For the second time in as many weeks, details have emerged regarding All Elite Wrestling’s console video game officially titled AEW: Fight Forever. In the latest reveal from AEW Games, wrestlers Kris Statlander, Adam Cole (Bay-Bay!), Evil Uno, and referee Aubrey Edwards gathered in front of a camera to reveal not one but two new character models. They also shared further details on the game, confirmed some rumored information, and showed off some exclusive gameplay footage. Here’s what we learned from the AEW Games event.
For the full episode of AEW Games Twitch Reveal, click the link.
First Look At AEW Superstar Kris Statlander
Up until this point, the only wrestlers we’ve seen gameplay footage of have been Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Hikaru Shida, Darby Allin, and Jungle Boy. Other names have been revealed — some during a recent AEW Dynamite taping in Pittsburgh — but there have only been five wrestlers included in actual gameplay footage. We can now add Nyla Rose and Kris Statlander to the mix.
Both characters were revealed and look authentic to their real-life counterparts.
Statlander, for example, comes fully equipped with her three-tone hair color, face paint, half-sleeve tattoo, and of course, the iconic knee brace. She’s one of AEW’s top women’s wrestlers, and her unique look allows the developers to show off some of the game’s minor details, even if she didn’t seem to care when her character was revealed. The question I have is how up-to-date will the roster be?
After all, “The Galaxy’s Greatest Alien” is currently in the middle of a story change. She already dropped the “alien” look that you see in the video. Will it be something as simple as an alternative attire? How often will the roster update? That, to me, is always one of the most significant issues with wrestling games, the outdated rosters, and attires. How quickly AEW and Yuke’s can keep up with AEW’s ever-evolving roster is essential.
First Look At AEW Superstar Nyla Rose
Nyla Rose looks excellent, and she even comes out with her signature mask. Not to mention, her entrance is authentic and mimics her every move. This is a critical aspect of sports gaming, and based on the videos we’ve seen, AEW: Fight Forever delivers.
However, I must admit I was a little bit let down by this announcement in total. After all, Tony Khan and All Elite Wrestling have made some significant signings over the last several months, so I thought this announcement might showcase one of AEW’s marquee wrestlers who has been signed in recent months to show the roster will be up to date. Not that there is anything wrong with Nyla Rose or Kris Statlander, but this does beg the question, which wrestlers won’t make the final roster? Fightful.com reports that there are roughly 50 playable characters in AEW Fight Forever. And with over 120+ wrestlers on the roster, newly acquired Ring of Honor, and AEW’s working relationship with New Japan, there will be many wrestlers not in the game at release.
This is something to keep an eye on as we get closer to the game’s optimistic September release, along with Fight Forever‘s gameplay updates.
New Gameplay Footage And Details Emerge
With Referee Aubrey Edwards in the building, it was the perfect time to announce the addition of referees to Fight Forever. This isn’t necessarily anything wild, but there was no guarantee that AEW’s first console game would have AI referees. Now, this has been confirmed. Evil Uno also pointed out the improved crowd models, which you can see in both gameplay videos.
Another thing I noticed during the gameplay portion of the trailers is how unique the game looks. The moves look authentic, and the wrestlers look like they have some legit weight to them. But moreover, the game seems like the perfect blend between the No Mercy games I fell in love with and some of the more arcade-like Smackdown games and WWE All-Stars.
There were some minor frame-rate issues in the trailer, and some of the camera cuts weren’t the most pleasant at times, but overall, I’m excited. And hope to see a lot more in the near future.
All Elite Wrestling is coming to PC
AEW Fight Forever has long been referred to as All Elite Wrestling’s console game, but as we learned during the Twitch reveal, the game will be released on PC. This should make gamers all over the globe happy, as they can now play with some of their favorite AEW wrestlers. Best of all, it opens up an entirely different world of options for creators to make mods and change other essential aspects of the game, as we’ve seen in years past. In fact, for those who want to play the most up-to-date version of the game, that may be the way to go. Because as we’ve seen in the past, wrestling gamers are a different breed of “marks” and will not stop until they find the perfect wrestling video game.
What are your thoughts on the latest AEW: Fight Forever news? Let us know in the comments section below!
