Indi Hartwell Explains What It’s Like Being Scanned for a WWE Game

Indi Hartwell recently shared insight into how wrestlers are scanned for the WWE 2K franchise. During an interview with JXT, Hartwell explained that the scanning sessions involve multiple cameras, facial capture routines, and several stages of preparation before the final in-game model is built.

Hartwell has appeared in recent WWE 2K releases during her time with WWE and continues to maintain recognition among fans after moving to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. She previously held the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship and remains active in professional wrestling.

Hartwell said the process usually begins without makeup so the scanning system can capture the most accurate version of a superstar’s facial structure. Wrestlers sit in a specialized scanning chair surrounded by cameras positioned at different angles. Those cameras capture overhead, side, and frontal images to build a complete digital model of the face and body. She stated the following on the topic (via Fightful).

“The video game, you’re in a trailer and you’re sitting in a chair and then… the girls have no makeup on. Do you know about this? So like girls have no makeup on at first and then there’s just like a circle of cameras around you and there’s an iPad with Drake on it and Drake, like Drake the rapper. He’s making faces and you’ve got to copy the faces that he’s doing. So he’s like (makes angry face and smiles) like that and then you go get your makeup done and then you come back to the trailer and then there’s a camera up there, a camera there, a camera there and you just look like that, that and that. (moves head) Then they put your makeup onto all the expressions that you did.”

Part of the process also involves recreating a series of facial expressions. Hartwell joked that the system uses exaggerated looks similar to playful expressions made by rapper Drake in memes. Wrestlers follow prompts on a screen, making faces such as smirks, angry looks, or wide smiles while the cameras record each movement.

After the initial capture, performers step away to have their makeup applied. They then return for another round of images so developers can map cosmetic details over the base scan. This layered approach allows game designers to replicate both the performer’s natural features and their television presentation.