For almost 4 years (the first 4 of my career no less) wrestling has been the backbone of my work. Practically every single project has been a wrestling game, or a stepping stone towards one. We've seen it all - from stunts to matches, wrestling to booking, and even 2D to 3D! A lot of ground has been broken in that time - and, more importantly, a lot of fun has been had. However, all good things must come to an end. I never thought I'd say this, but that goes for wrestling too. It's time to hang up the tights, for the time being at least, and here's why...

Caught Up In The Ropes
The single biggest factor in my decision is that I feel the journey is complete. I never thought I'd make a game as epic as the recent Wrestling MPire series - but I have, and it doesn't leave many other places to go. Now that you've tasted it, nothing less than an all-encompassing wrestling simulator will do. Whereas up until now, there had always been something on the horizon. When I was making Federation Booker, I looked forward to a 3D incarnation. When I was making Big BumpZ, I looked forward to a deeper concept. However, with Booking MPire I saw absolutely nothing. All that could possibly remain is to make the same couple of games over and over again, with increasingly better graphics and more moves. In many ways, that's a nice, secure position to be in. After all, THQ have been pedalling such a strategy for years with their WWE games! However, for a guy that progressed from text to 2D to 3D within just 3 short years, standing still isn't an option....

Going Through The Motions
Could that just be an excuse though? If I'm being honest, the real reason for my u-turn is that I'm rapidly losing my passion for the wrestling industry. Whether it's because I've overdosed on the sport with my work, or because Vince McMahon's lacklustre product has tried my patience, I can't be sure. It's no doubt a combination of the two, but the fact remains that my heart isn't in it anymore. You wouldn't know it to look at the end result, but I actually went into Booking MPire with the least enthusiasm I've ever had for a new project. For the very first time in my career, I was going through the motions - which is never a good sign. It's only because the sport is etched into my soul so deeply that I could go into autopilot and survive without crashing! I've prided my career on doing what I want, but if I made another wrestling game soon I certainly wouldn't be doing that...

No Pain, No Gain
Although it's sad to turn my back on wrestling, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the break. I've made a career of making it look easy, but the truth is that wrestling games are perhaps the hardest kind I can imagine! It's like making a fighting game AND a sports game at the same time, which is no mean feat. When I was making the hundreds of move animations for Wrestling MPire, I couldn't help thinking that any other game's 3D work would have been done months ago! I don't regret the work that I've put into that series, because it's up there on screen now - but I certainly wouldn't look forward to doing it again. I genuinely believe that I could have made 2 or 3 less sophisticated games in the time it took to make Wrestling MPire. Even if they didn't have the same impact, it would be fun to exercise those other muscles...

The Grass Is Always Greener...
In addition to the relaxed work schedule, I've also been looking forward to exploring new pastures. At the risk of sounding like a comedian that wants to play it straight, I'm convinced that there's more to me than wrestling. Sure Shot is about the closest I've come to proving that, which doesn't say much! I need to attempt other 3D concepts with the same gusto that was afforded to Wrestling MPire. After making that epic, I feel that nothing is beyond me. For the first time in my career, I'm flicking through games magazines knowing that I could do a better job. Obviously not in terms of graphics, but in terms of gameplay. Whether it's Resident Evil, Grand Theft Auto, or Metal Gear Solid, there are plenty of genres out there that are waiting to be "saved". All I've done with wrestling is use my independent status to deliver what fans really want. I assure you that the same thing can be achieved with countless other genres and past-times. All I have to do is develop a passion for something, and then it's mine for the taking...

The Powers That Be
Although I owe my career to wrestling, in some ways it has been more of a hindrance than a help. Everybody knows that wrestling has its fair share of detractors, and they don't stop at the schoolyard. Game journalists are equally dismissive of the sport and its games. You might think that Booking MPire is a miracle of entertainment, but it's an absolute mystery to most people! I've only gotten this far by keeping an eye out for the few writers that do respect the business. More often than not, my exploits with the media break down when they learn that my only claim to fame is wrestling. I may have learnt not to care what others think, but there's only so long you can keep that up without committing career suicide. The reaction from the general public is equally frustrating. When people learn that I make games for a living their eyes light up... until I mention wrestling. I'm tired of having to say that my games are good "if you like wrestling". With a more diverse range of games, I should be able to promote my work with a little more confidence and success. Who knows? With a bigger net, I might bring back more wrestling fans than ever...

Can't Knock The Hustle
At the risk if sounding like The Rock, let me make it clear that my heart will always be with wrestling. I'm proud to be a wrestling fan, and proud to have dedicated the most important years of my career to it. Hell, I've certainly paid my dues! I've defended it in front of a class full of sceptics, in publishing meetings, and in countless magazine articles. I've gone further then any other game developer dares, bringing the realities of the business to life for everyone to enjoy. Somewhere along the way, I've even used the sport to express my support for a certain popstar! All in all, I've put my neck on the line as much as any wrestler. It just so happens that we've reached the end of the road. There's nothing else wrestling can do for me, and there's nothing else I can do for it...   

YOU'RE FIRED!!!
So that's it; Booking MPire is my "retirement match". My obsession with wrestling couldn't end on a higher note though. I'm tremendously proud of that last game - and indeed the whole series. It might be flawed, as all my games are, but for one man to deliver something that ground-breaking is a great achievement. If I never make another wrestling game again, I'd like to think that series will live on as the definitive way to enjoy the business. If people were enjoying my 2D games as we went into the 21st century, surely there's a place in the future for some antiquated 3D classics! In the meantime, all eyes are on what will become of me next. Will this prove to be my downfall, or could it be the beginning of even greater things? Only time will tell, but it's going to be a lot of fun finding out! Who knows? In true wrestling style, maybe I'll be back from "retirement" in a matter of months - desperately trying to recapture my former glory...