On January 1, 2019, the professional ?wrestling world was shaken up with the introduction of a new promotion: All Elite Wrestling. The company, spearheaded by Tony Khan, promised audiences an alternative to the longstanding WWE, with top-notch production, a stacked talent roster, engaging storylines, and, of course, world-class in-ring competition.

Of course, along with all? of this, plans were in place for AEW to merchandise itself. First came a litany of t-shirts, followed by a partnership with Jazwares to produce AEW action figures, an?d, at long last, a video game.

AEW: Fight Forever, from developer Yukes and publisher THQ Nordic, was announced in 2020, promising gamers an experience similar to beloved titles like 2000's WWF No Mercy. The game eventually made it to store shelves on June 29, 2023, but did it manage to live up ??to such a high? standard?

Upon release, Fight Forever proved a mixed bag. It earned praise for its fast-paced, fun-focused style, which was a welcomed contrast to WWE's slower, simulation-based 2K games. Fans also loved its strong roster and unique match types. Still, Fight Forever left a lot to be desir??ed. Character customization is limited, and the story mode, Road to Elite, lacks depth. The graphics (chiefly wrestler likenesses) are hit-or-miss and, like seemingly every new game these days, there were some gameplay bugs in need of patches. Overall, though, it seemed a solid first outing for AEW in the gaming realm.

With the one-year anniversary of the release of Fight Forever right around the corner, o??ne has to ask, is the game still worth playing al?l this time later? Here's the breakdown.

Fight Forever still has a lot to offer one year in

As a whole, there's still a lot to l?ove about Fight Forever, especially if you're looking for a fun wrestling game to play with friends. Though the combat is simple, it's easy to pick up and makes for an enjoyable in-match experience. The match types present are all solid, with unique ones like the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch making Fight Forever a must-play.

Thankfully, through the power of patches, most of the big issues plaguing the game around launch time have since been taken care of. Throughout its year in existence, Fight Forever has been greatly enhanced through post-launch content, t??oo. First and foremost is the Stadium Stampede mode, where up to 30 players can wreak havoc in a massive arena in a battle royale-style experience. Oth?er mini-games and the fighting game-esque Beat the Elite mode have also added replay value.

Then there are all ?of the roster additions that make the game feel a bit more current, as much of the base roster feels stuck in the 2020-2022 timeframe. Popular names like Samoa Joe, FTR, Swerve Strickland, Toni Storm, and Adam Copeland have joined the game, ?as have a host of others through paid DLC. New skins, arenas, customization options, and more have also come along.

Though it's unfortunate that it had to come through paid DLC, Fight Forever has become a more well-rounded, replayable package in its first year. There are more game modes and wrestlers to try out than at launch, assuming you want to pay for them, and patches have enhanced the overall quality of each playthrough. A year in, Fight Forever is more than worth picking up and pla??ying, but it still has room to improve.

How Fight Forever can improve in year two and beyond

Despite all this, Fight Forever isn't perfect. The Road to Elite story mode is still a short, shallow affair, and the online player base has dropped significantly, especially on Steam, so online play is a challenge for most player??s. This makes it particularly difficult to enjoy Stadium Stampede, as without?? players around to fill out those lobbies, wait times skyrocket, assuming you can find a game at all.

Of course, with AEW constantly making new talent acquisitions there are some major names still missing from the roster, including Will Ospreay and Mercedes Moné. Preexisting Fight Forever characters like Toni Storm and the Young Bucks could also use new looks to match their current on-screen g??immicks.

So, with all of that said, what should the folks behind Fight Forever focus on in the game's second year and beyond? Adding onto Road to Elite in some way, or adding another story mode through DLC, would be a major plus. The same could be said for keepi?ng up with the roster additions t??o keep the game feeling as fresh and current as possible.

Sadly, the developer cannot do much about th??e diminished online player counts aside from trying to entice players to pick up the game again. However, adding bots to Stadium Stampede to fill out lobbies could be smart, if for no other reason than to keep the mode playable for those who want it.

