Opinion: What we want in WWE 2K17: ECW! ECW! Part 1

Last year’s instalment of the WWE 2K franchise has featured a singular, core Showcase campaign, all about the Texas Rattlesnake, Stone Cold Steve Austin. And arguably, the move from multiple short storylines to a single, more elaborate trip down the memory lane, has improved the overall critical reception of 2K’s latest WWE title. So understandably, most are expecting the industry giant to approach the matter of the Showcase mode, in exactly the same way. However, while most seem convinced that WWE 2K17 will continue the trend, they’re still asking the one and only question, and its ‘’who, or what will be the subject of 2K’s upcoming instalment of the WWE franchise?’’. And recent inclusion of the ECW Originals, to the WWE programming suggests that ECW may in fact be the focal point of the WWE 2K17. And this article, will explore the possible avenues which the ECW storyline could follow.

‘’ Shane Douglas: The Franchise’’

During the 1990’s WWE and now defunct WCW, were the ultimate destinations for the ‘rasslin fans world over. However, while the two giants were busy battling during the Monday Night Wars, a smaller in stature, but much louder, and volatile promotion named ECW, was making a name for itself from within the confines of a Philadelphia based Bingo Hall.

Initially, ECW stood for Eastern Championship Wrestling, and existed within the National Wrestling Alliance alongside the previously mentioned WCW. However, a long streak of mismanagement and sticking to the ‘classic wrestling’ by the bookers and the promoters, placed the ECW on a path to self-destruction. However, along came Paul Heyman, who with the help of an ECW’s inner circle saved the troubled promotion. Tired of the cliché ridden, Eastern Championship Wrestling, Paul Heyman invented what we all know as Extreme Championship Wrestling, with the help of Shane Douglas.

It’s august 27^th, 1995, and Shane Douglas overcomes two legends of the ‘Wrestling Entertainment’ while competing in the tournament for the NWA World title. In the quarterfinal he has defeated TAZ, at the time ridiculously named ‘The Tazmaniac’, and in the semi-final he has successfully pinned Dean Malenko. While overcoming the tremendous odds, his soon to be final opponent, 2 Cold Scorpio, has defeated a man who doesn’t exist, Chris Benoit in the quarter-final of the tournament, and Alfred ‘’911’’ Poling, in his semi-final bout. Upon the completion of the semi-finals, the final itself was set, and 2 Cold Scorpio knew that he was about to face Shane Douglas, but what 2 Cold didn’t know, is that he was minutes away from witnessing the birth of the new ‘’Attitude’’.

The bout between the two athletes went as planned, they gave people what they’ve paid for, and Shane Douglas, at the time known as ‘’The Franchise’’, has pinned 2 Cold Scorpio, and became the next NWA Champion. So understandably, he accepted the microphone given to him, in order to thank the fans and emphasise how important the championship is for him, just like Terry Funk and Ric Flair before him. But instead cheering the crowd, Shane ‘’The Franchise’’ Douglas, has cut one of the most iconic promos in the history of wrestling. Instead of praising the old timers, he has insulted each and every one of them, and after stating that they all can kiss his ass, as NWA’s title is a championship of a dead promotion, he has dropped the championship belt bestowed upon him, and declared himself, the new ECW champion, a champion of the next generation.

 

Inclusion of the birth of ECW is not only important because it would allow a wider audience to understand the roots, or even the existence of the promotion. But because many, including some employees of the now PG World Wrestling Entertainment, don’t perceive ECW as a significant, part of the wrestling history. Yes, Dudley Boys are currently having their ‘heel’ run in the WWE, but they are just a shadow of their former selves. Additionally, inclusion of the NWA tournament would allow 2K to expand the roster significantly as wrestlers such as Malenko, Tazz, 2 Cold, and 911, were not a part of the WWE 2K16. The addition of the tournament would also allow the players to experience both sides of it, by requiring gamers to playthrough the elimination rounds of both Shane Douglas and 2 Cold Scorpio. This would also allow 2K to add alternate costumes and versions of wrestlers, as Tazz and Shane Douglas, have changed their appearance during their stay at ECW.

