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Protecting The Game

Supposed leaked memo to press aims to protect Triple H from harm... in screenshots.

Stern-faced gentlemen adorn video game cover, film at 11.
Stern-faced gentlemen adorn video game cover, film at 11.
The Escapist has picked up a story making the rounds in the wrestling media that features quotes from a supposed memo sent by THQ to the UK wrestling media regarding restrictions for what can and can't be shown when covering pre-release versions of the company's upcoming game, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2009.

Quotes from the magazines receiving the discs state the screenshots must be pre-approved before use, which is actually pretty standard for a licensed product such as this one. The supposed memo goes on to say that blood should be avoided in screens. Again, not that surprising, par for the course for this sort of stuff.

The memo takes a sharp turn into awesomeville when it comes to WWE Superstar (or are they just "entertainers" now? I can never keep track), Triple H. The stories quote Power Slam magazine with this line from the memo...

"Refrain from showing Triple H in a losing/defeated/defenceless position."

...?

Yeah, because showing a professional wrestler who rarely seems to lose getting beat up in a video game would totally ruin the illusion of Monday Night Raw, right?

Now, you're probably a normal, well-adjusted individual and already don't care about any of this nonsense. This has become a big deal in the wrestling media because Triple H is married to the boss' daughter and is frequently accused of using his position in the McMahon family to ensure that he's kept in the main event story lines, always looks completely tough, and holds a championship belt. Memos like this, if accurate, certainly don't help that perception much.

Also, congratulations. If you read that previous paragraph, you now officially know too much about the behind-the-scenes world of wrestling, at least as it's reported by sites devoted to the topic. Glad I could help. I figure hey, if I'm stuck with this "knowledge," I might as well bring everyone else down to my level.

While I haven't seen the memo in question, I'll just say that it sounds about right. Like I said, dealing with licensed games is always an interesting challenge. So don't blame THQ--weird requests like this one probably come directly from the license holders at WWE.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

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jeff

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Edited By jeff
Stern-faced gentlemen adorn video game cover, film at 11.
Stern-faced gentlemen adorn video game cover, film at 11.
The Escapist has picked up a story making the rounds in the wrestling media that features quotes from a supposed memo sent by THQ to the UK wrestling media regarding restrictions for what can and can't be shown when covering pre-release versions of the company's upcoming game, WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2009.

Quotes from the magazines receiving the discs state the screenshots must be pre-approved before use, which is actually pretty standard for a licensed product such as this one. The supposed memo goes on to say that blood should be avoided in screens. Again, not that surprising, par for the course for this sort of stuff.

The memo takes a sharp turn into awesomeville when it comes to WWE Superstar (or are they just "entertainers" now? I can never keep track), Triple H. The stories quote Power Slam magazine with this line from the memo...

"Refrain from showing Triple H in a losing/defeated/defenceless position."

...?

Yeah, because showing a professional wrestler who rarely seems to lose getting beat up in a video game would totally ruin the illusion of Monday Night Raw, right?

Now, you're probably a normal, well-adjusted individual and already don't care about any of this nonsense. This has become a big deal in the wrestling media because Triple H is married to the boss' daughter and is frequently accused of using his position in the McMahon family to ensure that he's kept in the main event story lines, always looks completely tough, and holds a championship belt. Memos like this, if accurate, certainly don't help that perception much.

Also, congratulations. If you read that previous paragraph, you now officially know too much about the behind-the-scenes world of wrestling, at least as it's reported by sites devoted to the topic. Glad I could help. I figure hey, if I'm stuck with this "knowledge," I might as well bring everyone else down to my level.

While I haven't seen the memo in question, I'll just say that it sounds about right. Like I said, dealing with licensed games is always an interesting challenge. So don't blame THQ--weird requests like this one probably come directly from the license holders at WWE.
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kidman

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Edited By kidman

bah.. that's retarded... way to go Vince, way to go..

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lordofultima

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Edited By lordofultima

Triple H is washed up, he needs to get out of the spotlight so younger guys can have a chance; i.e. Jeff Hardy. Just GIVE HIM the belt already. Damn.

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destruktive

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Edited By destruktive

Triple H can be defeated?? O,o

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taco484

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Edited By taco484

thats pretty funny!!  I like that there are people sitting in conference rooms discussing this stuff..... thats pretty awesome

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deactivated-5d7bd9e4bef30

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I heard about this. Man, how insecure can you be?
I'm happy I don't watch Smackdown though his big nose keeps popping in on Raw all the time

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JJWeatherman

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Edited By JJWeatherman

wow. thats lame.

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TheHBK

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Edited By TheHBK

That is a dumb restriction. But triple h doesnt need to use his marriage, he is really that damn good.  Just wish they would give Shawn the belt.

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r3b3lr0b0t

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Edited By r3b3lr0b0t

I mean Trips is backed by Motor Head. That makes him  pretty much immortal.

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erinfizz

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Edited By erinfizz

You're right. TMI, and more info than have absorbed about wrestling since 1988. Thanks so much!  :)

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killdave

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Edited By killdave

People still buy these games?

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Captain_Fookup

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Edited By Captain_Fookup

glad I stopped watching WWF in the late 90's haha.

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StaticFalconar

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Edited By StaticFalconar

lols, DL the demo today, and wow, i beat HHH up so much, I'm sure the game would have never come out if he saw this.

On second thought, just show HHH the pic, the damn series has been stagnant for like ever.

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AspiringAndy

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Edited By AspiringAndy

So when you beat HHH he just vanishes?

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ep_driver

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Edited By ep_driver

Good question KillDave. Who the fuck watches this shit or plays these games? Besides rednecks and Alex Navarro of course. This stuff is filth.

