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Justin Leeper is an incredibly fascinating individual. He’s worked a wide variety of jobs, but he’s likely best known for being in Wanted: Dead as Herzog or Deadman in Death Stranding. In addition, he’s toured with GWAR, performed as a professional wrestler, and, on that note, has worked on some incredible WWE and AEW titles. As far as his most recent credits go, he’s currently the Lead Narrative Designer on the upcoming Transformers Reactivate. He’s a man who has worn a wide variety of very interesting hats.
It was a genuine pleasure to sit down and pick Justin Leeper’s brain about who he goes to for inspiration when it comes to writing for a wrestling game, many of his career choices, and working on games like Wanted: Dead.
Justin Leeper discusses being a Narrative Designer across a wide assortment of video games
Q. Hello! First, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. For those who do not know you, could you please introduce yourself?
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Justin Leeper: Hey there. I’m Justin Leeper. I grew up an average Midwest kid with the audacity to dream a bit outside my punching weight and the luck to pull a few of those things off. It’s taken me to several continents, allowed me to make a living on several passions, and perform in front of a lot of people. I currently live in the UK with my partner Jasmine and a cat we rescued last year named Loko-chan.
Q. You're a man who has worn many hats - Actor/Voice Actor, Stuntman, Writer, and Narrative Designer. Do any of these roles appeal to you the most?
Justin Leeper: I think what it boils down to is being able to express myself in a way that I’m pleased with and others will be able to see. I played a werewolf in a Japanese car commercial that Jasmine saw every morning while getting ready for work.
Being able to discover that people dug the way I played Herzog in Wanted: Dead or Deadman in Death Stranding is super gratifying. And really, there’s nary a bad day either in the mocap studio or the VO booth, whether I’m performing or directing.
Q. You've also been a professional wrestler, on top of all of those other things. As someone who has worked on several wrestling games for both AEW and WWE, in what way has that helped you in your role as Narrative Designer?
Justin Leeper: I didn’t intend to Lex Luger my way into THQ, but that’s just how it happened. I knew games, I knew wrestling, and I knew writing. It’s a rare combination, so it just felt natural to take over when we wanted to do something new for Story mode in the WWE games. And then, when Yuke’s needed some help in a similar capacity, I just happened to be nearby and available.
Q. When you look at storytelling in the ring, who do you go to for inspiration? Who are the greatest in-ring storytellers?
Justin Leeper: Any time you’re writing for characters, you have to know them well. Ideally - for me, at least - you put them into difficult situations, and they show you how they react and overcome. You’re almost just documenting it.
In the wrestling games I worked on, I wanted to walk the line between familiar and refreshing - things like a Masked Man storyline (think Black Scorpion with a better payoff), a retirement angle between HBK and JBL, or just bringing back Edge and Christian to do wacky things.
Bobby Heenan is maybe my favorite all-time wrestling personality. He was so clever, put the angle first, and did whatever it took. Currently, I love Joe’s invincible aura, Asuka’s wild genius, and Cody’s infallible determination. But anytime a performer can make me suspend disbelief while also making strong choices, you can bet I’m invested.
Q. On that note, as someone who worked on the Road to WrestleMania mode previously and then the narrative for AEW: Fight Forever, what sorts of differences went into the processes for the two company's games?
Justin Leeper: For both, I was kind of making things up on the fly. I had an unprecedented amount of autonomy on both projects; SmackDown vs. Raw had a bigger scope and budget, whereas AEW Fight Forever was being built from scratch and contained elements I had to retain.
At THQ, I represented the publisher - which comes with some authority. At Yuke’s, I was a contractor - so less leverage. Both projects had licensors I needed approval from. Kenny Omega was much more hands-on and collaborative. However, I earned WWE’s trust over time.
Q. However, you've also worked on some other impressive, entertaining titles. Among my favorites, personally, is Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3. Are there any major challenges while writing for a comic game? Are you personally a fan of any of the comic characters that were featured?
Justin Leeper: I have somehow been asked to portray or write larger-than-life characters with dedicated fanbases. First WWE, then Marvel, then AEW, and now Transformers. With Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, I played a wide array of characters: Venom, Captain America, Beast, Groot, Thanos.
Sometimes, I’d play several in a day. Venom was my favorite because of his undulating movements and the fact that he’s the only character I’ve ever played who has a longer tongue than I do.
Q. When it comes to upcoming projects, there's Transformers Reactivate. It looks like this will be a change of pace for Transformers fans. What has it been like working on this title?
Justin Leeper: Transformers has easily been the biggest project I’ve ever worked on. For me, that means I have an entire narrative team working alongside me - whereas in the past, I either wrote/designed everything myself or had only a few external writers. The amount of talent working on this project is amazing - from art to audio to level designers. I feel like Dan Aykroyd in Blues Brothers - dancing around on stage in a goofy suit while a world-class band plays masterfully behind me.
Q. It seems like there's no limit to the genre and game type you can work on. From The Benza RPG to Dead Stranding. Do you have a favorite style of game to work on?
Justin Leeper: I love when there is plenty of info on the characters for me to “get” who they are, but some wiggle room to make choices. Performers live to make choices. Learning the lines or the choreography is just the first step.
You then get to play with things, find your moments, and make them yours. On Wanted: Dead, I was gifted with both the most cocky SOB in the cast as well as the prime antagonist. A lot of meat on those bones for me to cook with!
Q. What about games you simply want to play? What's out right now, or on the way out, that you're excited for and want to consume as a fan?
Justin Leeper: I can’t express how hyped I am for Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring’s expansion. I beat Elden Ring three times for a total of 300+ hours. I’m glad Hi-Fi Rush is coming to PlayStation, as it looks like my kind of game. And I’m pumped to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but I told Jasmine we have to get through FF XVI first.
Q. As someone who has written for a living for many years, do you have any advice for someone who wants to turn their passion for creative work and bring it to a different venue, like video games?
Justin Leeper: Games are unique in that they’re interactive rather than passive. That can be tough for writers to grasp if they’re used to novels or screenplays, or reviews (I spent 8 years as a game journalist). Narrative design is a weird career because it means something different to every studio. Some narrative designers barely ever write! I encourage aspiring game writers to familiarize themselves with design docs and industry terms.
I like to say Narrative is the scouting party that runs out ahead to find the beats and other elements that shape the game. However, if the caravan switches direction, you have to be ready to pivot and start fresh without getting despondent.
Q. What does the future hold for you? Are there any projects you'd like to work on or have on the way?
Justin Leeper: Every five years, I end up in a place I never would have expected. Five years ago, I wouldn’t have guessed I’d be living in the UK. Five years before that, I had no clue I’d be a working actor in Tokyo.
At the moment, I’m focused on Transformers Reactivate and doing all I can to make sure it’s a great game that satisfies its intended audience. Personally, though, I have a novel I’m about 35,000 words into. It’s about an average kid from Wisconsin who finds himself in Japan on a thrilling but intimidating adventure. Go figure.
You can find Justin Leeper in Wanted: Dead, which can be purchased on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X.
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