At the end of the day, Fight Forever still has a lot to offer gamers a year after its release. It has improved in more ways than one, amounting to one of the most fun modern wrestling games on the market. If you haven't played it in a while or haven't yet given it a shot, if you're a wrestling fan, you owe it to yourself to get in on it. At the same time, there's still plenty the minds behind it can improve upon. Should they do so, Fight Forever can and will go from great to truly elite.

The post One yea??r later, is AEW: Fight Forever still worth playing? appeared first on Destructoid.

That's 'delayed' to you and I

[Update: A new update from Mega Cat Studios states that WrestleQuest will now launch August 8 on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and (newly announ?ced) iOS and Android platforms.]

Skybound Games and developer Mega Cat Studios has announced that the colorful pro-wrestling RPG WrestleQuest will no longer meet its May release window and will now s?tep into the ring sometime this summer.

In a shoot-worked promo posted to Twitter, Mega Cat Studios spoke of its excitement with the title so far, but notes that a recently secured "partnership" has forced the studio to push back the title's launch. This seems?? to suggest that the delay is a positive one, and ??will allow the studio to implement whatever benefits the new partnership has allowed for. Mega Cat notes that it expects to announce a new release before May is done and dusted.

//twitte?r?.com/megacatstudios/status/1658095888227770370?s=20

"While we are disappointed that we couldn’t share the entirety of WrestleQuest with you sooner like we hoped," concludes the studio, "we firmly believe this is the right choice with respect to our players and the sweat, sweat, and more sweat we have pou??red into building the best game we have ever made. ?We can’t wait to get your hands on it!"

WrestleQuest, as we have previously reported, combines the wild spectacle of golden age wrestling with the stat-based strategy of turn-based RPGs. Players will guide custom superstars through?? the territory system of the 1980s, aided or hindered by a roster of ?over 30 real-world wrestlers including “Macho Man�Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware, Jake “The Snake�Roberts, The Road Warriors, Sgt. Slaughter, and Andre the Giant. Jeff Jarrett is also in the mix, because he can't stay out of fucking anything.

WrestleQuest is currently in development for PlaySt??atio?n, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

The post (Update) WrestleQuest has been future end????eavored until August 8 appeared first on Destructoid.

A new wrestling game enters the ring very soon

The All Elite Wrestling fighting game AEW: Fight Forever has set a date for its debut in the ring. The new wrestl?in?g competitor will arrive on June 29, 2023.

In a video today featuring AEW wrestler and video game fan Kenny Omega, the release date in June is locked in for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. THQ Nordic is partnering with All Elite Wrestling for publishing, while former WWE 2K developer Yuke's is developing the new title.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JEyDX8vvlw

The release and readiness of AEW: Fight Forever has been up in the air for some time. Since it was first revealed, the project has gone through some bumps. We've seen some hints of it and its minigames over the years, but now it looks to be arr?iving, and pretty soon at that.

As for features, AEW: Fight Forever is boasting a fair number of modes, as well as the customization options you usually like to see in a wrestling game. Attire, appearance, move sets, entrances, teams, and arenas are all part of the customization. Add in the AEW roster and online play, and it's looking like it could put up some com??petiton.

A new fighter enters the ring

Competition is what wrestling fans are hoping for, I think. The WWE 2K series has had some serious ups-and-downs lately, and even when it's somewhat stabilized out, I still see some reminiscing about the old days of No Mercy.

There seems to be a hope for rekindling some of that older-school arcade magic here, and for those who want that, I hope they?? get it. Either way, I'm interested to see how a new wrestling entry is received, and if it can shake up the wrestling genre.

AEW: Fight Forever he?ads to PC, PlayS??tation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on June 29, 2023.

The post AEW: Fight Forever sets a release date for June appeared first on Destructoid.

Troubled title remains in Gorilla

THQ Nordic's senior community manager has rebuked reports that the long-in-development wrestling title AEW: Fight Forever is finished and ready to launch, following such comments presented by overly-excitable AEW president Tony Kh??an.

