AEW working on console game, mobile games with former WWE 2K series developer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Just weeks after All Elite Wrestling (AEW) marked the first year anniversary of its weekly flagship episodic wrestling show Dynamite, the wrestling promotion is marking another milestone.
In a press conference held Tuesday evening online, the promotion would launch its gaming division, AEW Games, with some projects in the works.
AEW co-executive vice president Kenny Omega would kick off the presentation with the announcement of their console game. The title of the project is not currently known, but there is an interesting bombshell as to who’s developing the game. Yuke’s, the developer of numerous games in the WWE 2K series, is apparently among the development group for this new game.
Yuke’s was behind many WWE games prior to the WWE 2K series, such as the Raw vs. Smackdown series, alongside Visual Concepts. The developer would leave development following the release of WWE 2K19. As a result, game development would severely suffer as THQ took the reins. The end product in WWE 2K20 would result in notorious glitches and an unpolished product that very few patches have resolved to date.
Sample game footage showed Omega fighting against the Demo God Chris Jericho, with AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida later interfering in the match. While the promotion does not implement intergender wrestling, the game will likely include it. (I mean — who wouldn’t want to see a dream match between Shida and current TNT Champion Darby Allin in action for the TNT Championship?)
The game does not currently have a release date due to still being in development. However, Omega did note that it will be available on all current and next-gen gaming consoles. This means the game would be available for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles.
Two AEW mobile games coming soon
AEW Games also has a couple of games coming to mobile phones very soon.
The first is AEW Elite General Manager. The premise of the game is to build a wrestling show and battle other people. It is being described as an “evolution of the GM simulator genre”. With that stated, it appears this game would be in clear contrast to the Wrestling Revolution series. It can also mark a clear contrast to PC games such as the Total Extreme Wrestling series where you’re essentially the owner and/or the booker.
A beta test for this game is coming in the near future. However, there was no date announced as to when this would begin.
The other, AEW Casino Double or Nothing, is set to become available this winter. The game will have AEW-branded versions of slots, blackjack, poker, and roulette. There will be additional features including AEW music, sounds, videos, wrestler virtual avatars, gift packs, and more.
Players will be able to win real AEW merchandise by playing various games, according to the game’s official description.
The announcement show was hosted by Omega, Dr. Britt Baker, fellow EVP Cody Rhodes, and referee Aubrey Edwards.
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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
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