A new investigation has raised serious questions about the development of Ultra Pro Wrestling, the crowdfunded wrestling game pitched as a spiritual successor to classic AKI titles such as WWF No Mercy. Insider Gaming says it reviewed tens of thousands of internal messages alongside contracts, budget documents, trademark filings and other records spanning several years. The publication alleges the project has faced significant technical, financial and contractual problems while repeatedly missing expected development milestones. Hyperfocus Games founder Sam Vallely disputed several of the allegations when approached for comment.
Ultra Pro Wrestling began attracting attention in 2023 when its Kickstarter campaign sought £17,000 and ultimately raised £61,801 from 1,094 backers. The game promised an N64-inspired wrestling experience with extensive customization, multiple match types and online play. Since then, the project’s scope has expanded and its public timelines have shifted, with Insider Gaming reporting that backers were most recently told to expect early access during the final quarter of 2026. As of September 2, however, there is still no publicly released playable demo.
Among the investigation’s most significant allegations concerns the game’s animation work. Insider Gaming reports that internal messages describe animation data being extracted from older wrestling games and converted for use during Ultra Pro Wrestling’s development, including material associated with AKI titles. Vallely denied that the game had been built by “importing finished animations” from AKI games or AEW: Fight Forever. He also denied allegations that AI was being used to generate the finished game, while Insider Gaming said he did not directly address several more specific questions about the animation-conversion process described in the records it reviewed.
The investigation also alleges serious problems with the project’s production pipeline. According to Insider Gaming, Vallely was effectively the sole programmer and at one stage worked without version control, resulting in the project reportedly being deleted before it was recovered. The outlet also describes an investor repeatedly requesting a working build over a period of more than two years, with a September 2024 build reportedly failing to run. Hyperfocus Games’ own website currently describes Ultra Pro Wrestling as being in active development and estimates core functionality at 90%, while also saying the project remains self-funded and is exploring future investment.
Financial and contractual issues form another major part of the report. Insider Gaming says some contributors worked for years without regular payment while spending their own money on project expenses, although Vallely denied that Hyperfocus Games had salaried employees who were required to work unpaid or finance development without agreed compensation. The report also claims roughly 50 replica championship belts promised through a high-level Kickstarter reward could have cost between approximately $34,000 and $44,000 in total based on quotes obtained by the team, yet the belts have still not been delivered. Patreon memberships for Ultra Pro Wrestling also remain available.
Talent agreements are another area under scrutiny. Insider Gaming reports that approximately 156 wrestlers and estates became involved with the project, including The Hardys, Demolition and the families of Eddie Guerrero and Chris Candido. Internal messages reviewed by the publication allegedly show that a revenue-share percentage discussed with some talent had been reduced from 50% to 35% in contracts without everyone involved in recruiting that talent being aware of the change. The investigation further reports that most contributors have since left Hyperfocus Games following internal disputes over funding, contracts and how the project should proceed.
Vallely told Insider Gaming that the allegations appeared to originate from an acrimonious internal dispute and said he possesses contracts, financial records, messages and recordings that contradict the account presented to the outlet. He later declined to engage further, citing concerns over the apparent disclosure of confidential company and third-party information. Ultra Pro Wrestling’s official website continues to present the game as actively progressing, while the investigation paints a substantially different picture of how development has unfolded behind the scenes. With no released demo yet and early access still targeted for later in 2026, the project’s next publicly verifiable milestone will be particularly important for backers who have been waiting since the original Kickstarter campaign.