The disregard and disrespect with which Shane Douglas has treated the NWA’s belt, would also allow 2K to portray ECW as the heel promotion, one which doesn’t abide by the rules of the man, and one which simply doesn’t care what anybody’s opinion of it is. However, if one was to truly underline the villainous nature of the ECW, one would have to refer to the true Dudley Boyz, or even the Dudley Family, as in retrospect no stable has ever been as villainous as the Dudleyz.

‘’D-Von, Bring the Tables: The Dudley Boyz’’

Initially, Dudley Family was a group of tie-die wearing, fan pleasing, half-brothers who would do anything to get over with the fans. However, as ECW became ‘extreme’ so did the Dudley Family. The turn of the Dudley Family commenced the day D-Von Dudley joined the stable. Visibly upset with the comedy based gimmick, which featured Bubba Ray Dudley, as a dancing, stuttering hillbilly, D-Von called for an evolution within the ranks, and soon enough such took place.

After months of two-way violence between the Dudley Family, and D-Von Dudley in 1996, Bubba Ray Dudley turned heel on 1^st of February 1997, on ‘Crossing the Line Again’ pay-per-view, and joined forces with D-Von, forming the Dudley Boyz. The stable has initially also featured Big Dick Dudley, and Sign Guy Dudley, however, Bubba and D-Von were the core of the newly formed stable. Appropriation of a new name, and gimmick, allowed Bubba and D-von to transform themselves. By abandoning the hillbilly gimmick of the Dudley Family, Dudley Boyz, Bubba and D-von have been given a new lease on life. No longer constricted by the comedic face-based excuse of a character, both wrestlers have reinvented themselves as the top heels of the organisation.

On their way to the top, Dudley Boyz battled nearly every tag team of the ECW brand, and in due-process have become 8 time ECW tag team champions. And while gold usually attracts the fans of a promotion, and often diminishes the heel personas of wrestlers, in case of the Dudley Boyz it had an opposite effect.

Unlike the modern heels of the business, the Dudley Boyz didn’t focus their antagonistic ways on other wrestlers, but on the public. In fact, the Dudley Boyz have always fought twice on every show, as first battle would take place against other wrestlers, and the second would take place right after and would feature numerous fans present at the venue. Constant taunting, pushing, and shoving, would drive the public insane, and on numerous occasions fans would force their way through the security and in order to fight the Dudleyz. However, if such approach didn’t work, they would wait hours upon hours for the Dudley Boyz outside just to challenge them to a fight.

Inclusion of the Dudley Boyz storyline, while not concentrating on certain feuds and rivalries, would give players an insight on the core mechanics of the wrestling business. Through exposition of villainous traits, 2K could compose a story that would truly allow people to detest the Dudleyz, and this would not only benefit the game, but would also emphasise the true nature of the tag team in real life. Additionally, Dudley Boyz storyline would allow to 2K to implement a tremendous amount of new wrestlers to the roster, as during their tenure at ECW, Dudley Boyz have battled Full Blooded Italians, The Eliminators, The Public Enemy, and last but certainly not least Tommy Dreamer and Sandman. Addition of new wrestlers to the roster wouldn’t be the only benefit of the Dudley Boyz storyline, as throughout their career, the Dudleyz have introduced a plethora of gruesome spots, such as the now infamous flaming tables. However, while introducing a tremendous amount of new content to the game, it would also introduce additional storylines, and through inclusion of Tommy Dreamer, the Dudley Boyz storyline could transition straight to the Dreamer Vs Raven feud.

”Tommy Dreamer Vs Raven”

When people say ‘they don’t do feuds like this anymore’ they usually over exaggerate, however, when such expression is applied to the feud between Tommy Dreamer and Raven, it couldn’t have any more truth to it.

The feud between Raven and Tommy Dreamer lasted over two years, as it has begun in 1995, and has arrived at its optimal conclusion in the year 1997. And unlike majority of the wrestling feuds, it didn’t hinge on a screwed finished to a championship match, or a locker room altercation. The feud between Dreamer and Raven dated back all the way to wrestlers’ fictional childhood summer camp, during which popular Tommy Dreamer, antagonised the lonesome raven. And while the backstory to the feud is quiet simply ridiculous, Raven, Dreamer, and most importantly Paul Heyman did a great job of maintaining fans’ interest over the period of two years.

The feud between the two men was filled with rage, hatred, and disgust, and such was projected not only by Dreamer and Raven but also the fans. The struggle of two men was filled with surprising twists, and turns, but for two years straight, Tommy Dreamer has not defeated Raven even once, at least not until 1997.

