WWE Brawl (partially found build of cancelled fighting game based on professional wrestling; 2012): Difference between revisions
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*[[Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)]] | |||
*[[Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)]] | *[[Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)]] | ||
*[[Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)]] | *[[Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)]] | ||
*[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]] | *[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]] | ||
*[[Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)]] | *[[Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)]] | ||
*[[Chowdaheads (partially found unaired professional wrestling cartoon show; 1999)]] | |||
*[[Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)]] | *[[Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)]] | ||
*[[Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)]] | *[[Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)]] | ||
*[[Cultaholic (lost debut video of professional wrestling YouTube channel; 2017)]] | |||
*[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]] | *[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]] | ||
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*[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]] | *[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]] | ||
*[[Lita (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]] | |||
*[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]] | *[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]] | ||
*[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]] | *[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]] |
Revision as of 22:53, 13 January 2022
WWE Brawl was a cancelled platform fighting game based on the professional wrestling organization WWE. Developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment, it was set to be published by THQ for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii before being cancelled in 2012 around six months to a year before it was expected to be completed.
Background
According to a detailed WWE.com article, WWE and THQ, who had been in partnership in games production since WWF Wrestlemania 2000,[1] had begun work on WWE Brawl in 2009, following the release of WWE Legends of Wrestlemania. Unlike the WWE SmackDown vs Raw series which, aimed to present realistic wrestling competition and match wrestlers' personas as with the television shows, the vision for the game was to create a WWE-based platform fighting game similar to the Super Smash Bros. series, combining this with destructible in-game environments and expanded upon wrestling personas.[2] THQ assigned the Australian games studio Blue Tongue Entertainment to develop the game, which would be not only their first WWE game but also the first they would ever develop for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Development
Blue Tongue Entertainment's initial work was highly acclaimed by WWE and THQ officials. Among its decisions were to focus on having each playable character match their personality, with special moves based on their actual wrestling manoeuvres and gimmicks. One trailer for example showcased Big Show's "grizzly bear-like strength". All the characters had original animation, reflecting how their real-life counterparts would run, walk and wrestle.
The characters would battle in Brawl City, consisting of various venues that were entirely destroyed and matched Superstar and Diva personas, for example, a boneyard that strongly befitted The Undertaker. It would set the narrative for the game, with the protagonists most likely being John Cena, Triple H and Kelly Kelly, attempting to stop a conspiracy from the main antagonists, Mr. McMahon and Edge. The story was changed numerous times during development, and was not fully concrete by 2012, although each wrestler's story would remain the same throughout.
Such were WWE and THQ's enthusiasm over Blue Tongue Entertainment's work that WWE was interested in expanding WWE Brawl beyond just being a game. In particular, action figures, a clothing line, and a cartoon series were considered, most likely to appeal to children who the WWE had begun targeting since the company's television shows went PG in 2008.[3] WWE Brawl's development became a priority, leading to Blue Tongue Entertainment halting work on other projects to focus on the game.
Cancellation
Despite setbacks concerning the narrative and development issues that prevented the game from being released in 2012,[4] development of WWE Brawl began to make significant progress. By 2012, it was estimated that only another six months to a year of development would be needed so that the game could be released in 2013. It was also showcased at the WWE Global Business Partners Summit in 2011, where it was reported by GameSpot that a Wii version was also in development.[5]
Ultimately, however, WWE Brawl would suddenly be cancelled in 2012. According to WWE.com, a multitude of factors caused the cancellation, including poor timing, global economic issues, and the intense difficulty of producing the game that may have outweighed the benefits. Nevertheless, while this version of the game was cancelled, WWE may have plans for a future game under the WWE Brawl title, as it successfully filed a trademark for it in August 2021.[6]
Availability
WWE Brawl is notable for having a large number of concept art, gameplay screenshots and videos that have been publicly accessible since 2016.[7][8] The trailers show that while the game still needed further development, it was in a playable state. However, no build has ever publicly resurfaced.
Gallery
Images
Videos
See Also
- Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)
- Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)
- Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)
- Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)
- Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)
- Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)
- Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)
- Chowdaheads (partially found unaired professional wrestling cartoon show; 1999)
- Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)
- Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)
- Cultaholic (lost debut video of professional wrestling YouTube channel; 2017)
- ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)
- ECW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)
- ECW Hardcore TV final episodes (lost episodes of Professional Wrestling Show; 2001)
- FMW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)
- The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)
- GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)
- Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)
- GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)
- Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)
- Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)
- The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)
- Lita (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)
- "Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)
- Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)
- Screwed: The Bret Hart Story (lost unfinished wrestling documentary film; 2005)
- Sex University (lost WWE webshow; 2006)
- Shin Nihon Pro Wrestling Gekitou Densetsu (lost build of unreleased Virtual Boy wrestling game; 1995)
- Strange Kentucky People (lost recording of Chris Jericho "tribute"; 1994)
- TNA Impact! 2 (lost build of unfinished professional wrestling game; 2009)
- WCW 2000 (lost work on unfinished PlayStation 2 game; 2000)
- WCW All Nighter (partially lost professional wrestling compilation show; 1994-1995)
- WCW Classics (partially found professional wrestling compilation show; 2000-2001)
- WCW Internet-only Special Events and PPVs (lost audio streams; 1997-1998)
- WCW/nWo Live (lost build of cancelled PlayStation professional wrestling game; 1998)
- WWE 24x7 (lost professional wrestling compilation show; 2007)
- WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)
- WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)
- WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)
- WWF Excess (partially found professional wrestling talk show; 2001-2002)
- WWF In Your House 8: Beware Of Dog (partially found untelevised professional wrestling matches; 1996)
- WWF Livewire (partially found professional wrestling recap and talk show; 1996-2001)
- WWF No Mercy (lost Game Boy Color games based on Nintendo 64 wrestling game; 2000)
- WWF Shotgun (partially found July to December season of syndicated wrestling show; 1997)
- WWF Xperience (found pay-per-view event footage; 1996)
External Link
References
- ↑ IGN detailing the history of WWE's relationship with THQ starting with WWF Wrestlemania 2000. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ Fightful detailing the game's premise. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ Reuters reporting on how WWE began to target the children's market following it making its television shows PG in 2008. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ Destructoid reporting on WWE Brawl in 2011, stating that expectations were it would be released in 2012. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ GameSpot reporting on WWE Brawl's appearance at the WWE Global Business Partners Summit in 2011, also noting a possible release for the Wii. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ Heel By Nature reporting on WWE trademarking WWE Brawl in August 2021. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ WWE.com's list of concept art. Retrieved 3 Nov '21
- ↑ WWE.com's list of character and story photos. Retrieved 3 Nov '21