Who Gets the WWE License? - RaychelSnr's Blog

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RaychelSnr's Blog

Who Gets the WWE License? Stuck

Posted on January 14, 2013 at 02:34 PM.

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In just about a week, THQ assets will be sold off title by title to the highest bidders.

Properties and licenses such as Red Faction, MX vs. ATV, Saints Row, and WWE are all going to be up for auction, for our sake we are most focused on WWE and where it is going to end up. Here are the most likely landing points for the WWE License:

Stay with Clearlake/THQ: THQ could wind up with the license still thanks to owner Clearlake's bid of $60 million on the entire company. If the sum of all total assets isn't at more than $60 million then it is all retained by Clearlake. If the sum is more, Clearlake can bid again to keep the licenses. WWE, of course, could nullify the whole thing and take control of the license anyways since it's theirs. Odds: Less than 5 percent

Sony or Microsoft: It's unlikely Microsoft and/or Sony could try to buy the WWE license and produce WWE games as first party games. However, it's very unlikely that this will come to pass just because I"m sure Vince McMahon wouldn't allow it. Odds: Less than 5 Percent

The Field: Several companies are interested in THQ properties, from Ubisoft to Double Fine. It's not unfeasible to see a darkhorse swoop in for the win -- but it's highly unlikely. Odds: Less than 5 percent

Take Two/2K Sports: This is an interesting possibility. Take Two faces a dwindling release lineup within sports and there are plenty of resources around Take Two to probably afford the WWE license. However, the real problem is that if the next two companies really want to develop the game, they're going to outbid Take Two every time. But if interest from EA and Activision is cool, Take Two would be a likely buyer of the franchise if the price is right. Also take into account Take Two is shying away from licensed properties at the moment and I don't see it as being too likely. Odds: 15 percent.

Activision: The maker of call of duty and practically no real efforts at sports games could make a run at the WWE license. If Activision has plans or desires to jump into sports or licensed properties in a bigger way. Activision currently develops the NASCAR games as well as some other racers. But right now, it doesn't fit the company's M/O at this time. If Activision did make a run at WWE, it would be an incredibly big change of pace from their typical rhythms. Odds: 20 percent

Electronic Arts: EA buys licensed properties and just bought the UFC license from THQ. EA has also been confirmed to have conducted site visits to THQ looking at certain properties. EA can likely afford to just bring Yukes into the EA fold as well as a developer if they so desire, at least for the short term. It'll be shocking, and a huge sign that the WWE isn't a major licensed property anymore if EA were to pass on this one. However, the WWE is a major licensed property by any measure at the moment. Thus, you know how this one ends. Odds: 55 percent.

Where do you see the WWE License ending up?

Comments

# 1 cattlekiller @ Jan 14

I think your right EA is the front runner to get it.
I personally would love for 2K sports to get it.The detail they put into the AI options for the NBA 2k series is something WWE have never had.The AI in THQ's games always share the same AI for matches , in Real life each wrestler has a different pace and has a different move preference.

The only company I dont want to get is THQ again , if they get bailed out by there private seller.THQ have completely ignored bugs and customers reporting bugs for years.The series is getting pretty stale as well, THQ greatest attribute is its creation suites, they are pretty close to perfection.But what good are they if the in ring action is not up to par?I'm not sure how much people really play the game , but I spend far more time in creation suites than playing the game.Besides creations suites what has THQ added in the past 10 years?I remember playing Royal Rumble on the SNES way back in 1992 , doing a Rumble match with 6 guys in the ring !!
I would think how cool the future wrestling games would be with like 20 guys in the ring at once so it could look like a real Royal Rumble, and look at the series now 20 years later and 6 guys in the ring!!!

# 2 damedash @ Jan 14

2k staying away from licensed property? Didn't they just re-upped their MLB license again? I personally don't believe that 2k will be outbid if they decided on the WWE license. Just my opinion

# 3 sooperb @ Jan 14

I am really LMAO right now. 6 guys in the ring?? I remember when I first experienced the 6 man simultaneous action and I was impressed like wowww! A long time ago!