Initially arriving from WWF, Raven was given a new breath of life by reinventing himself in ECW. And while entertaining the fans nationwide, his feud with Dreamer has attracted a tremendous amount of attention, and in 1997 Raven has signed a contract with WCW giving him enough time to fight one last time with Tommy Dreamer. Initially fans who were aware of Raven’s looming departure, were 100% convinced that this was the match which Tommy Dreamer is going to win, as no matter how detestable ECW characters were, there was nothing worse to the fans of the brand than WCW. However, once the match has commenced, the conviction of the fans in the arena has slowly started to disappear, as spots and numerous run-ins, inclined the fans to believe that Raven will once again emerge victorious. But once the bout between the two men has reached its conclusion, Tommy Dreamer was the man standing tall, having slayed the WCW traitor.

Inclusion of the Dreamer Vs Raven feud in WWE 2K17, would allow 2K to emphasise the fact that wrestlers can uphold their relevancy without having to fight for championships, or empty honour. But most importantly, it would allow the fans to relieve one of the most impressive feuds in wrestling’s history. A feud which featured stars such as Mick Foley, and the seemingly invincible Terry Funk, and while it would only add a couple of new stars to the roster, it would also introduce a great amount of replayability, as players could rewrite the history, and have Tommy Dreamer win majority of the bouts, with Raven finally gripping the emotional victory at the very end of the road.

The feud between the two, would be a very engaging and captivating experience when transformed into a videogame storyline, however, ECW over its initial, independent run has proven, that while wrestling is at the core of the business, it is not necessarily what attracts the masses, and arrival of Brain Pillman, at the gates of the Extreme Championship Wrestling has proven just that.

Brian Pillman

Brian Pillman, according to many is the most underappreciated wrestler in the history of the business. A tremendously talented individual, who just like his close friend Stone Cold Steve Austin has always been hampered by numerous mainstream wrestling promotions. But in 1996, Brian Pillman has reached the limit of his patience, and decided to leave WCW, in pursuit of reinvigoration of his career, and ECW was the obvious choice, considering how well the same transition worked out for the previously mentioned Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Introduced as the new face of the company, Brian Pillman was over with the fans from the very beginning, as he was the first major star to leave WCW and join the ECW. However, the joy of having Brian Pillman wrestle for the fan favourite promotion, has soon turned into pure horror. While appearing in the ring after a blackout, right next to Joey Styles, the interviewer and a backstage personality, the crowd went absolutely insane. But as Brian Pillman has started talking, the mood has changed rapidly.

In his hate filled promo, Pillman has attacked everybody who has wronged him throughout his career, and when comparing Eric Bischoff to faecal matter, he turned around and stated that everybody in the arena is just another Erich Bischoff, a smart mark who pretends to understand how wrestling business truly works. Continuing his insult driven assault, he then threatens to urinate on the ring, but before he is able to do so, he is calmed down by the ECW officials, and while making his way backstage, he pulls out a fork and attempts to stab a planted wrestler, simply because he is ‘Brian F@cking Pillman’.

Like in the previous segments of this article, this is a section which would feature potential gameplay-based avenues which the storyline of Brian Pillman could explore in WWE 2K17. However, due to an unfortunate accident, Brian Pillman has not wrestled a single match for ECW, but not to disappoint, he was responsible for creation of many matches which included a large portion of the talent including Rob Van Dam. And inclusion of the Brian Pillman storyline would not only allow for addition of a wide range of wrestlers, but also would revolutionise the tired formula.

Instead of working the matches, players would be able to participate in the backstage politicking, and management of the wrestling bouts. Players could still play the selected matches, but would also have an option to alter the matches from the outside. Creating interferences, and altering stipulations with the use of Brian Pillman, the story mode would finally feature some brand new options, which would increase the interactivity, and the replayability potential of the WWE 2K series.

To conclude, it has to be stated that while an ECW themed story mode has a tremendous amount of potential, it is still highly unlikely that such will be implemented any time soon. However, considering all the legacy talk, which has been popping up on the WWE programming, it is more likely that WWE 2K17 will feature WCW centred storyline, and potential of such has been expanded upon by Richard Breslin, you can read our second and final part of our “What we want in WWE 2K17” here.