
Video games and wrestling have a long and storied relationship. Games like WWF Smackdown on the Playstation 1 are looked back with nostalgia as the gateway to a love in professional wrestling. My own personal re-connection with wrestling happened thanks to WWF Smackdown 2: Know Your Role. With each year’s strive for more graphical fidelity, something has been lost. The games are no longer a simple pick-up and play experience. There are many of us out there that yearn for a return to the simplicity of something from our youth. Something like maybe WWF No Mercy on the N64 or WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain.
Virtual Basement LLC are a New England based video games company that have been making waves signing independent professional wrestlers. For what you may ask. Well for a new professional wrestling game.
I’ve been lucky enough to speak with the lead designer from the project Ashton Andersen over the past few weeks. I was able to get a behind the scenes look at some of the stuff they are working on and will have much more to share with you very soon. They have got some very interesting concepts and ideas for the mechanics of the game. The game will be a 3D based game. They will be using Unreal Engine 4 to develop this so expect an amazing looking game. We have a sneak peak at some preview art and in game 3D models for professional wrestler, Shaheem Ali
From the conversations I have had so far I have gathered that they have a love for games like WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain, WWF No Mercy and WWE Allstars. They are very open to making this a wrestling game for fans of wrestling with many more details coming out very soon.
We don’t have many details right now but we have a list of the wrestlers who have signed contracts for their exclusive video game likeness to be used over the past few weeks.
First up, former WWE NXT Superstar Bull James announced via his twitter
Very excited to announce that I’ve signed on with @VirtualBasement to be a part of their upcoming wrestling video game! pic.twitter.com/G71rdzV87t
— Bull James (@RealBullJames) March 6, 2020
This would open the floodgates with many more signed on as of now with more very special guests to be announced very soon
Impact Wrestling’s Fallah Bahh
Gonna be in a Video Game!! Super excited! Thank you @VirtualBasement !! pic.twitter.com/DBe6zuMeJa
— FALLAH BAHH (@FALLAH1) March 5, 2020
Beyond Wrestling’s Bear Country
THRILLED to announce that Bear Country has signed with @VirtualBasement to be playable characters in their new pro wrestling video game currently in development!
As lifelong gamers at heart, this is very exciting for us. Thank you VB, we’re proud to be on board. pic.twitter.com/sfALRfz8KJ
— Bear Bronson (@bearbronsonBC) March 5, 2020
WrestlePro’s Shawn Donovan
I have signed on with #virtualbasement to be a playable character in their brand new #prowrestling video game being developed. Excited to see where this goes
I also heard @LeonStGiovanni will be involved so I can beat him up virtually too!#ProWrestling #videogames #videogame pic.twitter.com/u23nnobnuz
— GRIZZLED ENHANCEMENT VETERAN (@ShawnDonavan01) March 4, 2020
MLW’s Flyin’ Brian Pillman Jr
Growing up video games have been a HUGE passion of mine! Now I can finally say I will be featured as a playable wrestler in a video game!!! Not just that but I will be working closely with developers @VirtualBasement to ensure that this game is a fun and competitive e-sport!!! pic.twitter.com/kwNQXH3JQd
— Brian Pillman Jr. (@FlyinBrianJr) February 27, 2020
Kongo Kong
So pleased to announce that the Kongo Kong brand will be forever immortalized in video game form as I have partnered with @VirtualBasement to be a playable character, along with many of the top independent wrestlers’ in the near future! Another dream come true! pic.twitter.com/CeJFv1V42H
— Kongo Kong (@RealKongoKong) March 4, 2020
Caprice Coleman
I’ve always wanted to be in a video game… Today I signed with @VirtualBasement , and soon it will be reality…#Colemanism#DreamsComeTrue pic.twitter.com/Bnq8EHDCTn
— Caprice Coleman (@CapriceColeman) March 3, 2020
Brian Cage
Well well well, look what I got here! My whole life I’ve always wanted to be in a horror movie being devoured by zombies, a legit action figure, and a real video game character. And right now last one mentioned is being made possible by @VirtualBasement & I can’t wait! #whobetta pic.twitter.com/3b9AfSMoc1
— Brian Cage (@MrGMSI_BCage) March 2, 2020
ROH’s “All Day” O’Shay Edwards
Big. Things. Ah’Poppin.
And thanks to @VirtualBasement the Big Bad Kaiju will kick your ass in a ring…and now digitally.#UNDENIABLE #KingOfTheGerman #bigbadkaiju #silvertongue #kingofkaijus pic.twitter.com/1ab8rwMuqf
— BIG. BAD. KAIJU. (@AllDamnDayOShay) February 27, 2020
ROH’s Leo St. Giovanni
The Ace of Space has arrived…@VirtualBasement ? pic.twitter.com/dTgGVVC0TF
— LSG – The Ace of Space ? (@LeonStGiovanni) February 26, 2020
EVOLVE’s Retrosexual Anthony Greene
Signed, Sealed, Delivered… I’m yours! @VirtualBasement pic.twitter.com/9WAzJdIxRI
— Anthony Greene (@retroag) February 24, 2020
Matt Sydal
More HUGE news from SYDOJO, I have officially signed on with @VirtualBasement to be a character in their new original wrestling video game. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting new partnership!! ✌?❤️??? pic.twitter.com/BjRX8wu45Z
— Matt Sydal (@findevan) February 25, 2020
Virtual Basement have previously made games The Mean Greens – Plastic Warfare, Outlaws of Old West and Ark – Survival Evolved. The quality of these releases show that they have the talent to make this new wrestling project a reality. This is 100% a passion project for them and I got that feeling with every interaction we’ve had so far.
With the recent disaster of WWE 2K20, there is definitely a want and need from the wrestling and gaming community for an alternative 3D experience. We still haven’t heard anything about an AEW game so I’ll be watching this with a lot of interest as the details start to come forth.
Make sure you are following Virtual Basement on twitter @VirtualBasement
Who else could we see signed to this game and what modes are we going to see implemented?
What do you think this game will be called?
We’ll also be having some videos up on this as we get more behind the scenes access soon youtube.com/fowloriginalwrestling
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