October brings the latest entry in THQ’s best-selling WWE series, but SmackDown Vs Raw 2010 is far from your usual annual update.
Developer Yuke’s has introduced some interesting new options that allow fans of the sport to feel closer to the action, while still boasting the detailed gamplay the series is known for.
As a result, THQ has taken a much more mysterious approach with the game’s unveiling. Rather than bombarding fans with information over the summer at key events such as E3, instead the publisher has teased its audience over a longer period of time – finally revealing the game at premier wrestling showcase Summerslam in August. It’s a technique that has created more hype for 2010 than any of the WWE games before it.
“We are very excited about the release of Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 this year,” says product marketing manager Mark Cook. “Following our game reveal at Summerslam, we’ve exceeded all expectations and anticipate a champion year for WWE.
“This year will see a strong swing towards the next generation formats, where exciting game innovations set this title apart from other sports titles. The community is incredibly hyped about the release already and along with the strong pre-orders received to date, we fully expect good consumer retention amongst SmackDown Vs Raw gamers, mixed with significant headway into the 1.4 million WWE fans in the UK.”
SMACK BANG
Once again, players take to the ring wearing the lycra Y-fronts and other ridiculous costumes of well-known wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, Undertaker and John Cena. The full roster of WWE is here, with all of their moves recreated perfectly, allowing fans to play any match they can imagine.
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Naturally, the customisation features return, only this time the Create-A-Wrestler concept has been expanded. As well as allowing players to customise their superstars, moves, and entrances, they can even define their plots and the season storyline itself.
“This year is all about empowering the audience, so we’re giving the fans the ability to take full control of the WWE universe and then share it with the WWE community,” says Cook. “To enable this, WWE SmackDown Vs Raw 2010 includes a large variety of creation tools that allow the player to tailor every aspect of their gameplay experience.
“What really stands out among these great new features is the story designer and online sharing functions. Fans can script and create anything from one WWE match to entire seasons, and then share them with the online community.”
As THQ’s biggest title of the Christmas season, the publisher has prepared an extensive marketing campaign to drive sales. Promotions have already begun with a two-phase print campaign kicking off after the game’s reveal as Summerslam, prompting ads to run across specialist and lifestyle press.
Sponsorship of WWE TV has also begun, kicking off two month before launch with teasing TV spots and now running fully fledged ads. The publisher is also running several activities in conjunction with the WWE UK tour on November 11th.
Online ads have been running across key wrestling and gaming sites, starting after Summerslam and running up to launch. These ads have been designed to drive pre-orders, as has the full range of POS made available to retailers.
“Key retail partners have already gone live with both online and in-store activity,” says Cook. “Pre-orders are already coming in strong and showing a significant increase year-on-year.
“The WWE brand is still growing significantly both in the UK and US, with a noticeable increase following last March’s spectacular Wrestlemania XIII showpiece. With a very strong product offering, we fully expect this year’s release to replicate this success.”