"I can’t say the exact release date," said Khan during a press conferenc?e held to promote the AEW Revolution pay-per?-view. "There’s a lot of things that go into that, and I don’t want to step on anybody with that. It is coming very soon. The game is finished."

But, as noted by Wrestling Inc., THQ community manager Per Hollenbo had a different opinion. Having been shown a tweet stating that AEW: Fight Forever was ready and just waiting on a release date, Hollenbo stated "I mean if yo??u want an u??nfinished game sure we could release now. The ga?me is doing really well and is getting there, but not 100% yet, so yea, just another rumour on Twitter I fear"

//twitte??r.com/Zyddies/status/1644??539101700411392?s=20

The crossed wires represent part of the troubled development Fight Forever has had since its first reveal back in November 2020. Since then, whispers have frequently done the rounds of creative differences between developer Yukes and the wrestlers involved with the making of the game. Further problems arrived with the initial leaking of the game's title, the departure of cover star C.M. Punk, frequent pushback on the release window, and �most recently �legal disputes over AEW's ability to use the "Fight Forever" moniker. All of the above lends credence to the longstanding rumor that the entire project has gone way ov??er budget.

Of course, wrestling fans absolutely want a new wrestling game franchise, and AEW looked set to be the best option to present an alternative to 2K Games' WWE 2K franchise. But AEW: Fight Forever seems to be really crawling through barbed wire and iffy pyrotechnics in order to reach fruition. The market needs another wrestling franchise �Steel Sharpens Steel and all that jive �so here's hoping that AEW: Fight Forever is able to deliver when, if, it ever makes its way to the ring.

THQ Nordic Rep Disputes Report Tha?t AEW Fight Forever Is Ready To Release [Wrestling Inc]

The post Conflicting reports leave AEW: ??Fight Forever release date in li??mbo appeared first on Destructoid.

Not to be confused with WrestleQuest

Get yourself oiled up and squeeze into your spandex, Tic Toc games has revealed their turn-based RPG, Wrestle Story, via Gematsu. The only men?tioned platform currently is PC, and no release window wa??s given.

It looks great! You get to customize your look, backstory, and even your ring entrance. The combat includes a timing system à la Super Mario RPG or Paper Mario. There are tag team partners. Apparently, the plot involves saving wres??tling somehow. I can think of a few existential threats to performance sports, b?ut Tic Toc, no doubt, has a much better plot than anything I could come up with. They’ve dropped a trailer you can try to glean any narrative details from.

[embed]//youtu.be/xdzimm8Ri4w[/embed]

I love the visual prese??ntation of the combat system. Especially the snappiness of the one wrestle-man calling for a chair and it whizzing in from out-of-ring. While there isn't a tonne o?f details on offer right now, what's being shown off is enough to grab my interest.

Wrestling seems well-suited to the turn-based genre, and Wrestle Story is not the first to try. Mega Cat Studio is working on their own with WrestleQuest, and Kaiju Big Battel: Fighto Fantasy has been available since 2018. Even the WWE has teased that they might have an RPG announcement in the wings. I expect that they will all have different takes on the formula, but for now, Wrestle Story is looking like it might be pretty delectable.

Wrestle Story is slated ?for release on PC. No rel??ease window has been announced.

The post Turn-based RPG Wrestle Story Irish whipping its way? to PC eventually appeared first on Destructoid.

Step-up Enziguri

Last year, I stated that WWE 2K22 wasn’t so much “a step in the right direction,�but rather that it “picked itself off, dusted itself off, and went right back to the philosophy that it was following before.�This isn’t so much a condemnation. WWE 2K20 sank the series to new depths, and a course correction was needed. However, after I did the review of WWE 2K22, a patch was released by 2K Sports that corrupted my save data and made Universe Mode inaccessible. This was a commonly reported problem that never got fixed. You just had to?? delete your save data,?? start over, and hope the same thing happened.

However, with WWE 2K22 dead to me, I had high hopes for WWE 2K23 because the bar was still set extremely low. Thankfully, despite all my trepidation, it managed to step over it. I am so beaten down by the series by now that the bare minimum is acceptable. WWE 2K23 exceeds the bare minim?um, proving that if you never give up, you might eventually become sufficient.

