Highlights
- AEW Fight Forever has received mixed reception, as it has been praised for its fun gameplay but criticized for other issues like an outdated roster and missing game modes.
- Updates and DLC support may address some problems but are unlikely to fix fundamental flaws, such as lack of commentary, brief entrances, and a weak career mode.
- While starting from scratch with a new game could have been better, abandoning Fight Forever would leave fans waiting a long time for new AEW game content. Faster updates and DLC worthy of the price tag are needed since support is set to continue.
Though updates may be rolling out a lot slower than AEW Fight Forever fans would like, it would seem like the future of the wrestling game is actually quite bright. AEW founder and owner Tony Khan recently was asked about the game and its potential support, and he was quick to state that the game’s future is really strong and that it would be getting updates for a very long time. While this is good news when taken at face value, it could also prove to be fairly frustrating in the long run.
The reception to AEW Fight Forever was extremely mixed upon released, with that divisiveness continuing throughout the game’s post-launch period. On the positive end of the spectrum, fans have been quick to praise the game for living up to its promise of having fun gameplay that anyone can pick up and enjoy. However, though this is the most important thing for a wrestling game to get right, the issues with Fight Forever are plentiful. Because of this, it may have been better if support for AEW Fight Forever ended in favor of a more modern wrestling experience.
It's Time For Wrestling Games Like AEW Fight Forever and WWE 2K To Improve Finishers
Wrestling games such as 2K's WWE series and AEW Fight Forever should change the way they handle finishing moves to improve the experience.
AEW Fight Forever Continuing on Has Pros and Cons
A Brand-New AEW Game Would Be More Likely To Fix Fans’ Biggest Issues
While updates and better DLC support can certainly address some of AEW Fight Forever’s immediate problems, they are unlikely to fix its fundamental flaws. Fight Forever fans have complained about the game’s overly brief entrances and a lack of commentary for matches, and given how expensive the new animations would be, as well as how much work it would be to add in all the commentary dialogue after release, neither is likely to come. A Road to Elite overhaul is similarly unlikely, as is the GM mode that fans have really been missing. While graphics have never been a priority for Fight Forever either, there is no denying that the game looks very dated on top of all this.
Ultimately, with so many problems deeply engraved in Fight Forever’s DNA, it is hard to imagine it ever becoming the ideal AEW game. With this in mind, starting from scratch could have been the best possible route for AEW and Yuke’s to take, as all of these major fan complaints could be taken into consideration to build a much deeper game. While small-scale tweaks and additions can certainly make a difference, eventually turning the game into a good AEW experience, a truly great game seems out of reach for Fight Forever.
The criticism surrounding AEW Fight Forever ’s expensive DLC is also something to consider. Though the game could bring in new belts and arenas or add missing roster members like Swerve Strickland, Samoa Joe , and Adam Copeland, if the DLC is too pricey it could fail to renew interest in the game.
There is a Solid Wrestling Game Behind AEW Fight Forever’s Problems
Still, abandoning AEW Fight Forever would not feel right either, as AEW has already said that it will not be taking WWE’s approach of yearly game releases, meaning that fans would be stuck waiting a long time for a new AEW video game experience if support ended. Additionally, some key Fight Forever flaws can be fixed with post-launch support. Heavily requested wrestlers could be added, as well as new arenas to fight in and more match types to enjoy. If AEW Fight Forever wants to stick by expensive DLC and season passes, it could start including more wrestlers within each pass, or larger additional features such as a GM mode. And though small additions have been made to create-a-wrestler after release, far more options have to be added to renew interest in the feature, with heights, faces, and body types being a priority.
For it to be worth sticking by AEW Fight Forever, the speed at which the game is updated has to increase and players have to feel as if they are getting content worthy of the price tag. Adding Toni Storm’s Timeless attire for free shortly after her DLC releases would be a good sign that Yuke’s is listening, and after that, it should aim to address other big criticisms from fans. Fight Forever living on should be seen as great news for AEW fans, but sadly, it is hard to be hyped so long as the slow updates, missing roster members, and lacking match types remain a problem. Hopefully, changes are made soon, because if not, it would be better to move on from Fight Forever to deliver an entirely new game.
AEW Fight Forever
A throwback to classic wrestling titles like WWF No Mercy, AEW Fight Forever marks the promotion's first step into the gaming landscape. Along with a career mode, the game offers a few creation modes, including genre standards like create-a-wrestler, along with match types unique to AEW such as the Casino Battle Royale.
