The Main Event Hoops It Up with AND 1 Streetball
At A Glance
- Waliyy Dixon talks about Ubisoft's new b-ball game.
Waliyy Dixon is known as The Main Event in the world of AND 1® Streetball, a basketball phenomenon that has inspired a new video game from Ubisoft. Dixon received that name after pulling off a 360-degree dunk that wowed the crowd at Rucker Park. The name stuck, and Dixon continues to pull off amazing moves on the court.
AND 1 is the basketball shoe company that sponsors the annual AND 1 Mix Tape Tour every summer, which gives everyday ballplayers the chance to compete against the pros in arenas before paying customers. Dixon says that AND 1 has helped professional streetball reach a new level of popularity.
Players can get more involved with the characters in this
game because they can create their own moves and story.
"Streetball is about the flash and the moves, but also the real, gritty game," says Dixon, who's from Linden, NJ. "You need to leave your heart out on the court in streetball, but also play to the fans. It's winning and it's entertaining, and it's as real and tough as hoops gets."
The video game replicates this action, giving players unique options to control the ball and pull off a number of outrageous tricks and stunts. The game even lets players customize their own moves, which means that gamers can put their own stamp on this new sport.
The Main Event strikes a pose.
Dixonsays when he started playing streetball, the AND 1 tour hit parks and playgrounds. Now the phenomenon has gone worldwide. (Ubisoft is a French game publisher.) He says the video game will only increase the sport's exposure.
"No doubt guys will be playing the game on tour all summer long," says Dixon."Hopefully, we'll get the fans involved too and get everyone excited about this AND 1 Streetball video game."
Xbox Live® will provide a new venue for streetball, as gamers can perfect their skills offline, creating killer moves, and then take it to the rim online against real-life competitors.
Dixonsays he's around video games all the time as a father. He plays Xbox® games like Bad Boys Miami Takedown and Soldier of Fortune. But his favorite sport is basketball, so he spends time playing those games on his Xbox.
It's All About the Show
Dixon was involved in the creation of the AND 1 Streetball game. He did everything from the mo-cap sessions to recording voiceovers for the game.
"It's really an involved process to make a game that's going to live up to the credibility of the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour," says Dixon."It took a lot of hours and hard work but I think the finished product is going to be worth it."
Unlike basketball games that replicate the NBA or NCAA college sports, Dixon says Streetball is more freestyle.He says players can get more involved with the characters in this game because they can create their own moves and story.
The Main Event in videogame form.
Hitting the Court
Dixon 's Main Event character is an aggressive player. He says he takes the ball to the rim and never holds back. Despite making it look easy on tour, Dixon says performing the high-flying dunks and basketball tricks is a lot harder in person. Fortunately, the video game makes it a lot easier for anyone to get into the sport.
"I guess practice makes perfect, but coming up against me on a court in real life, well, you have to experience it for yourself," says Dixon."They did a heck of a job with this game letting the fans feel that as much as possible."
Dixonsays the game is going to be big for the tour. He believes that as the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour grows, tie-ins like Ubisoft's AND 1 Streetball are only going to help make it bigger.
"The tour feeds off the fans and the products are an extension of what the fans want to see," says Dixon. "It can only grow from here."
The street is where this game is played.
On Tour with Xbox
Dixon says that video games are a natural fit for the league, since a lot of the players are huge Xbox fans. He says players like Baby Shack, Prime, AO, and Shane are all Xbox addicts. They're very competitive and always trying to one-up each other in video games.
"We're on the bus, on tour, going from city to city, and these guys are always on the video games," says Dixon."As for who's the best out of those, well, you'd have to ask them.They'll trash talk about that just like we do about who has better game on the court."
Article by John Gaudiosi