[caption id="attachment_369532" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

WWE 2K23 (PC [Reviewed], PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)
Developer: Visual Concepts
Publisher: 2K
Released: March 16, 2023
MSRP: $59.99 (PS4, Xbox One, PC) | $69.99 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S)

John Cena is on the cover of WWE 2K23, which means he is the focus of Showcase mode. For years, Showcase mode has been probably one of the worst parts of the 2K series�single-player events. Rather than just playing matches, you’re dropped into significant events from the star’s career. You then have to perform very specific moves in order to advance.

The twist here is that, rather than play as John Cena, you take the role of his opponents and get the chance to beat him up. That would be fun, but again, you’re just performing different dance steps. You're competing against an uncooperative computer-controlled wrestler to try and get them into place, just so you can pull off a very specific move. Chances are, you won't know how to do this move until you've opened the object??ive menu and read specifically how to do it. I can not imagine a more mechanical and less compelling approach to gameplay.

However, it’s worth it to endure playing through this significantly laborious mode because there are a lot of things that are only accessible once unlocked through playing these matches. One of them is Bruno Sammartino, who has been on my wishlist for the roster for y?ears. There’s also �0s-era Hulk Hogan and various alternative appearances of other wrestlers. I just wish they? weren’t locked behind such a tedious gameplay mode.

However, once you’ve got Bruno Sammartino available for grappling, you can get to the goo?d stuff. A lot of the good stuff is still compromised in many ways, but it’s the best the series has seen? since 2K took over.

//youtu.be/0mRiUp36n-8

The time is now

Despite my considerable grievances with WWE 2K22, its foundation was surprisingly solid. After the trainwreck of WWE 2K20, 2K Sports took a year off to rework a lot of things, and th??e result was appreciable. Everythi?ng about the wrestling itself felt a lot more solid and enjoyable.

When you jump into WWE 2K23, much of it will still feel familiar. The UI, the customization suite, and the visual style are all the same as the previous few entries. Visually, the improvements made are extremely subtle. While I don’t necessarily feel that they need to overhaul the entire UX every entry, there are some drawbacks that weren’t addressed, specifically when it co??mes to sorting and filtering the move-list and even parts options in the create-a-wrestler modes. As it was in previous iterations, the creation suite is very onerous to sort through. The whole set of tools is very powerful and gets better year after year, but they d?efinitely haven’t gotten any easier to use.

It is nice, however, that the advanced entrance editor has been re-implemented, largely as it had been before its removal. You can now choose individual segments from pre-existing entrances. While the fact that you co??bble them together, it does give you the tools to create a near-perfect fit for your wrestlers. It makes it so you’re not necessarily going to have something easily identifiable as an existing wrestler’s entrance. I am so thankful to have it back.

[caption id="attachment_369531" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Rope break

The biggest, most appreciable change in WWE 2K23 is that MyGM mode has been expanded. After Universe died for me in WWE 2K22, I moved to play MyGM, and it was a decent stand-in. It’s a specific mode that has you run your own WWE “brand�and compete with the others for ratings based on how well you stack fights, manage rivalries, and book your shows. Now, it might be my preferred way to slap my wrestle figures against each other. There are now five brands to pick from ??(Raw, Smackdown, NXT, NXT 2.0, and WCW), which can be run by a number of GMs or one of your making. There are now four slots for participating shows, and they? can be run by either a human or a CPU.

??While the gameplay flow and UI (once again) is largely unchanged from last year, so much has been piled in that it doesn’t feel like a quickly thrown-together modifier. More match types are available. The roster that GMs pick from is still completely customizable, so yo?u can tweak it for the feel you want or slot in your own creations.

I still wish I could create my own brand for MyGM mode. There are already tools for making your own show in Universe Mode, so I feel like it’s not much of a stretch that the ability would materialize, ??but it’s still not possible this year. Considering all the improvements made, I’m not too broken up by it. If anything, it makes me excited for next year when this sort of thing might make its way in. For now, it’s still an extremely fun campaign to t?oy around with.

