WWE 13: Bringing Back Attitude Era Is Perfect Selling Point for Gamers

WWE and THQ did their best to re-energize the stagnant Raw vs. SmackDown video game series by changing the name and presentation. The results were nothing short of spectacular, and it made the anticipation for this year's iteration the highest it has been in a long time. 

Never one to rest on its laurels, THQ is upping the ante with WWE '13 by bringing back the most successful era in WWE history: The Attitude Era. 

For those fans who are too young to remember, The Attitude Era is the name given to the period in WWE from 1998-2001. It saw the emergence of mega-stars like Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Mankind and so many more big names revered in wrestling history. 

The product back then was far different from the one we see now. It was a lot more violent—not just with blood, but the uncomfortable chair shots to the head, insane moves that no one should ever try, sexual innuendo and more. 

While THQ is not likely to incorporate an infamous incident like the Val Venis-Kaientai segment, it will bring back all of the best elements that made fans fall in love with WWE for the longest time, and make disgruntled fans today yearn for the better days. 

In his write-up on the "Attitude Era" section of the game, Jon Robinson of ESPN.com wrote that it will be part of a storyline involving the Monday Night Wars. 

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"WWE 13" will even feature a single-player storyline focused on eight Attitude Era stars as gamers try to relive the magic that was once known as the Monday Night Wars between WWE and their then-rival, WCW. 

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Wrestling fans are nothing if not nostalgic. It is why even in the darkest days of wrestling—like when WCW was on its deathbed—they keep watching, because all it takes is one great thing to make it all worth it. 

The Attitude Era represents a glorious time in WWE, when all the fluff was contained, and stars like The Rock and Austin were headlining WrestleMania in matches that really felt like they were important. 

Bringing that magic into a video game won't be easy, but we have seen what THQ can do when it tries to reinvent the brand. 

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