THQ pins down WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006

Don't put away those folding chairs just yet. THQ today announced that WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 is currently in development for the PlayStation 2. The game is the follow-up to last year's WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw, and it will be available this fall.

In WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006, gamers will once again cavort around the ring throwing sweaty burly men in tight pants to the canvas. Most of the game's details are still under wraps, but THQ will be adding a "momentum system" to re-create the emotional shifts in wrestling matches, as well as adding a "stamina system" that simulates the fatigue and wear and tear of the sport. Online play will also return with new components and functions.

THQ is trying to bounce back from a poor wrestling rep earned from April's release of WWE WrestleMania 21 for the Xbox. The game, which boasted Xbox Live support, initially didn't hook players up online. The game has since been patched and now fully supports Xbox Live.

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