TNA Impact! (video game)

Midway Studios Los Angeles

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Fate	Bankruptcy of parent company Midway Games
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	TNA Impact! (video game)
Owner	Midway Games
Parent	Midway Games

TNA Impact! (presented as TNA iMPACT!) is a professional wrestling video game inspired by the wrestling organization Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). The versions for consoles were created by Midway Studios Los Angeles and released by Midway Games. Although the game achieved sales of 1.5 million copies, financial troubles at Midway Games prevented the development of a sequel. Subsequently, the title was adapted for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable platforms in August 2010 under the name TNA Impact!: Cross the Line, published by SouthPeak Games, which had acquired the TNA license and related assets following Midway’s bankruptcy.

Gameplay

The gameplay of TNA Impact! emphasizes fast-paced action with a focus on impactful moves rather than submission techniques. It accommodates up to four players on console systems, with online multiplayer restricted to one-on-one contests available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Instead of traditional hand-painted textures, wrestler models are created using scans that capture fine details such as skin texture and scars. The "Impact!" meter fills to enable finishing moves and also indicates the wrestler’s damage level. Players can engage in mini-games designed to break free from pins and submission holds.

The game features TNA’s distinctive Ultimate X alongside conventional match types like Singles, Tag team, and Fatal Four Way bouts. Additional match variations include Submission and Falls Count Anywhere formats. Players can compete in matches across eight different arenas, including TNA’s flagship location, the Impact! Zone in Florida, as well as venues in Japan, Mexico, England, and Las Vegas. The Impact! Zone is notable for its expanded ringside area and interactive hotspots. The game also includes the Liverpool Olympia as a playable venue.

With TNA Impact!, Midway introduced downloadable content (DLC) to professional wrestling games for the first time. Initial DLC offerings included wrestlers Curry Man and Petey Williams, priced at 100 Microsoft points on Xbox Live Marketplace, while commentator Mike Tenay was provided free of charge. This DLC was exclusive to Xbox 360 and initially suffered from technical issues that were subsequently addressed.

The narrative mode follows the character Suicide. After the August 2008 episodes of iMPACT!, an online promotion hinted at Suicide’s move from video game character to television persona. Suicide made his first appearance on TNA programming during the December 2008 Final Resolution pay-per-view, later participating in the Ultimate X match at Destination X 2009 where he captured the X Division Championship.

Development

Following discussions with Electronic Arts and Rockstar Games, TNA entered into a multi-year contract with Midway Games in November 2005. Midway aimed to launch Impact!, marking TNA’s initial foray into video games, targeting seventh-generation consoles with a release planned for 2008.

Several prominent TNA wrestlers were actively involved in the game’s creation. Hardcore competitors Samoa Joe and A.J. Styles engaged in creative sessions alongside Midway developers, while Joe, Styles, Christopher Daniels, Senshi, Sonjay Dutt, and Jeff Jarrett participated in motion capture processes. During tapings of TNA Impact! in October 2006, the roster was digitally scanned for inclusion in the game, and crowd audio samples from the Impact! Zone were recorded. The Liverpool Olympia venue in England inspired the design of an unlockable 'London' arena within the game.

Other features

The game included classic TNA highlight bouts as TNA Extras, featuring two unique Midway-exclusive matches: a Knockouts Gauntlet Match and a Six Way X Division Match.

Reception

TNA Impact! garnered "mixed or average" critiques, with the Wii edition receiving "generally unfavorable" scores on Metacritic. Reviewers commended the authentic graphics and straightforward controls but pointed out drawbacks such as limited move selections, subpar entrances, the lack of championship belts, and inconsistent AI behavior. GameSpot provided mostly favorable evaluations for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2 versions.

By February 2009, TNA iMPACT! had shipped around 1.5 million copies.

Mobile tie-in

To coincide with the main game's launch in 2008, Longtail Studios developed TNA Wrestling for Verizon Wireless mobile phones, which was later reissued in 2009 for iOS devices. Subsequently, in 2011, Namco Networks released TNA Wrestling Impact! on various mobile platforms.

Cancelled sequel

Though Midway Games initially revealed plans for a sequel, it was ultimately cancelled following the company's bankruptcy declaration in February 2009. In July of the same year, Time Warner, through Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, acquired most of Midway’s assets; however, the TNA license was not included in this acquisition. By September, TNA president Dixie Carter announced efforts to find a new video game partner. In November 2009, SouthPeak Games obtained Midway’s TNA license and launched TNA Impact!: Cross the Line for the Nintendo DS and PSP in June 2010. This release closely resembled the original 2008 title but incorporated additional characters and omitted previous wrestlers such as Christian Cage.

See also

• List of licensed wrestling video games