘I acknowledge this.’ It ain’t happening."

To check out the full interview with Heyman, click here.

Ric Flair on His 2K Legends Panel Behavior: "I Don't Know What Happened Last Night"

Steve Austin recently interviewed Ric Flair for his podcast, and the following is what Flair had to say regarding his behavior on the 2k Sports Legends panel over the weekend:

"I don't know what happened last night," Flair said. "They told me to entertain 'em and I did, but apparently it wasn't received the way it was supposed to be. The people who are running the game loved it, but the problem is corporate WWE gets mad at me, number one, which upsets me because I love the company and respect them so much. I guess we just drifted and told stories and they wanted the focus of the evening to be about the game."

Controversial 2K WWE Legends Panel Featuring Ric Flair, Jim Ross, Steve Austin, Ziggler, Foley & More

Twitch.TV has posted a 75 minute video of the WWE 2K14 30 Years of WrestleMania Symposium that needs to be seen to be believed. Jim Ross hosted the event and, let's just say that he was in a condition where he was very acerbic and quite honest. Perhaps it was due to the "Snapple" he was drinking.

The panel consisted of Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Mick Foley, Paul Heyman, Steve Austin and Ric Flair.

Flair was also in, uh, rare form, going down some roads that WWE probably wish would have stayed unpaved, so to speak. Things really get wild around the 38 minute mark.

You can watch the video, which is really unreal, at this link.

WrestleZone has learned that Ric Flair was pulled from last night's 2K Sports Legends panel, and it appears as though WWE sent Jerry Lawler to the event to replace Flair in talking to the media. According to a backstage source in WWE, WWE Executives Jane Geddes and Mark Carrano were summoned by TV exec Lisa Lee to the event to remove Ric Flair from the stage while the event was still ongoing. Lisa Lee apparently was shooting the event on her cell phone and notifying WWE management of the fact Flair appeared to be intoxicated. WWE is said to be furious about the public display by Flair, who has been negotiating to be the good will ambassador for the company.

Flair was said to be “out of control, profane and a total wreck.”

We can also exclusively confirm Stephanie McMahon LeVesque personally came to the event, and was whisked in by her own personal security staff to apologize to 2K Sports on behalf of WWE.

WrestleZone has been told WWE is furious with Flair, and also at host Jim Ross for losing control of the situation.

source: wrestlezone.com & pwinsider.com

Video: Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Talk WWE 2K14 At SummerSlam

Cory Ledesma, Triple H reveal ‘30 Years of WrestleMania’ with WWE 2K14 video game project

The upcoming WWE 2K14 is shaping to be one of the most impressive and ambitious sports entertainment video games in history.

Creative director Cory Ledesma revealed the single player campaign for this year’s installment of the popular franchise would be centered on the rich history of WrestleMania. The milestone event will turn 30 when it emanates from New Orleans in 2014.

“This is an announcement all of our fans have been waiting for because it’s such an important part of the game and the mode itself ends up defining a large portion of the game’s roster,” Ledesma said during a conference call with Paul Triple H Levesque.

“…Our new single-player campaign is called ‘30 Years of WrestleMania.’ This will be a nostalgic journey spanning three decades that will allow players to relive the greatest moments and matches of WrestleMania history. It’s all of the unforgettable moments that have defined the greatness of what WrestleMania has become over the last 30 years.”

Gamers will have the opportunity to play in more than 45 matches, reliving some of the biggest showdowns in the most interactive way possible. Among them is the colossal battle between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant from WrestleMania III.

“That’s right. We just announced Hulk Hogan is in the game,” Ledesma said. “[There is also] WWE 2K14 cover superstar Dwayne The Rock Johnson versus Hulk Hogan billed as an ‘Icon vs. Icon’ match at WrestleMania and also WrestleMania 28’s much anticipated main event of The Rock versus John Cena. This is just a small sampling.”

Ledesma believes the game, which is the first published by 2K Sports, will have the greatest roster ever assembled in a WWE videogame. The official roster reveal occurs Saturday, Aug. 17 at WWE’s SummerSlam Axxess at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles.

