WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman has looked back on the career of ECW legend New Jack, and how he believes the extreme icon was an inspiration for one of the most successful franchises in video game history, Grand Theft Auto.
The latest WWE 2K25 DLC pack was released on July 23 and sees New Jack join Jordynne Grace, KSI, Bull Nakano and Penta as playable characters for those who purchase the pack. Given his controversial past, many were stunned to see New Jack, real name Jerome Young, be officially added to a WWE videogame.
Following the initial announcement of the packs, WWE 2K developer Bryan Williams revealed that it was none other than company president Nick Khan who pushed for the late ECW star, who passed away in 2021, to make his official debut in the videogame world, joining multiple legends from WWE and beyond.
Speaking with Alistair McGeorge of Metro, Heyman first spoke about how New Jack has been a massive influence in the wrestling world due to his high-risk, violent style, noting that he has also been an inspiration to the video game world:
“This is a moment of completion in the entire video game industry. You cannot deny New Jack’s influence in sports entertainment/pro wrestling culture, nor should you deny his influence on video games.”
“‘Most of the people that are writing the codes that then become the video games were ECW or WWE fans.”
Paul Heyman Speaks On New Jack’s Likely Influence On Grand Theft Auto
Continuing, Heyman also touched upon the highly successful Grand Theft Auto franchise, believing that the late ECW star had to have played a part in some of the ideas:
“And I mean, are you telling me that those who make Grand Theft Auto weren’t influenced by New Jack? Come on!”
A franchise marred by controversy for decades while also producing insane numbers in the video game world, Grand Theft Auto sees players often participate in violent crime with a variety of weapons, along with chaotic missions that break laws and often lead to ridiculous stunts. Despite not being released until mid 2026, the 6th instalment of the main franchise is expected to shatter records and become one of if not the biggest selling game of all time.
Featured image: WWE
