WWE '12: 3 New DLC Characters Announced

Three new characters have been announced for the impending wrestling game WWE ’12.

Jim Ross, Michael Cole and The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, will join Jerry Lawler to comprise the first DLC (downloadable content) pack for the game, according to game developer THQ's website. Lawler had already been announced as a future DLC inclusion, but other news about the pack is it will also include some alternate attires.  

What does this mean for this game that is supposed to have undergone a complete reformation to bring it up to date with the games it will be competing with?

Well, in each slide I will analyse the importance of each newly announced character in this first DLC pack.

Enjoy!

Jim Ross

Jim Ross. The man who can make you laugh, make you cry, but you don’t want to make him stomp a mud hole and walk it dry!

Seriously, though, I have no idea why he is included as a playable character.

The problem here is he is only involved in the odd match, and I don’t think anybody has any sort of mad desire to play as him.

On the other hand, it allows players to create matches they have seen on television.

Including Jim Ross in the WWE Universe can allow fans to really give Michael Cole what he deserves from the real voice of the WWE!

However, the other reason it is bad for the game is the fact that you have to pay for him!

He isn’t included in the game from the start, which is rather confusing to me, considering the amount of matches he has been involved in this year. It seems like a bit of a kick in the face from THQ.

WWE ’12 profile: http://wwe.thq.com/jimross

Michael Cole

If you aren’t annoyed by Michael Cole’s orange singlet enough when he’s on television, you can now annoy yourself even more by downloading him for use in WWE ’12.

I think he is only here to complement Jim Ross and so that people can destroy him with the other characters such as Brock Lesnar.  

To include Michael Cole may be realistic, but having to pay for him is a bit cheeky.

He isn’t a superstar; I doubt many people would want to play as him considering how irritating he is. And if he is wrestling, is the commentary going to be lacking his voice?

Judging from the disappointing preview videos I have seen regarding WWE ’12, I very much doubt it.

WWE ’12 profile: http://wwe.thq.com/michaelcole

Shawn Michaels

Now we’re talking! The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, is the final addition in this initial DLC pack.

Shawn Michaels alone makes the pack worth buying.

I fear if he wasn’t a part of this, nobody would buy this pack for two commentators who have no business in the ring.

However, it is a classic case of “he should have been included in the game from the start" anyway.

I am still disappointed by the way other wrestlers react to his finishing manoeuvre—they just don’t seem to fall in the correct way.

I thought WWE ’12 was supposed to be realistic?

There is no doubt that his appearance in the game will allow players to create some memorable matches, and the designers have done great work regarding his entrance and design.

WWE ’12 profile: http://wwe.thq.com/shawnmichaels

Worth It or Not?

I feel THQ are slapping their fans right in the face then squirting them with BBQ sauce before giving them a Sweet Chin Music, and that isn’t a compliment.

Announcing a DLC pack before the game is even released defeats the object of DLC altogether. It is supposed to be there in case developers want to improve a game, or respond to fan’s complaints and concerns.

The fact the announcement has pre-empted the game’s release shows that these characters were not an afterthought, and I see it as a cheeky way to squeeze extra money from people who want the full roster in the game.

All of these characters should have already been in the game anyway, so making people pay for these extra superstars could put people off buying the game at full price.

Maybe this is the worst DLC pack and we can expect a lot better to be announced in the coming weeks. Only time will tell.

What do you think? While it's only going to cost $0.99, are these three DLC characters worth paying extra to obtain?

Are THQ taking the proverbial...you know what? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section.