Around a minute of new footage of AEW’s upcoming console game has hit the internet following its unveiling during the weekend’s All Out Fan Fest.
AEW held a special episode of 2. Show during the fest. With Evil Uno, Jungle Boy, Aubrey Edwards, and The Bunny on the panel, it saw a close-up reveal of Jungle Boy’s character mode followed by footage of him wrestling Darby Allin. Click here to check it out.
AEW already has two mobile games on the market: AEW Casino: Double Or Nothing and AEW Elite General Manager. Kenny Omega has previously stated that the console game could release in 2022’s first quarter, though this was back in February, and there’s no word on whether or not it is still a realistic target.
New Footage Of AEW Video Game
They showed the short clip during AEW’s Games 2. Show presentation can be seen in the video embedded above (at the 8:10 mark).
The video, narrated by AEW wrestler Kenny Omega, gives players a close look at the character model for Darby Allin, followed by in-game footage of him performing a punch and a springboard back elbow, as well as an Irish whip outside the ring into the apron.
They showed an early look at the still-untitled game last November, but it consisted entirely of cut-scenes while it was likely in-engine. This new footage is the first glimpse of how the game will actually look in action.
The video game currently does not have a release date. However, at the game’s reveal in November, the game was announced for current and next-gen consoles. Hideyuki “Geta” Iwashita, the director of WWF No Mercy for the Nintendo 64, is also involved. It will be developed by Yuke’s, who up until 2018 was behind the yearly WWE 2K video game series.
A recent feature by Forbes magazine revealed that AEW had invested an “eight-figure” sum toward their video game development, citing it as the reason that the promotion is currently operating in the red.
AEW’s Investment in Gaming
AEW is putting a lot into its gaming initiative, in particular, for its debut console game. Tony Khan, the president of All Elite Wrestling, has stated that the company has invested $20 million into the title. Of course, this is a huge sum of money for its debut game, but it shows that AEW is taking it very seriously.
Read A collection of the best games in 2021.
Money isn’t the only commodity being pumped into the game, as AEW seemingly allows Yuke’s to take its time. As a result, the AEW game doesn’t have a set launch date, which ultimately could make for a better game and a better experience for its players. By giving an experienced developer like Yuke’s the time to make the game well, fans could be in for a treat with the AEW console game with millions of dollars at its disposal.
The talent behind the game and the investment being made by AEW are encouraging signs. This suggests that the company is fully committed to videogames being part of its future. While it would be great to see the likes of Deathmatches in the AEW game, specific gameplay details have been kept under wraps so far. At the very minimum, gamers could expect a fun wrestling game made by competent and experienced hands. AEW’s investment in the game, and its whole gaming division, should be taken as an even more encouraging sign.
The Bottom Line
One of the most important aspects of the new AEW game is that Yuke’s is developing it. Yuke’s has a storied history developing wrestling games, including the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series and the WWE 2K franchise until 2018. With a developer with so much experience behind it, the AEW game is off to a great start.
What’s more, Hideyuki Iwashita, the director of WWF No Mercy, has been recruited for AEW’s console game. This is huge news for wrestling fans, as WWF No Mercy is considered one of the greatest wrestling games of all time. With this raw talent behind it, wrestling fans are hoping for a special and memorable wrestling game.
