WWE's Big Show might be the world's biggest gamer (and we mean that literally)
WWEWWE's Big Show is not only a huge gamer, he's on the cover of "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011".Think of Paul Wight, AKA WWE's Big Show, as wrestling's version of John Madden.
Fans might not realize, but when WWE is on tour, any show within 300 miles of the last appearance and it's up to the performers to drive themselves. What that usually means is four wrestlers squeezing into a rental, eating a late-night snack at the gas station convenience store, then splitting a hotel for the night near the arena. But when you're a man listed at 7-feet, 441 pounds, with a size 22 EEEEE shoe, thoughts of compact cars and tiny hotel rooms are nightmarish enough that the Big Show went out and bought himself something of his own Madden Cruiser.
"I got a tour bus like the rock stars have," Show says, breaking down the comforts of his home away from home with wheels, and how as a gamer, he couldn't think of any better way to pass the night while his driver handles the road work across country. "In the front lounge of the bus I have a 50-inch plasma with my Xbox [360] setup and my stereo setup into my Xbox. I just finished playing 'Red Dead Redemption' and, of course, I'm a big 'Call of Duty' fan. I can't wait for 'Black Ops' to come out. I use my 360 for most of my first-person shooter games, then for my PlayStation 3, when 'God of War III' came out, I was all over that."
So when I tell Big Show that he is going to be on the U.S. cover of the upcoming "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011" video game alongside John Cena and The Miz, he is genuinely excited, especially when I refer to him as the new face of gaming for his company.
"The face of gaming? That's a pretty good deal for a guy like me who is a big gamer," he says. "It's definitely a feather in my cap."
Jon Robinson: Did you think when you first started wrestling that in 2010 you'd still be one of the top guys in the industry and featured on the cover of a video game?
Big Show: It has been a wild ride from the penthouse to the outhouse and back to the penthouse, that's for sure. I think the key to being successful and staying on top is always evolving and trying to stay fresh. And as long as I still have the ability to learn and love this business as much as I do and the fans are receptive that I'm giving them 100-percent and I give them what they need, it's a great relationship. As long as you're having a great time and the fans are enjoying it, you should stay around. Hopefully I'll have the good grace to retire before I get to the point where I can't compete where I want to. Sometimes it's hard to let that go, but you really need to know when your time is up and let it go.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Jon Robinson
Ever since he first handed the ball to Bo Jackson in "Tecmo Bowl," Jon Robinson has been mesmerized by the world of sports video games. He's been covering gaming professionally for over 15 years, starting his career writing as "Johnny Ballgame" for GamePro magazine before becoming the founding editor of IGN Sports. Robinson co-wrote the book "The Madden Phenomenon," is the author of "Rumble Road: Untold Stories from Outside the Ring," and his latest work, "My Favorite Match," will be released by Simon & Schuster in June. 
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