AEW Fight Forever is finally here, nearly three years after it was announced in 2020. Its debut proves worth the wait too, serving up arcadey action with a load of wild weapons, and familiar faces such as Chris Jericho and Sting. Developer Yuke's honed their craft on the WWE Smackdown games, but this feels more in tune with classics such as No Mercy. Below is everything you need to know about the new brawler, in GR's AEW Fight Forever guide.
Watch the AEW Fight Forever trailer
The first AEW teaser trailer dropped in November 2020, and featured Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho – but we've replaced that one with the official Fight Forever release trailer. It offers a closer look at all the game's best features, such as ladder and explosive barbed wire matches. Hit the button above to give it a watch.
AEW Fight Forever release date is Thursday, June 29
The AEW Fight Forever release date of Thursday, June 29 is finally here. It's actually the third and final entry in a collection of All-Elite Wrestling games which were announced at the same time.
AEW Casino: Double Or Nothing launched on February 26, 2021 for Android and iOS devices. It does what it says on the tin, offering “AEW-branded versions of slots, blackjack, poker and roulette, along with AEW music, sounds, videos, wrestler virtual avatars, gift packs and more”. In an intriguing twist, players can score real AEW merch and prizes via live tournaments and sweepstakes. Cool.
Next up was AEW Elite GM, a mobile offering available on both Android and iOS devices. The company describes it as “the evolution of the GM simulator genre, taking the strategic elements of simulation and fantasy games to create a competitive and engaging space for the wrestling community to take part in”.
The AEW Fight Forever developer is Yuke's
2000 N64 release WWE No Mercy is considered legendary in virtual wrestling circles, and when news of an AEW game broke in 2018, Japanese developer Syn Sophia was strongly linked to the project. Fans responded with unrestrained glee: Syn Sophia is the current name of famed No Mercy developer AKI Corporation.
However, those rumours proved false. It’s another Japanese studio renowned for its wrestling prowess which made AEW’s console debut. Yuke’s has been synonymous with digitised powerbombs and spinebusters since the release of PS1 classic WWF Smackdown, again in 2000, and 2K’s decision to cut ties with the developer midway through the creation of WWE 2K20 is seen as the main reason for its downfall. (Which infamously led to WWE 2K21 being cancelled.)
Yuke’s reputation slipped a little after control of the former Smackdown series passed from THQ to 2K. Yet that’s precisely why the switch to making AEW games should trigger excitement: it’s a fresh start for a revered developer with a point to prove. And there is one AKI Corporation connection, too. No Mercy creator Hideyuki “Geta” Iwashita is attached to the project in an advisory role.
What can you expect from AEW Fight Forever gameplay?
AEW star Kenny Omega is a massive gaming fan, and he promised this wouldn't be like Yuke’s wrestling sims of yesteryear. “The biggest challenge we have right now is kind of representing the current wrestling style in a way that still makes it feel like the games of old,” he told Talksport. “Because things have changed, it’s not the same wrestling climate as it was in 2000.”
He was telling the truth, too. As you'll discover from our AEW Fight Forever review, this old-fashioned scrapper takes its cue from No Mercy and Fire Pro. It's packed with mad weapons like thumb tacks, flaming tables and even a skateboard you can ride around on. Punches and kicks form a heavy focus of every match, with grapple moves actioned by trying to grab an opponent before they grab you. It's all brilliantly chaotic, and well worth a play for any wrestling fan.
Who is on the AEW Fight Forever roster?
60 names make the AEW Fight Forever roster in total, and you can see them all by clicking that link.
Former WWE favourites Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan), Chris Jericho and CM Punk are among them, but so too are AEW originals such as Darby Allin and Jungle Boy.
Jericho was one of the first three wrestlers announced, alongside fellow main eventer Kenny Omega and long-time women’s champ Hikaru Shida.
Expect Brodie Lee (Luke Harper) is a welcome inclusion too. Real name Jon Huber, the big man passed away in December 2020 at the age of just 41. AEW has kept his legacy alive with moves such as awarding his son Brodie Jr the red TNT Championship belt, and his role in the video game is another welcome tribute to a man beloved by his contemporaries.
Is there an AEW Fight Forever career mode?
Yep! It's called Road To Elite, and sees you play out a calendar year, split into four-week blocks. Each of these build towards an AEW PPV: All Out, Full Gear, Revolution, and Double or Nothing.
Within each week you can select one activity, such as going to the gym, sightseeing, or eating out. These affect your character in different ways: sightseeing increases momentum, while eating out replenishes energy. You can also mess around with Mario Party-style mini-games such as Penta Says, in which you try to button-match the luchador's dance moves, or the self explanatory AEW Pop Quiz.
Multiple plays of the mode are encouraged thanks to your Snapshots folder. Each time you bump into a fellow member of the roster, a photo is taken and stashed in a digital album. With 12 different branches to enjoy, you need to play through at least three times to unlock every possible image.
AEW Fight Forever legends list includes Sting
Appealing to old-school fans is critical when it comes to sales of wrestling games, which is why WWE repeatedly crams its sim offerings, and more offbeat efforts such as WWE 2K Battlegrounds, full of famous names from yesteryear.
While its roster is limited, AEW Fight Forever does squeeze in a few noteworthy icons, such as Jericho and the Hardyz – although frustratingly, Matt Hardy is only available as DLC. Former WCW world champion Sting debuted in 2020 and is included, as is former WWE monster The Big Show – under his real name of Paul Wight.
Bret Hart was also considered an outside bet. The ‘Hitman’ has never been shy of criticising WWE and made a surprise one-off appearance for AEW at Double Or Nothing in May 2019. “I do have a lot of fondness for what they’re trying to do, and I support them,” he said at the time. “I hope they become a real big wrestling company in the next year.” Sadly, however, the Hitman remains exclusive to WWE 2K23.
What’s the deal with AEW Fight Forever crowd chants?
While gameplay details remained scarce throughout development, AEW was less secretive about audio for the upcoming game. Indeed, at an April 2022 show in Pittsburgh it recorded crowd noise is used in Fight Forever.
AEW owner Tony Kahn kicked off the show with a quick speech about the videogame, asking the crowd if they wanted to participate in an impromptu recording session. Naturally, the watching masses proclaimed ‘yes’ in unison. Ring announcer Justin Roberts then led the audience in chants for Adam Cole, Sting, Jeff Hardy, referee Aubrey Edwards, Adam Page and FTR, follow by individual chants for FTR members Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood.
Are AEW Fight Forever live updates a possibility?
Yes, according to Omega in his Talksport interview. “As great as it is on launch, as our roster grows – let’s say we add a pay-per-view name, add a new arena, let’s say we sign whoever, anybody! – we want to be able to support those new additions as well… Hopefully the new additions/updates will be really prompt. That’s the plan anyway! So everyone can feel up to date with our roster, and how AEW grows.”
Sure enough, a new mode called Stadium Stampede is coming to the game post-release. It's a 30-player online battle royale mode, purported to ramp up the action further with vehicles such as golf carts. Let's hope to see more roster additions, too: notable absentees from Fight Forever include Samoa Joe, Toni Storm, Roderick Strong and Athena.
Will there be an AEW Fight Forever 2?
Interesting question. Supposedly working with Yuke’s may be a one-off deal from AEW’s perspective. Sports Gamers Online report that the Fight Forever project was over budget, which is said to be one of the reasons for the modest roster and lack of updates in the build up to release. That said, if the game is a success then you’d figure AEW may wish to continue to the arrangement with Fight Forever 2.
Want all your AEW favourites in WWE 2K23 instead? Then you need to leap on over to our WWE 2K23 CAWs guide.