A close attention to detail was made to ensure all the unique presentation elements were recreated in each historic contest. Everything from the arena, tailored graphics and crowds to superstar ring attire and entrances replicate the matches as it happened.

Ledesma says the vintage screen effects during the 1980s and ‘90s will transform gamers back in time. WWE-produced video packages were made and placed before several bouts as a refresher to the storylines that led to the ‘Mania mat classics. Fans can also look for in-game cinematic cut scenes and historical in-game objectives to reproduce matches as they transpired, rewarding players with unlocked goodies.

Levesque is no stranger to creating history during his legendary career at the biggest spectacle in sports entertainment. WWE’s executive vice president of talent and live events says the company is extremely excited about the videogame concept of “30 years of WrestleMania.” He thinks WWE 2K14 will appeal to all ages, casual and hardcore fans alike.

“A lot of them may have watched all 30 years of WrestleMania as it grew from a closed circuit event to a pay-per-view event with 90,000 people watching at the historic Pontiac Silverdome between Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant, which you will be able to play in this game,” Levesque said, “to the global phenomenon it is today, stadiums every year and the global impact that WrestleMania has, and the long-lasting impact WrestleMania has for 30 years. As it has grown, WrestleMania has become the Super Bowl of WWE...It has become an event city after city all across the United States are coming in to bid just like they would a Super Bowl as to who is going to get WrestleMania. We are getting years ahead…

“It has become a cultural event that even if you are not a hardcore WWE fan, it becomes a cultural event that is water cooler talk, if that still exists. I guess that would be social media. It’s a must-see event for everyone. I think this game is going to represent the nostalgia of that, the excitement of that. I’m a real big believer in history and knowing where you came from is important to where you’re going to go. As WrestleMania continues to grow, I think it’s important to see where WrestleMania has been in seeing these iconic moments…”

Levesque, whose nickname is “The Game,” says they are excited about the superstar alum brought back in videogame form. These include “Macho Man” Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior, who was recently announced as pre-order exclusive playable character.

“I’ll go out on a limb and say my match with the Ultimate Warrior might not make it into the greatest moment’s aspect of the greatest moments of WrestleMania history,” Levesque said of his encounter with the man from “Parts Unknown” at WrestleMania XII.

“Although it was a phenomenal moment for me, the opportunity for me to step into the ring with probably one of the greatest icons that there have ever been in this industry, the rest of it didn’t matter. The fact that I stepped in the ring with him on the biggest stage in the world at WrestleMania was all I needed to know at that time. It was moment that I will absolutely never forget. So for me, it is an absolutely incredible WrestleMania moment.”

Levesque has been credited with helping what may have been considered unheard of take place. He was a big part of securing Bruno Sammartino in the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Now the Ultimate Warrior has started working with the company on projects such as the videogame under his watch.

“For me I’m a real big believer in the history of our industry and of WWE,” Levesque said. “I come to this maybe differently. It’s a business, but also just every day I come into my office, and I’m a six-year-old kid on Saturday morning watching Saturday morning wrestling on my TV and thinking it’s the greatest thing I’ve ever seen. So to me, you look at a Hulk Hogan. You look at Ultimate Warrior, these are the guys I grew up watching, and they should be a part of this great business and WWE.

“This is what it is. Vince McMahon had a vision of one global brand that encompasses it all, and I think he succeeded in that vision. They should be a part of it and participate in it. As time goes on, people have their reasons as to why they are here or not here, day-to-day. Everything falls into where it does I guess, but I look at it from a bigger picture.

“Is there not some way we can work together because at the end of the day this is all about the WWE Universe, our fans and what they want and what they want to see. I think they want these people to be a part of it. They want to remember their childhood and remember the past. This is not the only way for them to watch back but participate in it and be a part of it. With this videogame franchise, to me, that is just huge.”

It has been years since Warrior has been associated with a WWE-related production. Levesque thinks the colorful performer was excited about coming back into the fold.

“A lot of water passed under the bridge,” Levesque said. “A lot of time goes by, and I think everybody realizes, ‘What are we doing?’ Everybody grows and everybody becomes different people. I think it happened on all sides. We just decided it was the right time. Him jumping into this videogame I think is a tremendous step forward.

