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Sports entertainment video games will never be the same, as WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw plays the brand split aspect of the Ruthless Aggression era further.
Removed Wrestlers#
Several wrestlers were scrapped for various reasons. All these remaining wrestlers, except for Brock Lesnar and Rikishi, have no character select renders. None of the deleted wrestlers can be played, except for British Bulldog, as they will freeze the game since their models do not exist on the game. Reportedly, trying to play as these removed wrestlers runs the risk of ruining your current season.
Wrestler |
Reason for removal |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
British Bulldog |
Licensing negotiations between Bulldog's estate and THQ fell through |
Bulldog's selection renders do not exist on the retail game, though his model does. Bulldog can be hacked back into the game via PAC Editor. It is unknown why Yuke's left Bulldog's character model on the retail game. Bulldog officially returned in the following game, and while his attire remained the same, his texture toning and model sculpting was slightly modified. |
Brock Lesnar |
Left WWE after WrestleMania XX (March 2004) |
His selection renders and model textures were removed from the retail game, but the slot for the render still exists and is occupied with a white image. Lesnar has his selection renders in the "SVR Public Beta" that was released in August 2004. |
Cactus Jack |
Unknown |
Early builds of SVR contain a Create-A-Moveset slot for Jack. However, Cactus Jack's alter-ego Mankind was in the retail game. |
Danny Basham |
Unknown |
Unused entrance call-names exist for "The Basham Brothers." |
Doug Basham |
Unknown |
Unused entrance call-names exist for "The Basham Brothers." |
Lita |
Unknown |
The only references to her in the final game are her entrance, and her preset moveset. In the "SVR Public Beta", in Create-a-Moveset there is a fighting style listed as Lita; however, it is a duplicate of the "Wrestling 1" fighting style animation. Also, in the beta, Create-a-Superstar has a WWE logo design featuring her. |
Mick Foley |
Unknown |
Early builds of SVR contain a Create-A-Moveset slot for Foley. However, Mick Foley's alter-ego Mankind was in the retail game. |
Ricky Steamboat |
Unknown |
Early builds of SVR contain a Create-A-Moveset slot for Steamboat. |
Rikishi |
Released from the company in July 2004 |
His selection renders and model were removed from the retail game, but the slot for the render still exists and is occupied with a white image. Rikishi, like Lesnar, has his selection renders in the "SVR Public Beta". |
References to Unused Superstars#
Unused call-names exist for Doug and Danny Basham (The Basham Brothers), two characters who aren't otherwise present in the retail game. Both Bashams would later appear in WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006.
Various pieces of commentary by Michael Cole & Tazz aren't ever played in-game - many of these reference superstars who appeared in SmackDown: Here Comes the Pain, but who aren't present in this instalment. Included among these are:
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Lita
- Lance Storm
- Scott Steiner
- Rikishi
- Sean O'Haire
- Jazz
- The Iron Sheik
- Nikolai Volkoff
- George Steele
- Hillbilly Jim
Unused Background Music#
A censored recording of "Money" by Cypress Hill is included as the 11th song in BGM001.AFS, the file that contains this game's soundtrack. This song never plays at any point in the game and its reason for removal is unknown.
There is also an unused music jingle in the game's files listed as bgm001.adx. It is a poorly cut version of the exhibition theme from WWE SmackDown!: Shut Your Mouth.
Unused Arenas and Areas#
There exist multiple unused stages that are either variants of existing stages, or are exclusively used in the game's season mode. Watch on YouTube
Regional Differences#
The Japanese version removed online multiplayer.
Removed Features#
Create-A-Animation#
In the bin.pac file, there is leftover strings from Here Comes the Pain (HCTP) relating to the Create-A-Animation feature. This feature was ultimately scrapped in WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw. Below are some of the leftover strings:
0x85530:
This animation is being used by a Created Superstar (or Superstar). Are you sure you want to overwrite it?0x855B0:
want to delete it?0x855D0:
No available panels. Delete an existing panel in order to place a new panel0x85620:
Are you sure you want to delete all panels?Unused Animations#
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Several unused animations are found in M.PAC, some of which appear to be linked to specific wrestlers and their gimmicks. One notable discovery is the replacement of The Rock 3 (Asset ID: 0x238B), which was present in both the retail versions of SmackDown! vs. Raw and Here Comes the Pain (HCTP). In the Public Beta of SmackDown! vs. Raw, this animation was replaced by an entirely different one, associated with a dancing animation. This could be connected to Lance Storm's short-lived dancing gimmick.
Another unused animation is Taunt Rene Dupree 2 (Asset ID: 0x2393), which features a unique "punching the air" warm-up move. While this taunt was never fully integrated into the retail version of the game, it is fully completed in the beta.