# 4 Dazraz @ Jan 14

My money's on EA. Sadly they'll likely strip the heart out of the game & discontinue the many elements that make the current game one of the more unique & versatile sports games out there.

# 5 SHAKYR @ Jan 14

I think it's EA. This doesn't mean the producers and designers will follow the franchise. I don't think EA will have the depth that THQ brought to the game. EA doesn't believe in too much depth in their combat games. They think it's boring.

# 6 d23x @ Jan 14

If EA does get it, any wwe videogame fan is doomed. The game will be awful!

# 7 RayRay34 @ Jan 14

Look what ea did with the wcw license back in the day.......

# 8 Bionickle @ Jan 14

I really don't care who gets the license. As long asd] it's someone who's gonna be dedicated in terms of post release support, cause THQ/Yukes were absoluely horrible in that regard! If EA were to get the license they could bring back the team that put together the now classic Def Jam 2-game series back on last generation. Those games were the last to feature the legendary engine that made WCW Revenge, WWF WM 2000 and No Mercy some of the greatest wrestling games ever!

# 9 DJ @ Jan 14

Our only hope is that the developers of Fire Pro Wrestling get the WWE license. THQ/Yukes did nothing to advance the game this generation of consoles, and it is a shame.

# 10 willh313 @ Jan 14

Here's whats really funny the first WWE/WWF game for DREAMCAST had 9 guys in the ring at once! I don't what the heck happened between then and now lol

# 11 lynkraid @ Jan 15

This is a tough one to call no matter who gets it. First question is will Yukes still be making the same game we get now just small improvments each year. Or will new people be making it, thus maybe a stripped down version thats totally new.

Also if someone new gets it, could that mean we get a great wrestling game, or do with get a mess like TNA wrestling, or Legends of Wrestling, or just some Street Fighter ripoff, do we get someone with cartoon graphics, or legit realistic graphics. Those are big questions, do we get a game with a big roster of 50+ wrestlers, and many match types & modes. Or do we get a thin season mode, with single and tag team mode. With a small roster, that lacks options in create a wrestler mode.

Those are all things to think about. Look at what happened with WCW when they switched to a new company when AKI left them. It was horrible, WCW Nitro anyone?

If EA gets it, does it go the route of NBA Live, 2 years without a WWE game then when it comes out its so bad they delay it longer. All things that can happen.

All I know is if anyone besides Yukes gets to keep making the WWE game, then we can expect not seeing a WWE game for 2-3 years, and I doubt another one would be released this console generation.

IMO I'd like to see a much better WWE game made, I think there is a ton of room for improvement with what Yukes does now. But still what Yukes does is 100x better then what all others have tried besides AKI.

# 12 GuyinPA75 @ Jan 15

It pains me to say this -- I think EA will pick it up. If EA picks it up this would be a HUGE kick to the teeth of any WWE game fan. EA will great a waterdown game that is horrible and will simply nickle-and-dime the gamers with DLC nonstop. Wish gamers would wake up and stop contributing to the "DLC Epidemic". It is ruining gaming.

# 13 babythug23 @ Jan 15

Well wwe 13 is good enough to hold on to for a year or 2. If some builds a new game from ground up. I would like a new change though something new. Wwe 13 is good but I want something different than the whole smakdown kind of games

# 14 Gramps91 @ Jan 16

This both excites me and scares me at the same time. THQ makes good wrestling games, but not great, especially since 2005. I really think SVR 06 was the last great wrestling game they had. WWE 13 had great potential but they dropped the ball with all the glitches and beyond stupid A.I. However, if EA gets it they makes me scared as I haven't been a fan of some of their sports games lately. Better leave CPU vs. CPU option EA!

Either way though I'm curious to see what a new developer would do with this series.

Please leave cpu vs. cpu!