By Chris Walters on July 27, 2004 at 5:25 PM EST

The following Q&A is from IGN.com:

What superstars can we expect to see and how many are there?
Contrary to other reports, the final roster has not yet been determined. Furthermore, the number of superstars on the lineup is still up in the air. Though, it has been confirmed that where will be in excess of 50 current wrestlers, with additional characters available in the legends bracket. Here are the confirmed wrestlers so far:

Current Wrestlers
A-Train, D-Von Dudley, Ric Flair, Batista, Eddie Guerrero, Rikishi, The Big Show, Garrison Cade, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, John Cena, Scotty 2 Hotty, Bubba Ray Dudley, Kane, Shawn Michaels
Charlie Haas, Kurt Angle, Shelton Benjamin, Chavo Guerrero, Mark Jindrak, Stacy Kiebler, Chris Benoit, Matt Hardy, Tajiri, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, Torrie Wilson, Christian, Rey Mysterio, Triple H, Chuck Palumbo, Rhyno, Trish Stratus

Legends
Andre the Giant, Old-School Kane, Old-School Undertaker

Is the grappling system any different?
Though the changes to the grappling system won't be as dramatic as last year, there are still a number of significant changes for this version. The first and most important alteration, for instance, is that signature and quick grapples are harder to counter than power and submission moves. Additionally, players can now partake in grapples while sitting on the mat, perform new halfway-standing grapples, and even participate in back and forth chopping matches like the ones that Ric Flair and Sting made famous back in their NWA days.

Another big feature this year is the inclusion of face and heel special maneuvers. Tailored to each wrestler's personality, these moves allow for temporary invincibility for heels that let them cheat without getting caught, while faces can do, uh, whatever it is faces do. Of course, the ladies are getting a slight grappling addition themselves, with the spank meter -- the more accurate a player is with their meter, the more accurate the spank. And depending on the spank, the woman's reaction could either be painful or pleasurable; with special animations dedicated to both responses.

Is it true that submission holds have been refined?
Yes, it's true. A new time-based meter has been added to the tug-of-war grappling system that allows players to add more intensity to their holds so that they can be applied longer and do more damage. On the flipside, other players can reverse the submission holds from within this animation based on their own performance, and can finally break subs while in tag team matches.

Are there any new attributes or character abilities?
Indeed there are. The old attributes of Strength, Submission, Stamina, Technique, and Speed are back, but have now been joined by charisma. It's a pretty important addition too, as it's used to determine how much of SmackDown move bonus you receive when taunting.
Speaking of taunting, players can also argue with the referee following close two-counts or put their foot on the ropes when pinning. They run the risk of getting disqualified if they push things over the edge, but can gain an extra advantage or two if it pays off for them.

Perhaps the coolest new addition, though, is the inclusion of pre-match staredowns and test of strength competitions. You can even get into shoving matches and get an early advantage on your opponent of you play your cards right.

How about the weight detection system? Is it better?
Is sure is. The game boasts much smarter weight detection and finally plays into finishers too. For you abusers out there, this means that you can forget about pressing The Big Show up in the air with a powerslam just because it's your special.

What arenas are confirmed so far?
Barely any. But after a phone call and some research, we've confirmed that the last arenas used for SummerSlam, Backlash, and Armageddon are already in the game.

Can we create our own belts?
Yes! Through the season mode you'll be able to earn money which you can use to Create-A-Belt by buying and configuring a variety of belt parts.

What new modes are there?
Create-A-PPV lets player finally create their own pay-per-view events of three to eight matches complete with new matches of their own devise, legendary matches of days past, and current matches seen on television. With the user created belts, players can even allow combatants to vie for the grand prize. Imagine creating your own wrestlers and belts and then having them compete against one another. Incredible. The best part is this doesn't affect the season, so people won't be afraid of partaking in the festivities.

Also being added to the table are Challenges. According to PSM, these are matches that can only be won by meeting certain criteria, such as pulling off two finishers in one match or beating four legendary wrestlers with a specific character.

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