WWE ’13: Brock Lesnar Might not be Included?

Game publisher and developer THQ has been through a rough patch lately. Lay-offs? Check. Community managers leaving? Check. Declining sales? Check. Given the string of bad news, the twists and turns of THQ’s recent fortune leaves many wrestling game simulation fans worried about the beloved WWE simulation series THQ rolls out every year.

Last year’s WWE ’12 packed a lot of technical and game play evolution and the game really stepped it up in terms of development. Unfortunately, the title suffered a similar fate as many other game series not titled “The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim”. Sales declined. How much? 25 percent. That’s a staggering number. The title only shipped 2.0 million units. In an industry that is fast resembling Hollywood’s “You are only as good as your last hit” mentality and the cold hard reality of high development costs and declining sales, game titles are under increasing pressure or be cut. Which brings us to WWE ’13. It is imperative that Brock Lesnar makes it to the roster. He brings the crowds. He also brings the drama. Since he is such a big name in professional wrestling now, the WWE series, given its and THQ’s recent fortunes, can’t afford to not include him. There is one drawback: he is not in the WWE roster right now. Brock’s “storyline” at the WWE is that he quit. Of course, this is part of the sweaty ringside operatic drama that the WWE delivers in heaps. Still, this does open the possibility that WWE ’13 might be released without a major crowd-puller.

Brock Lesnar (Credit: THQ)

This would spell trouble for both the series and the fans who love the series. Remember, as we have reported earlier, many performers have not renewed their contracts, so there are fewer stars to fill the roster. THQ needs to hit WWE ’13 out of the park to get out of its current financial slump.

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