Popular gaming site IGN.com has posted an interview with Jeffrey Peters, marketing and public relations manager at Longtail Studios, regarding the new TNA Mobile game!

Peters talks about the creation of the game, the characters, gameplay modes and much more!

Here is the full interview as seen on IGN.com:

Professional wrestling isn't exactly an ideal genre for mobile, so when we heard that Total Nonstop Action Wrestling was making a cellphone game, it certainly raised a Peoples' Eyebrow or two. Jeffrey Peters, marketing and public relations manager at Longtail Studios, was happy to oblige our curiosity and explained the approach to making a wrestling game for wireless.

IGN: What were your influences when making this game? We noticed that it looks very similar to the Fire Pro Wrestling series as far as the gameplay goes – was that the sort of approach you were taking?

Jeffrey Peters: What we wanted to do was create a wrestling game optimized for mobile. We played just about every wrestling game released over the past 20 years while creating this game to find out might work and what might not. That is one reason why we settled on a strategy/turn based model, which we feel is a new take for mobile wrestling games. Another reason is that we wanted to immerse the player in the game and this direction actually rewards the player for thinking and developing their move set. It's truly a completely new type of mobile wrestling game.

IGN: Since this strategy / turn based gameplay allows for some time between turns, will there be a multiplayer component to this?

JP: We didn't want to create a connected game where you would be stuck waiting for another player to make a move. We wanted the story to be self contained and the player to be able to advance at their own speed. While the game is turned based, you're not waiting around for something to happen. When you're not on offense, you are formulating a turn based defensive strategy. No matter what, you are always involved in the action.

IGN: How will the storyline be effected by your decisions? Will there be separate story arcs based on whether your character is a face or a heel? Will you be able to change your persona during the game? How many different story paths can you take through the course of the game?

JP: Every decision you make affects your character. Without giving too much away, you are awarded face and heel points based on your responses and actions during the game, which will skew your overall persona.

We wanted to try and show how the career path of a wrestler can change based on what's happening around them and the situations they find themselves in, so yes, you will be able to change your persona throughout the game. Of course, you'll have to deal with the repercussions of your previous decisions.

Your ultimate goal is to become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, but there are many paths that can lead you there.

IGN: Will the audience effect your character's performance?

JP: Since the audience is a big part of professional wrestling and especially TNA, we wanted to make sure that that was shown in the mobile game. You'll see the crowd's reactions to the action in the ring, cheering and booing for their favorite stars. Depending on what you say and do in the ring, you can gain and lose crowd support. They'll be vocal the whole way.

There are different "crowd powers" for heels and faces, so that's another way your decisions play in the game. If you're able to "pump up" the crowd and get them behind you, you'll start to fill your crowd meter. Once your meter is full you'll be able to use, special "crowd power" moves that cause more damage to your opponent. These crowd power moves will be unlocked based upon the decisions you make during the game. For example if you're playing as a heel you'll learn different moves than if you're playing as a face.

IGN: How deep with the customization of your character go? Will you be able to unlock new costumes? Could you potentially learn every skill in the game, or are there a set amount of points to allot to your character? Is this based on your performance during matches?

JP: At the beginning of the game you'll create your wrestler by customizing their looks, body type and name. Throughout the game you will constantly be tweaking the persona of your wrestler with the decisions you choose. There will be the opportunity to edit your ring attire in the game.

Depending on the path you choose, how well you wrestle, and how you choose to carry yourself outside the ring it's possible for you to learn most of the moves.

In order to learn new moves and gain "crowd powers", you'll have to accumulate points through your actions both in and out of the ring.

IGN: Were any of the TNA performers involved with the creation of the game?

JP: We did consult with a number of wrestlers and members of the TNA management and creative teams throughout the game's development.

IGN: What sort of gameplay modes can we expect to see?

JP: The overall gameplay combines both wrestling and story modes throughout. There are a few other gameplay modes specifically related to the wrestling. You'll also have a number of different matches that are playable including tag matches, gauntlets, 2 out of 3 falls, lumberjack and iron man matches.

