Triple H is the COO of WWE and oversees every single creative decision in the company, but that wasn’t always the case was he was once notorious for undermining talent when he was a top guy and also burying wrestlers. In fact, there was an alleged internal memo for a WWE video game that forbade promotional materials from making Triple H look vulnerable.
While speaking on the Stevie Richards show, former WWE Superstar Stevie Richards talked about being part of one of the SmackDown video games, mentioning he had spoken with the game developers.
Richards revealed that during promotion, there was a memo stating Triple H could not be shown in any promotional material, commercials, ads, screenshots, or gameplay scenes where he was in a weak position or getting pinned. He added that while running a company means focusing on priorities, he didn’t think this rule should have been high on the list.
“One of the games—I’m not exactly sure which one, but it might be one of the SmackDown games—I was involved in because I was talking to the video game people. And a wrestler can back this up. I won’t mention his name, but I’ve mentioned him before where he goes ‘Hey Wacko,’ so you can figure out who that person is.”
“There was a memo going around when we were promoting the video game. In fact, while we were promoting it, this memo said that under no circumstances could Triple H be shown in any promotional materials, commercials, ads, screenshots, or gameplay in a vulnerable position or getting pinned. You know, there are certain things you should spend your time and resources on when you run a company, but I don’t think that’s something that should even be in the top 10—or even the top 100.”
Even former WWE star Ryback claimed that Triple H changed the script in order to bury him during an episode of SmackDown.Richards’ story brings back memories of WWE’s “Reign of Terror” era in the early 2000s, when fans and wrestlers alike questioned Triple H’s influence in the ring and behind the scenes.
This alleged video game memo is another reminder of how image control was handled in WWE, especially for top stars like Triple H. While some may question the priorities of WWE’s management, others argue it’s simply part of protecting the brand’s biggest names.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
What do you think about the Triple H video game memo? Do you think this level of image control was necessary, or was it overboard? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.