Pro Wrestling X

[James Steele]

Pro Wrestling X Needs Your Help
September 19, 2005 - www.prowrestlingx.com

---

If you're a Pro Wrestler Gamer, we hope you are reading this. Please, if you support this cause, copy and paste this letter (or the LINK) onto your Game Forums anywhere on the internet and get the word passed around. With the support of you, the all-important Game community, Pro Wrestling X will soon become a reality. Thank you very much. Pro Wrestling X needs your help. We get a lot of email from people asking what they can do to help out. Today I'm going to tell you.

A few days ago Telefilm gave us their decision and it wasn't what we were hoping for. But the news wasn't all bad and we still have a chance but its going to take your support to make it happen. Let me explain...

We applied for two phases of funding; product development and marketing. Despite our best efforts, Telefilm remains unconvinced that enough people actually want to play a game like PWX. They evaluated our prototype and believe we can make PWX, they just need to see more proof that gamers really want it. We have 29 days to prove that gamers really want a group like Wrestling Gamers United to make a different kind of wrestling game for them. A game that respects wrestling as much as we do.

A few years ago we were in a similar position. Investors needed some convincing. So you guys wrote letters to the investors, a LOT of letters, and I guarantee it was those letters that eventually convinced our first group of investors to begin funding PWX last year. We need to do that again but with Telefilm. We need each and every one of you to write an email to Telefilm explaining just how much wrestling gamers want PWX to be made and why. Fire Pro R was just released and by all reports it is the new pinnacle of wrestling games. With Telefilm funding we would have the freedom to produce a game of that quality, too, with your input.

Why is Telefilm funding so important? Sure, without Telefilm we could simply find more private investors to fund the project or possible accept an offer from the publishers who have contacted us. But finding more investors takes time and publishers will almost certainly prevent us from attaining the creative vision we want gamers to have. It's worth it to do our best to get Telefilm funding for these reasons:

1-It's fast. Once Telefilm gives the ok we receive the money in a matter of a few days. Seeking private investors could take many months. Same with publishers.

2-No strings attached. When Telefilm funds us they require absolutely no creative control, they leave us alone to make the game the fans want us to make. Publishers demand creative influence and almost certainly would want to change PWX into some other licensed wrestling game. We want to make PWX, not Backyard Wrestling 3.

3-We'd survive after PWX. Telefilm does not demand to be paid back until PWX starts to sell and even then they take only a small percentage. A publisher takes 100% of your profits until they are paid back in full and this is why most developers go out of business after a game is finished, the publisher takes the profits. With Telefilm, they want the company to grow and prosper so they don't require a crippling pay back rate.

4-Crew security. Telefilm leaves us with the right to hire anyone we want. A publisher would almost certainly insist we replace all junior members of our crew. Brendan got rave reviews for his latest animation work but with a publisher involved he would be one of the first people to go. That kills me and I'll fight like hell to get Telefilm funding so that WE decide who stays.

So those are the reasons why we must do all we can to prove to Telefilm that there is a demand for PWX. For a young developer like us who wants to bring the Fire Pro level of quality to our project Telefilm is our absolute best chance of doing that. Of all the funding options available to us, only Telefilm assures us of 100% control over the project. That’s worth fighting for, don't you think? You may want to know more about just why Telefilm is hesitant about PWX. Some of their views may surprise you and you may want to address them in your letters to Telefilm.

1- As part of our proposal to Telefilm we told them how we wanted PWX to portray more global wrestling culture than people see in WWE games. We wanted to showcase Japanese wrestling culture, Mexican, as well as some Canadian culture. Telefilm knows little about wrestling and they don't understand just what kind of impact Canadian wrestlers have had on the industry. They may not believe that wrestling fans know or care about Canadian wrestlers. Likewise, they are not convinced that Canada is known for contributing anything at all. We need to prove it to them so they don't just think we are waving a Canadian flag to get the funding. Do you think Canadian trained wrestlers like Chris Benoit, Bret Hart, or Chris Jericho are known and respected for their ability? Tell Telefilm! Is Stu Hart's training dungeon known for producing crappy wrestlers or good ones? Tell Telefilm! Tell them we're not making it up.

2- WWE games sell very well and for the most part get good reviews. So despite the rave reviews a game like Fire Pro R gets Telefilm asks, "If people are so happy with WWE games why would they want something like PWX or Fire Pro as well? If they truly aren't satisfied with WWE games then why are they buying so many of them? How do you know people are buying Fire Pro because it’s a better game and not just because they prefer Japanese wrestling?"

3- They say the PC market is "soft". This means that very few people buy PC games. We say that it’s not the size of the PC market that we should be focused on but the size of the wrestling gamer market, period. Please tell Telefilm why you actually WANT to see PWX on PC.

4- They are concerned that we won't be able to reach all of the wrestling gamers out there to get enough exposure for PWX. They worry that nobody outside of Canada will care about a wrestling game made by a Canadian company. Please tell Telefilm how wrong they are. We've got supporters in countries all over the world and we need you guys to write in so they know you are out there and that you care about PWX! I think we've done a damn good job of promoting PWX so far just by word of mouth support alone. Tell Telefilm we can do it!

5- Telefilm wonders why gamers should support us at all. How are we any different from any other wrestling game developer? I can't answer this for you but I'm asking you now to please write and tell Telefilm why you support PWX!

I'm going to make sure Telefilm gets each and every one of your emails because I'm going to ask that you send them to me instead, I'll print them out, and hand deliver every one of them to Telefilm in person. Gamers are always complaining that their voices are rarely heard. This time I guarantee YOU WILL BE HEARD! When will you ever get an opportunity like this again? To speak directly to the people who quite possibly hold the future of great wrestling games in their hands. Here's your chance, they're listening, don't let this pass you by.

Please send your letter of support to Dave@WrestlingGamersUnited.com as soon as you can. We have only 29 days make a difference. Don't forget to include your name, location, and even a picture of yourself if you can.

But lets not stop there! Do you know anyone in the wrestling or game industry that could help out with a letter of support? It would help so much to hear from wrestlers or fed owners who could tell Telefilm that they talk to lots of wrestling fans who would love a game like PWX. Do you know someone who works at a game store or other retailer who could tell Telefilm that they see lots of gamers who want something different? How about reporters or writers for wrestling or gaming websites? They could offer another perspective and help make a huge difference as well.

The letter writing campaign that you guys did a few years ago worked. It got us started. PWX needs you again and this time there is much much more at stake. Please don't hesitate. Don't think your letter won't matter because you're just one little gamer. It matters! It's crucial! I know you guys won't let us down.

On the day it comes to deliver the letters I'm going to prove that your letters were delivered. I will have someone come with me to video tape the whole thing and you'll see with your own eyes your letters delivered into their hands.

This is what Pro Wrestling X is really about when we say it’s 'by the fans'. The future of this project is really up to you. You will make this difference, not us. We already made the prototype and proved that we could get the job done.

But now they need to know, are you guys really out there?

Send your letters of support to Dave@WrestlingGamersUnited.com - We Thank You For Your Support!

Write whatever you feel you have to get off your chest. Short letters are good, long ones are good, too. This could be your last chance to be heard so make it a good one. And thanks for helping. You guys are easily the most important part of this whole thing.