Also, once you complete the game you'll be able to unlock an unlimited wrestling mode where you can play as the TNA stars. So in addition to playing the story, you'll be able to have matches whenever you like with the wrestlers that appear in the game.

IGN: Is there anything in the works for the iPhone?

JP: Absolutely, we do have a TNA Wrestling iPhone game in the works. You can look for more information on that in the coming months.

According to several WWE sources, former TNA Knockout Champion & WWE Women's Champion Gail Kim is returning to WWE. She was offered a rather sizable offer from WWE, which she accepted.

Kim's contract with TNA is coming up soon (it was announced that she signed a deal with TNA on September 6, 2005), so once it expires, she is free to start working in a WWE ring.

The decision to jump ship to WWE was said to completely be a financial one. Her decision to leave TNA had nothing to do with her being unhappy over how she was booked or presented on television.

TNA sources are saying that Kim has left the company on good terms, with one person saying, "The door is always open." There is no heat over her departure from TNA.

Kim's final TNA television appearance will be on this Thursday edition of iMPACT! as she will be facing Awesome Kong in a Street Fight.

WWE has announced the rules for the "Championship Scramble" matches that will be taking place at Unforgiven pay per view in September. The rules have officially been posted on WWE's Fan Nation site.

The match will have a 20 minute time limit. The defending champion and one randomly selected challenger will begin the match with a new, randomly selected wrestler entering the match every 5 minutes until all 5 men are in the ring.

Pinfalls or submissions can happen at any time. Should a wrestler score a pinfall or submission, he will be recognized as a "temporary" champion until the match either ends or he is pinned or made to submit. Whoever is the "temporary" champion when the 20 minute time limit expires will be recognized as the World Heavyweight Champion.

Team 3D, known to most as the Dudley Boyz, are currently renegotiating new deals with TNA as their contract are set to expire in the very near future. TNA feels confident that Ray and Devon will re-sign as the feeling is that both are happy with their current position in the company. It's also being reported that WWE has shown little to no interest in bringing them back into the company so the decision to stay with TNA should be a fairly easy one.

Internally, Devon is pretty well liked by many in the WWE, however Ray is said to have made some enemies when his last run with the company came to an end. A source within WWE was quoted as saying "no one in WWE has any ill will or bad feelings toward Devon, but Bubba (Ray) is a detriment to his career". This seems to make Devon guilty by association, so the feeling is that the team will not be receiving any offers from WWE. Ray has been known to work very stiff with young talent and gives most rookies a very tough time. Considering WWE's current tag division is mostly made up of younger talent, management would most likely be hesitant to bring Team 3D in.

Beth Phoenix's site was not hacked and the TNA logo was put up several months back when the webmaster was no longer being contacted by Beth with updates and exclusive news.

Beth Phoenix's ex-webmaster explained by wrote the following statement on Beth Phoenix's official website regarding her website being "hacked":

I would like to issue this statement in regards to the Official Website of Beth Phoenix being “hacked”

There is some sites reporting that someone hacked the website, and placed the TNA logo there, other sites are reporting that it was just a disgruntled webmaster... tis is what happened

I was the webmaster for Beth’s Official website for its entire 9 month run, and at this point I’d like to explain what has gone on. Disgruntled is only the beginning....

I approached Beth Phoenix in regards to an Official website when she was still working down in OVW before being called back up to the WWE main roster last year. I believe we launched the site sometime around April, 2007, with the full support and input of Beth herself. We spoke about how the site should be and Beth sent on some cool ideas for some video promos that I ended up making as teaser trailers for the countdown to the opening of the site.

I had told Beth that I would look after all the registration and hosting costs of the site, because I am a pro-wrestling fan, I wasn’t bothered about spending some money each year to become the webmaster for Beth’s official website and stay in contact with her.

She wasn’t the easiest to stay in touch with, even when she was still down in OVW, but I still continued on with the site. Then some of the Beth Phoenix fansites, which may I say do an excellent job, started to get some exclusive news that I felt should’ve been reported first and exclusively on Beth’s official site. I asked why we couldn’t do it through our site, and was promised by her husband, Joey, that he would now handle reporting all news etc. to me (At this point Beth had been called back up to the main WWE roster).

