All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has announced that its first video game adaptation, AEW: Fight Forever, will be launched on June 29, 2023. The game will be available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch. The game has been in development since 2020, and was delayed several times for unknown reasons.
Reasons for Delay
There were speculations about the delay being related to behind-the-scenes drama between AEW management and former cover star CM Punk. However, recent reports from publisher THQ Nordic dispute this. In April 2023, community manager Per Hollenbo said the game was still ‘unfinished’ and ‘not 100% yet’, in response to reports of its completion. Hollenbo explained that there were tons of things to take into consideration when developing a game, including submission, QA, loca, ratings, optimization, polish, coding, and much more. Therefore, even if a game looks finished to some people, if it misses one of those steps, it isn’t finished or ready to release.
Improved Features
The extra time in development has allowed for improved lighting, better-looking character models, and wrestling moves that feel meatier and more stylish. The new trailer of the game shows that the action is more polished than in early footage. Kenny Omega, an award-winning wrestler, is featured in the trailer, and his character model has been improved significantly. The movement in the trailer appears more fluid and cinematic.
Different from WWE 2K
The trailer reveals that AEW: Fight Forever is a very different-looking wrestling game when compared to its nearest rival, the WWE 2K franchise. Instead of going for realism, designers have opted for a more cartoonish, big-headed look that calls back to classic, blocky wrestling games from the early 2000s era. AEW has previously described the game as a ‘spiritual successor’ to titles including WWF No Mercy and Virtual Pro Wrestling. It remains to be seen whether Fight Forever can live up to these names when it finally launches for PC and consoles on 29 June 2023.
AEW: Fight Forever video game is finally set to launch on multiple platforms in June 2023. The game has been delayed for unknown reasons, but the final steps in its development are now complete. The game has improved lighting, better-looking character models, and wrestling moves that feel more meaty and stylish. The game design is different from WWE 2K franchise with a more cartoonish, big-headed look that calls back to classic, blocky wrestling games from the early 2000s era. Wrestling fans who have been waiting for a new wrestling game will be excited to see AEW: Fight Forever when it releases in 2023.
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