[caption id="attachment_369534" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Standing 8-count

MyRise is about as decent as it was previously. It’s a good mode if you want a pre-assembled story to play through, rather than creating your own ??with the other modes, creation suites, and good old-fashioned imagination. There’s now a separate story for wrestlemen and wrestleladies. The?? voice acting, writing, and animation in this mode are all egregiously bad, but it’s a framework around solid wrestling, so it’s worth a look.

While it’s obvious that Visual Concepts is working hard to clean up the bloated and tangled backend of the game engine, there are still some holdover issues. Notably, the loading time can grow to obscene levels at times in WWE 2K23. This is especially prevalent when using lots of custom wrestlers and images a??nd cramming them into the same match.

While I played on PS5 this year, last year has left me aware of the issues the PC version faced. Most notably?, every time that a patch was dropped, the whole 60-70GB game file had to be re-downloaded. This year, that a?pparently isn’t the case, which shows some improvement on the technical side.

[caption id="attachment_369535" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Never give up

Each year for the WWE 2K series, there are always some steps forward and a few steps back. Depending on where your priorities lie, it’s entirely possible that there will be some drawbacks that will perturb you. This year, however, I feel like the product suits me better than it has in well over a decade. I still have a laundry list of things that I want to see implemented or re-implemented (custom entrance themes, better organization in creation suites, custom brands in MyGM, photo mode), but I’m at least content with what is in this year’s offering.

Building on the reasonably solid gameplay foundation of WWE 2K22, WWE 2K23 manages to finally find a comfortable spot. It is, at its core, the same general game that we get year after year. It kind of sucks that we have t?o keep paying for small improvements. However, small improvements got us here, and here is a pretty decent place to be.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: WWE 2K23 appeared first on Destructoid.

No holds barred

2K Sports has announced the content of all their planned DLC packs for WWE 2K23 ahead of its March 17 launch. There will ??be five post-launch packs, bringing an additional 24 wrestlers (and one manager).

• Steiner Row Pack (April 19): Scott Steiner, Rick Steiner, Ahante Adonis, B-Fab (Manager), and Top Dolla
• Pretty Sweet Pack (May 17): Karl Anderson, Kit Wilson, Tiffany Stratton, Luke Gallows, Elton Prince
• Race to NXT Pack (June 14): Harley Race, Ivy Nile, Wendy Choo, Tony D’Angelo, Trick Williams
• Revel with Wyatt Pack (July 19): Bray Wyatt, Zeus, Joe Gacy, Valhalla, Blair Davenport
• Bad News U Pack (August 16): Nathan Frazer, Andre Chase, Wade Barrett, Damon Kemp, Eve Torres

Zeus is a pleasant and goofy surprise for WWE 2K23. He played the antagonist in the 1989 wrestle-propaganda movie No Holds Barred. He then got towed around by Hulk Hogan from the WWE (then WWF) to the WCW as a foil to his invincible face character. Matches involving him were absolutely ridiculous and memorable. His real name is Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr., and while I’m not smark, I’ve read that he was held back in wrestling by his at?tachment to the Zeus character. He recently passed away in 2020, so having him in ?the game is a nice tribute.

There’s also “Handsome�Harley Race, whose career goes way back into the Golden Age o?f Wrestling. Not sure why he’s in the NXT pack. Bit of an odd choice, but I’ll take him as a subst??itute for Bruno Sammartino. Then, of course, there are the legendary Steiner Brothers from the WWF run. I’m sure many people wish it was Scott Steiner from his “Big Poppa Pump�era with the WCW, but I found that gimmick to be obnoxious.

I’m definitely showing my preferences for a certain era of wrestling here, as I ?don’t recognize a lot of the others. Our own Chris Moyse seems pleased about Wendy Choo’s inclusion, though.

WWE 2K23 is coming on March 17. It will be available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. You can check out the game's full launch roster in our handy guide right here.

The post WWE 2K23 rev?eals its full slate of DLC wrestler?? packs appeared first on Destructoid.