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OGCartman

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Edited By OGCartman

Sorry Jeff, he works on Smackdown not RAW :P

But yah, i heard about that, great to hear it on giantbomb :)

Seriously, thats some fucked up shit though. I would love to see HHH get his ass kicked in a preview....but then again so would everybody. All media outlets and gaming websites would publish videos of HHH getting shitkicked if they could, we all wanna c it....

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white

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Edited By white

Ruined for life...

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elektrixx

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Edited By elektrixx

You better edit your story, or WWE will rain hell on your for not writing RAW in capitals!

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Death_Burnout

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Edited By Death_Burnout

Yeah im not a fan of his abusive position but damn i love Triple H!!

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zityz

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Edited By zityz

Them crazy wrastlers, always doing crazy stuff the only way wrastlin knows how. *spits into a tin jar*

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deactivated-631423650dc63

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I just played smackdown 2007 last month. I was worried when I pinned triple H the console would red ring.

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FalcomAdol

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Edited By FalcomAdol

It's always possible that this character getting smacked down is a key aspect of the story line.

Wait, do wrestling games have story lines?

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otteaux

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Edited By otteaux

Yeah... I read about this a month or so ago.  Pretty amazing how protective WWE is of their chosen son...

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stucket

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Edited By stucket

-_-,keep your opinion to yourself

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hanktherapper

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Edited By hanktherapper

As anyone mentioned that wrestling is fake yet?

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irishjohn

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Edited By irishjohn

Triple H rarely loses because he's bad ass.  And he uses a sledge hammer.  Jeez.

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Phished0ne

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Edited By Phished0ne

i don't even watch wrestling anymore...but i still find myself playing the games........the last good wwe game was..god it feels like decades ago..

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vgmkyle

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Edited By vgmkyle

HBK,HBK,HBK,HBK!

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wildmatt

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Edited By wildmatt

Good ole HHH is on Smackdown, along with Gold ole JR as well. Thing was JR had NO idea when it happended XD

But yeah I beleive he's the champ on smackdown, I don't know, I don't watch it as much as I used to.

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Lepuke

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Edited By Lepuke

So when you review this game I demand that there be a screen shot in the review showing Triple H bloodied and being defeated by Hornswaggle (if hes in the game) or one of the diva's.

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Shane_O

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Edited By Shane_O

Well, luckily I'm not part of the UK wrestling media, so I'll go ahead and start adding pics of Triple H in losing/defeated/defenseless positions on my page as soon as the game comes out.

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Bill_Hickz

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Edited By Bill_Hickz

Why does an 09 game come out in 08, im looking at you 2 every sports game ever.

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momentarylogic

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Edited By momentarylogic

What is more embarrassing than having another man's head between your legs with little more than a speedo on?

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Milkman

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Edited By Milkman

Hahah, that's great. Also, is it bad that I knew all about that Triple H backstage nonsense already?

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agentboolen

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Edited By agentboolen

I can understand that, from a advertising point there trying to make the cover guy look strong.  If he has the cover he should be the strongest, you wouldn't give the jobber some wimpy guy the cover would you??  So to me this makes sense to me.  And yea I would love to see HHH being slammed down by the Undertakers choke slam.

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ShadowVirus

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Edited By ShadowVirus

I heard about this quite a while ago. It is really pathetic. He's whining just as much as Batista is now :'(

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Edited By MitchyD

My screenshots for my OXM review of Smackdown most definitely have blood in them. Heh. Whoops.

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Scooper

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Edited By Scooper

Thanks Jeff you've made my life that little bit worse now making me know that junk.

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AlucardaLaCarte

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Edited By AlucardaLaCarte

Heard about this on Wrestlecrap Radio and it would not surprise me.

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MasterSplinter

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Edited By MasterSplinter

lmao That's amazing. 800th episode last night! woot woot!! ??

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RazielCuts

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Edited By RazielCuts

People still dig wrestling/wrestling games/wrestling associated crap? 

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PLWolf

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Edited By PLWolf

Funny coming off the heels of last night's bout against The Miz and Morrison. lol

One thing Triple H has done is promote younger stars. He did it with Cena and Orton. Win or lose, he always helps to build them up.

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Bombmaster

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Edited By Bombmaster

This will just cause people to do this even more when the game comes out and post the screen shots of there 100 pound created wrestler doing a DX chop of a bloody Triple H.  Its posible this was done intentionaly to create "Heat" for Triple H. 

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YT

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Edited By YT

Triple H is one of the best characters, the best wrestlers, and has a very impressive physique, so I don't mind that he wins a lot. If the title changed hands too many times it would become meaningless.

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deactivated-59fb4bc479490

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well kids,

being as someone who does watch raw and does play the games i have to say... this post is rediculous.

first off, the whole "married the boss' daughter" bit was about oh..... 5 years ago.  forgive me for not keeping up on my wrestling cannon and not knowing every detail about what is going on in the "wwe universe", but why in the hell is not showing the cover "athelete" in a screenshot a bad thing.  just means you get to choose from one of the other 50 wrestlers that people actually give a damn about.

sorry to say this jeff, but please write something constructive next time.  it would appear that gb.com is showing an inkling to become one of those "post count" sites where you have to talk about everything, no matter how irrelevent it actually is to gaming, the game being discussed, and what the game is about.

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roofy

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Edited By roofy

thanks for taking me down to your level jeff,
thats just something i was aching to know

/sarcasm

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musdy

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Edited By musdy

Fuck Triple H!!

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Spankmealotus

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Edited By Spankmealotus

Wait, are you trying to tell me that people still watch that crap? Shame.