Jeff Jarrett is committed to putting Acclaim back at the top of the video game world.
Renowned video game publisher Acclaim is back, and Jarrett was named as one of the members of its advisory board. Jarrett has a long history with video games, appearing as a playable character and working behind-the-scenes. He worked with MegaCat Studios on its WrestleQuest game, and also helped TNA land its 2008 deal with Midway.
Jarrett spoke with WrestleZone about how he got involved with Acclaim and shared his excitement for reviving the iconic brand. There are a few theories about how Jarrett got involved, but he says there’s no “magical yellow brick road” to explain it. Instead, Jarrett says it was a good business deal pitched to him, and he can’t wait to bring Acclaim to the next level.
Jeff Jarrett on getting involved with Acclaim
“I’ve just always kinda had a passion for the gaming industry from a business perspective. I’m not the biggest gamer in the world, although I have played NHL 25 with my son as of late, quite a bit of Madden here and there and some other games. But, that being said, the business of gaming is something that I’ve always been very attracted to,” Jarrett explained.
Jarrett says Acclaim, led by CEO Alex Josef, sold him before they even finished their pitch. He asked Acclaim about how they saw him fitting in to their plans, and Jarrett said he couldn’t be more honored by their response.
“Somebody at the table just spoke up pretty candidly. They said, ‘We really want you to do what you have done for the wrestling industry, for the gaming industry.’ And so, there are a couple of different buckets. Whether it is creative, whether it is marketing, promotion, we are here doing press, it’s kind of a multi-skill set. There’s all kinds of avenues to go in the gaming world from a business perspective,” Jarrett said.
A new chapter begins for us—PRESS RESTART! ?
— PlayAcclaim (@PlayAcclaim) March 4, 2025
Join us on this journey, and stay tuned for what’s to come for gamers and game developers! ?✨#Acclaim #AcclaimIsBack #Gaming pic.twitter.com/MaOfNIvjjf
Jeff Jarrett knows everyone has an Acclaim story and there’s an emotional link
Acclaim encourages game developers to reach out through [email protected] to start a conversation about getting their projects to the next level. Acclaim wants to help game studios find the right avenue for their work or offer some guidance. Jarrett said his phone has been blowing up since the initial announcement. He also noted that any time he’s involved in a non-wrestling project, like the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes baseball team, it piques an interest.
“Bill, me and you come together through the wrestling world. But Mortal Kombat or NBA Jam, there’s a bunch of titles out there that have really through the years resonated. And that is something that I am well aware of,” Jarrett pointed out. “That emotional connection, [it’s] no different than a wrestling talent or wrestling storyline, or a wrestling promotion. When you get emotionally engaged, and there are a lot of folks that are emotionally attached to the Acclaim brand. And we’re here to relaunch it, reboot it, and go to the next level.”
Will Acclaim publish any wrestling video games?
The original Acclaim published more than 20 wrestling video games for consoles and handhelds, including WWF War Zone and the Legends Of Wrestling series. Fans speculate that a new pro wrestling game could be on the way. However, Jarrett played coy and said the world would find out when or if that time comes.
“I will tell you this — there’s a lot of balls in the air. And you know, with my projects they are always that way,” Jarrett stated. “When the time is right, the whole world will hear. Of course, I am excited about that. But I think, where we sit today, the announcement over the last 24 hours, [I’m] staying laser-focused on kind of our two lanes. If you got an IP or if you got a game, we are an indie developer, and we are really committed to that vision.”
Despite not confirming any game titles, Jarrett did confirm the iconic Acclaim logo is coming back. He noted that by just asking about that detail tells him he made a good decision.
“Look, I could go down a big rabbit hole on just that. The fact that you asked that, the iconic logo and you resonate with that. That says so much to not just the gaming world — because, if you are not a gamer and you hear that question, ‘Hey, is the logo coming back?’ You immediately identify with that. And so, that kind of says to me, this old wrestling promoter from Hendersonville, Tennessee, we are on the right track.”
Watch our full interview with Jeff Jarrett below:
