E3: 411 Interviews Christopher Daniels

While visiting with Midway to check out TNA iMPACT the videogame, I got to chat with Christopher Daniels regarding the game and TNA as a whole. Check out the full interview below….

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Ramon Aranda: So let’s talk a little bit about the TNA iMPACT video game. I know for the last couple of years, you guys have sat back while the guys in the WWE continue to get their own video games. I’m sure that had to bug you…so how good does it feel to finally get your own game?

Christopher Daniels: Well I’ve always said this about being a pro wrestler; having success as a wrestler, it’s hard to gauge what you’ve done. Some of us have great matches in arenas around the U.S., some of us have had opportunities to wrestle in Japan, some on PPV but there are other things that are sort of outside the realm of “inside the ring” that kind of measure your success. For example, there’s an action figure of me and a video game was the next big deal. So for me, an action figure and a video game where the two biggest things. We had an action figure a while ago but the video game, we weren’t sure if it was coming. There was talk about it all the way back when we were in Nashville and now to know that months from now, not even months, weeks from now, I can buy a video game at the store and I’ll be in it. Like literally saying it blows my mind and it doesn’t do it justice.

Ramon: So does being in a game give you that feeling of “I made it”?

Christopher: Yeah man, you feel like you’re arrived. You get to reap the rewards of all the hard work. It sounds so childish but it’s like “man that’s so awesome” with my hands above my head. “Yay I win (laughs)!” I don’t want to repeat myself but I’m just so thrilled to be a part of this and for me and some of the guys on the roster, it’s their first time on a video game. I was just talking to Christy (Hemme) earlier about it who’s been on one of the earlier WWE games, but bro, this is the first time that I’ve ever been even remotely close to something like this and something that is this good. Not just because it’s our first game, but it really is that good. I can’t even express how good it is in comparison to other games just because I’m such a neophyte when it comes to actual video gaming….I just got into it again. Like I haven’t owned a system since the original NES. But friends of mine like Samoa Joe, AJ and Frankie, those guys are gamers! When they look at this game and go “holy shit, this is so much better than whatever else they’ve played like Smackdown vs. RAW for example – to know that they’re that excited; to me that says that it’s gotta be pretty good. These guys have gaming experience not just because it’s me…they’re popping because it’s “hey it’s me in the game and it’s really good”. My parents follow my career and they know I’ve been helping with the motion capture and all that stuff and they know the game’s coming out but I may have to buy them a console just so they can buy the game.

Ramon: Tell me about the experience you had in helping with motion capture. What was that like for you and what else did you have to do?

Christopher: I’ll say that working with the Midway guys, including guys from our side; we were both so thrilled at how easy it was and how well we meshed. We as professional wrestlers we do stuff over and over as far as the moves that we do, we have our ticks, our mannerisms down cause we’re doing them all the time in front of audiences week after week. So for Midway to tell us to do “this, like this..” well we understand how to work in front of a camera so it was easy for us. We were out there having fun, doing our stuff and it worked so seamlessly for the motion capture guys. They asked us what we wanted in the game and guys like Low-Ki, Sonjay, AJ and I , we were trying to get everything and anything in the game. We’d talk about different moves that we did in ROH, and Japan etc. and it got to the point if we weren’t sure if we could get it all into the game. We’d have a big list and Midway would say they weren’t sure if everything could get included but we’d let them know that we had so many things we wanted to do.

Ramon: With the amount of time you’ve been able to play the game and after all that time you spent helping with the development of the game, how well do you think it will be a representative of what you do in the ring?

Christopher: I think it’s very good. I think the fact that they got all of us to do the motion capture and us wanting it to be a good game, turned out very well. You know like the WWE, they don’t do their own stuff (as far as motion capture) and it doesn’t make sense. When Midway came to us about doing our own stuff, I thought well yeah, who better to do me than me? I feel like representatively, character-wise, it’s as close as you’re going to get at this point. I’m astonished at how well they captured our look and movements. They showed me the sweat glands and scars that I have in real life and the attention to detail blew me away. And if you wanna hear someone more excited than me, ask Joe, ask AJ. Those guys are exponentially more excited since they’re gamers. They have that frame of reference and we’re all thrilled to be a part of it.

Ramon: I’m not sure if you got to see it previously but Midway sent us some trailers of the game a few weeks back that we posted on the site and it had AJ Styles and Samoa Joe calling the action while two Midway reps played the game. It was fucking hilarious and our readers loved it.

Christopher: Haha, I didn’t see it but I did read about it that they did the voice overs for that trailer. I’ll have to check it out.

Ramon: So what’s next for TNA and where is it going?

Christopher: Right now there seems to be a lot of emphasis on our traveling. We’ve been doing a lot more house shows and really putting ourselves out there. I think that’s the big step we’re taking in the next few months. We just got back from taking our first trip overseas in the U.K., our first as a brand and it went so well that they’ve already announced another show out there for January. TNA is looking into also doing some West Coast stuff as well. We’re in the right spot as far as our shows and PPVs and we’re putting emphasis in getting fans to come out and seeing us live in new territories. Now that the video game is just about done, now we have to get out in front of new people and showing the fans that TNA is the place to see great wrestling.

Ramon: You guys have had wrestlers from the WWE come over in the past few years, guys like the Dudley Boys (Team 3D), Booker T, Christian…what’s it been like to work with these guys?

Christopher: It’s really been a big learning experience to be around those guys. Their experiences are much different from mine but being able to learn from them and their take on the wrestling business has been awesome. Guys like Kurt Angle, the Dudleys and Christian have been great and Christian and the Dudleys in particular have been great locker room leaders. They’ve made their mark in pro wrestling and they do so much for this the talent and the promotion. I’d tell them if they were standing right here in front of us that I’m proud to be a part of the company with them. The big thing about TNA is that it’s much more of a family atmosphere than most people are used to.

Ramon: Well before I let you go, if there was one guy that’s not in TNA that you’d love to work with, who would it be and why?

Christopher: That answer’s always changed over the last few years but the one guy that’s been in that top-3 for me is Chris Jericho. I’ve always felt like Chris is a tremendous guy, apart from the business. The times I’ve gotten the chance to interact with him in the past, he’s been really cool. Looking at him as a fan, I’ve always been impressed not just what he brings to the table as far as wrestling ability but also what he brings as far as character as far as charisma – it’s definitely something I’ve tried to emulate or strive towards. To this day, even now with his return and with the stuff he’s done, he’s just always been on point. Mixing pure technical talent and charisma, there’s very few that have gotten both sides of that coin like Chris Jericho. Plus, he likes that big Japanese guy in TNA so you’ve got to respect a guy with good taste!

Ramon: Well it was great talking to ya Chris, good luck with everything and we’ll talk to you soon.

Christopher: Definitely, man, thanks a lot.

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A special thank you to Christopher Daniels for taking the time to talk to us and to Reid Druck of Midway for putting it all together.