On September 5, Hyperfocus Games CEO Sam Vallely promised that he would show Ultra Pro Wrestling gameplay by the end of the month. With just hours until that time, Vallely made good on his word, uploading a look at gameplay to the game’s official YouTube channel.
In what was dubbed “UPW Showcase 2026”, the studio released a 1v1 match that was claimed to be captured directly from a development build.
In-Engine Gameplay
The gameplay featured a look through the menus with all the various match types, a look at the in-game options and settings, and finally some gameplay.
Check out the showcase down below, and you can be the judge of what you think.
Ultra Pro Wrestling’s Development
If you recall, Insider Gaming uncovered years of development struggles and what sources believed to be endless mismanagement of the game’s development. After an appearance on a YouTube channel to respond to the story, more evidence was discovered, including clips of what appeared to be 1-to-1 rips of classic AKI wrestling games like WWF No Mercy and WCW/nWo Revenge.
Since the first story dropped, Vallely had mentioned in the official Ultra Pro Wrestling Discord that there was work that needed to be done to show off as much as a 1 vs 1 match. For the record, he said during his YouTube interview that a playable build existed at that time.
“You can turn the game on, you push start, you go to exhibition, you select one v one,” Vallely said, acknowledging that tag team matches might still crash.
On September 20, he said that he was “just fixing some audio stuff”, suggesting that the release was close. That release did finally come in the video above.
What do you think of the gameplay that was shown? Did it restore your faith in Ultra Pro Wrestling, or are you still concerned about its future? Let us know down in the comments and in the official Insider Gaming Discord.
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Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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