“We are working on a continued relationship. Obviously, this is a great partnership with Warrior, who is one of the most well-known and iconic brands in WWE history. We are excited to have him in this game and that the WWE Universe will be able to play that character and be the Ultimate Warrior. How cool is that? I think he is excited about it, and I look forward to the future in working together in making everything exciting for the fans or our fans.”

source: miamiherald.com

The Dead Man Cometh: WWE2K14 "Phenom Edition" to Feature Iconic WWE Superstar Undertaker

2K today announced that enigmatic WWE Superstar Undertaker® will be featured through the “Phenom Edition” of WWE® 2K14, the forthcoming release in the WWE flagship video game franchise. Available for the Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, while supplies last, the WWE 2K14 “Phenom Edition” is scheduled to include the following items:

• Exclusive tin coffin box;
• Exclusive collectible art card personally autographed by Undertaker;
• Exclusive Undertaker playable character: “American Badass”;
• Exclusive Undertaker-themed controller skin;
• “WWE Undertaker – The Streak”: Disc #1 (on Blu-Ray/DVD);
• Access to WWE 2K14 global pre-order offer: Ultimate Warrior playable character;
• Copy of WWE 2K14 video game.

“The Deadman. The Lord of Darkness. The American Badass. The Phenom. In every aspect of his career, Undertaker has commanded the admiration and respect of WWE fans and newcomers alike for more than two decades,” said Chris Snyder, Senior Director of Marketing at 2K. “His unequivocal legacy will be fully realized in the WWE 2K14 ‘Phenom Edition’ and is a must-have item for any collector.”

With captivating ring entrances and looming, omnipresent appeal, Undertaker is WWE’s longest-tenured current Superstar and holder of several WWE titles throughout his storied 20-year career. He is best known for his unrivaled winning streak at WrestleMania®, WWE’s biggest event of the year, where he boasts a 21-0 record. Whether he took on Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior early in his career, aligned in tag team competition with his brother Kane®, delivered career-defining matches against WWE Superstar Triple H® and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels® or squared off against his most recent WrestleMania opponent CM Punk®, Undertaker is responsible for some of WWE’s most prolific and memorable moments.

Become Immortal – 2K’s lineup of premier sports simulation titles expands with the Company’s upcoming release in the renowned WWE video game franchise, WWE 2K14. Developed by Yukes for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, WWE 2K14 is positioned to be the most electrifying, authentic and comprehensive WWE video game experience to date. WWE 2K14 is not yet rated by the ESRB. Fans who pre-order WWE 2K14 will receive Ultimate Warrior at no extra cost on launch day on October 29, 2013, in North America and November 1, 2013, internationally.

WWE-Ultimate Warrior Update

WWE will officially announce this week that The Ultimate Warrior will be featured in the WWE 2K14 video game that will be released this October, similar to how Brock Lesnar and Mike Tyson were big surprises in past game releases.

Warrior will be working with WWE and 2K Sports to promote the game and there will be some sort of official media unveiling for the gaming media this week in New York City.

Warrior has appeared in several WWE videogames over the last few years, but never in the primary WWE videogame franchise.

Court details how WWE and Yuke's extracted themselves from THQ's bankruptcy

The five-year licensing agreement between Take-Two and World Wrestling Entertainment that helped keep the storied wrestling franchise alive, was thanks to some legal wrangling that saw the WWE and developer Yuke's write off an estimated $60 million in money owed the two, according to court documents.

Take-Two and the WWE signed an exclusive five-year licensing agreement for the WWE video game series in February. The first entry in the franchise, WWE '14, is due out this fall.

The companies said at the time that Yuke's, the Japanese studio behind THQ's WWE games, will pick up where it left off on developing its 2013 WWE title. Take-Two has hired the THQ Fight Team, the internal group that managed development and marketing of the WWE series; that team will report to 2K Sports' design team at Visual Concepts, the 2K-owned studio behind the company's NBA 2K and MLB 2K franchises.

Recent court filings in the THQ bankruptcy case walk through the process required to clear both WWE and Yuke's of the legal mire created by THQ's bankruptcy in order to land a new deal with Take-Two...More?

source: polygon.com