Credit: gamespot.com, tnawrestling.com
Last November, Midway announced that it was stepping into the ring with the up-and-coming federation TNA Wrestling and going after THQ’s undisputed US wrestling game championship. But instead of the wild, chair-throwing, body-slamming, pull-apart brawl that usually follows such a revelation in the world of pro wrestling, there’s been very little movement on TNA iMPACT! (working title) since.
However, grappling gamers looking forward to the title will be pleased to learn that development on the game “geared up in a major way” last week, according to a news post on the official site of TNA Wrestling. According to the federation, Midway is set to brainstorm ideas for the game with Samoa Joe and AJ Styles, a pair of stars from the company’s high-flying, hard-hitting “X-Division.” According to TNA, both are hardcore gamers.
The visual side of the game is also set to be defined soon, as Styles and Jeff Jarrett will be undergoing motion-capture sessions for the game at Midway’s Los Angeles studio. Styles and Jarrett will be the first characters designed in the game, with “many more” to come.
The news post also mentions that the game “will be available for all new generation systems including Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.” Midway’s original announcement of the game also mentioned that it had the exclusive rights to publish PC and handheld games based on the federation as well.
The game is currently being developed at Midway’s LA studio, which worked on Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. Before it was acquired by the publisher, it was known as Paradox Development, creators of the Backyard Wrestling series of games.
On December 13 at the SpikeTV Video Game Awards, Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle gave the world the first look at the trailer for the upcoming TNA / Midway video game!