With the release of the latest video game in the WWE, PWP Nation’s Sherron Watson gives you his theory on why Stone Cold Steve Austin was chosen for the cover of WWE2K16
WWE 2K16 was just released & in case you didn’t notice, it heavily features the Attitude Era. Daniel Bryan made the comment that he thinks living in the past takes away from the talent in today’s product.
While I agree with some of what the former WWE Champion said, this is where he and I part ways. The in-ring work from today’s talent is off the charts which to me is an edge over the Attitude Era.
The characters themselves though have absolutely nothing on the best era in wrestling. Characters were legit during The Attitude Era. The Rock, Stone Cold, DX, and so on.
Some of today’s characters just don’t have that same connection with the fans. Bryan is a rare breed when it comes to the superstars of today. The fans love him and his pops are enormous and authentic. Other than Bryan, no star on the roster gets the reaction The Rock gets when he comes back.
When The Great One makes a surprise return, the arena erupts. Rock has been gone for years, but the fans still love him as if he never left. I still get chills when The Rock comes back. The new game follows the career of The Rattlesnake and to also argue another point against Bryan…who on the current roster has a legacy like the Texas Rattlesnake? No one.
He’s one of the biggest names in the business. Austin left a legacy that will never be touched. Today’s characters just don’t have those personalities. They don’t have guys that can connect with the fans like that anymore. Yes, today’s product is more PG and the Attitude Era was the “do whatever the hell you want or we’re out of a job” mindset.
That still has nothing to do with the lack of personality I see when I watch today’s product. During the Attitude Era, fans tuned in because you had no clue what you were going to see.
I understand wanting to be more PG, but it doesn’t mean you can’t throw some twists and surprises into the story. The Attitude Era is still relevant because of the storylines and characters. The Rock and Stone Cold took over the business, but there were other great talents who made history along with them from Mankind, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Kane, The Dudley Boyz, Edge and Christian, The APA, and the great storylines that followed.
WWE has the stars who could become icons and carry the company to new heights, it just seems as if they aren’t allowed the same freedom as the other icons from year’s past. So to argue against Daniel Bryan, today’s talent is definitely fun to watch in the ring but they are nothing like the guys we saw during the best age of wrestling and the storylines can never be re-created.
The Attitude Era still sells to this very day and fans would rather flock to a game featuring Steve Austin and the rest of the greatest era in the company vs. any wrestler in the business today.
And no I’m not knocking today’s talent because I am still an avid WWE supporter, but the Attitude Era was simply one of a kind and kept WWE in business so it can still exist today.