10 Video Game Characters Loosely Based On Wrestlers

Inspiration's gotta' come from somewhere...

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The next time you boot up your PS4, Xbox One, PC or even some retro console, stop and take a good long look at some of the characters in those video games. They might seem familiar because they're from a long-running series you've grown to love, or...maybe they're loosely based on personalities from other mediums.

Like pro wrestling.

It makes sense that wrestling, the pop culture explosion that it is, would borrow some things from other forms of entertainment, but it also fires some of its own influence back towards them too. Gaming is no different - there are loads of characters in games that seem like re-tooled versions of some of wrestling's biggest names, and it's kinda' cool to think that companies like Sega, Capcom and Insomniac Games are home to so many crossover fans.

Though fighting games are an obvious starting point to find grappling influence, it's also possible to find inspiration leaking out from the wrestling sphere onto adventure and platformer genres too.

The side-to-side comparisons here should hopefully illustrate just how big those folks crafting your fave games are on wrestling...

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.