We done some cool stuff with Joey, his tag-team partner Robin Knightwing, and Beth’s best friend, Kevin Grace, like PPV predictions etc etc. And I am grateful for their help at the time when Beth was busy on the road.

Unfortunately, once again, I was informed of new exclusive news being reported by a Beth fansite and I had had enough at this point. I was promised by Beth that she would send me on some stuff for doing the website for her for free, which I never received, when I asked about this stuff that never arrived, I received a Christmas card/photo signed by Beth, Joey & Knightwing. I was also promised that when Beth was in Belfast on tour with WWE (I live in Ireland), that she would in the least give me a phone call to say hi and thank me for doing the website, which, again, I never received that call.

I had asked Joey to send me on some photos and news that we could use as exclusives on the site, which I was promised to get, but never did, so at that point I decided to tell Joey to inform Beth the site was done, I was tired getting used while Beth’s official site was getting more and more popular. We had some words through email and basically I didn’t like that way I was spoken to, I was told that someone my age (I’m 2 years younger than Beth by the way) should be glad to be able to run her official website and be friends with and I quote “the WWE Women’s Champion” - this was completely the end for me, sounded like winning a title went straight to someone's ego!

I would like to point out that when I did originally close the website (in January, 2008), I publicly thanked Beth, Joey, Robin, Kevin and a number of OVW people who helped out during the course of the site on the actual website. You think this is where the story ends.... but NO!!

I was informed by a friend sometime around the end of January that when WWE switched to the new HD set on Raw that a logo I had created specifically for Beth’s official website was being used on her TitanTron entrance.

Upon checking this out for myself I found out that WWE had stolen the logo and been using it since their very first HD broadcast in January, 2008. To say I was annoyed was a bit of an understatement!

I immediately contacted both Beth and Joey to find out if she had given WWE permission to use the logo, or if they had simply stolen it off the website. I got no reply from either. I then sent the WWE’s legal department a letter informing them of my problem with their usage of my logo, to which I also got no reply. I once again contacted Beth & Joey and pleaded with them to inform me of who gave WWE permission to use my logo, and if I didn’t get a reply I would be pursuing legal action against whoever I needed to take action against, to which, surprise surprise! I got no reply.

I have consulted with a number of people, including some pro-wrestlers, and was told to pursue my legal action against WWE over the use of my logo without permission, which I am currently following up.

I would just like to say that it is very annoying and just plain disheartening that after 9 months of non-stop hard work, not to mention the amount of money spent on web hosting, registration, purchasing past DVD’s featuring Beth to use on the website, that I was so blatantly used and screwed over by someone. At this point neither Beth nor Joey will answer my emails, and I was told in person at signings etc that Beth is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, well I’m here to tell you that she is nothing but a total user, and the general assumption of wrestlers is that they use you until they get what they want and then drop you like you never existed.

I cannot and will not watch any of Beth’s stuff on tv anymore, and until this matter is resolved and I receive an apology of sorts I will continue to tell people of what Beth Phoenix is really like.

Regarding this whole site being “hacked” issue with the TNA logo... everyone is about 2 months off regarding this... I did place the TNA logo on the website around June, 2008, in an attempt to get Beth’s / WWE’s attention over this matter, whether it worked or not is another discussion. I apologize to TNA if there is any issue regarding this.

I’d like to thank everyone who spent the time to visit Beth’s website when it was active, I’d also like to point out that Beth Unlimited (www.beth-phoenix.org) is the best Beth Phoenix fansite around at the moment, they do a great job over there, and beat me to the punch on news a number of times!!

I’d like to hear what some people think regarding the incidents above, please feel free to contact me at : webmaster@bethphoenixglamazon.com

Thanks

Former WWE Women's Champion Lita and her band, The Luchagors, are scheduled to be heading to the United Kingdom. They will be performing at the Carling Academy in Liverpool on Wednesday, September 10. They will also be doing an autograph signing during the day. Children under 14 who want to watch their performance must be accompanied by an adult.

Do you still remember "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesnar? Want to know latest news about him? For you who didn't know where he is nowadays, now he's a mixed martial artist and currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). For more information about him please click here.