A witch, an alchemist, and a wrestler walk into a bar...

March 2023 is heating up with plenty of exciting game releases. Resident Evil 4 Remake will modernize the horror classic with spectacular visuals, while Atelier Ryza 3 is taking the series open w?orld for the first t??ime.

In addition, we'll be getting a brand-new WarGames mode in WWE 2K23 and exploring a certain witch's past in Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. Here's what t??o expect from the March 2023 games lineup.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key (NSW, PS4, PS5, PC)

[caption id="attachment_365614" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Koei Tecmo[/caption]

Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Developer: Gust
Price: $59.99
Release Date: March 24
Trailer

Firstly, the fan-favorite Atelier series takes its introductory steps into an open world, and this will sadly be the conclusion to Ryza's story. Koei Tecmo seems to be stepping up the action with 11 playable characters, a seamless open-world design with multiple biomes, and a grand story involving the Code of the Universe. It will also have some fun alchemy mechanics, which makes the series stand out among the rest of the JRPG juggernauts, like Final Fantasy and Persona. Atelier Ryza 3 was recently delayed by a month. Hopef??ully, the game is technically sound and will run great when the game is?? in the players' hands.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (NSW)

[caption id="attachment_365612" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: PlatinumGames
Price: $59.99
Release Date: March 17
Trailer

Coming out of nowhere in an early 2023 Nintendo Direct, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza of the Demon tells the origin story of the legendary witch. Cereza (her name before being called Bayonetta), alongside her first demon Cheshire, is on a quest to save her mother with a power found within the forest. She'll be solving puzzles and fighting faeries, even as a child. This game will likely give some fascinating backstory to the beloved witch in the Bayonetta series. There's an expectation of quality from this cult hit series, so hopefully, this game will ?deliver.

Resident Evil 4 Remake (PS5, PS4, XSX|S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_365615" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Price: $59.99
Release Date: March 24
Trailer

One of the most prolific horror games ever made, Resident Evil 4, is finally receiving a remake in March. Similarly to the two prior remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, RE4 is getting a complete reworking of its gameplay and graphics. The animation and texture quality is incredible, while the gameplay has been remade to fit more modern tastes. That means no more tank controls! In addition, the pesky quick-time events of the original have been completely removed. While Capcom's attempts to bring back Resident Evil 3 arguably disappointed fans, Resident Evil 4 Remake can hopefully pick up the slack.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_365626" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Koei Tecmo[/caption]

Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Developer: Team NINJA
Price: $59.99
Release Date: March 3
Trailer

After the tepid audience response to Wild Hearts (according to the UK charts via PlayStation Trophies), Koei Tecmo is likely hoping Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty will be a hit. This action RPG pits you against mighty bosses across the Three Kingdoms. Set in a dark fantasy interpretation of the late Han Dynasty, you'll face off foes with swordplay that's based on Chinese martial arts. You'll have access to multiple weapons like dual swords, glaives, a spear, a staff, and 14 other types. You'll also be able to use magic like fire and ice-elemental abilities against your enemies. Hopefully, this Souls-like hits with Team NINJA's many fans of Nioh. There's a demo out as well if you're curious about this JRPG.

WWE 2K23 (PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_365629" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via 2K[/caption]

Publisher: 2K
Developer: Visual Concepts
Price: $59.99
Release Date: March 17
Trailer

Unlike the 2021-2022 season, WWE has been red-hot over the past year with the return of Cody Rhodes, the championship reign of the E.S.T. Bianca Belair, and the incredible storytelling from the Bloodline faction. Hopefully, WWE 2K23 takes advantage of the hype that's been building toward Wrestlemania in 2023. The game is introducing a new WarGames mode, which has two wrestling rings combined within a cage. In addition, the MyGM mode is getting a big upgrade with new managers, match types, and more show options with four people instead of just two. Wrestlers like Logan Paul and the original GOAT Bruno Sammartino are a part of the roster as well. It's one of the Marc??h 2023 games that diehard fans will want.

Honorable Mentions

[caption id="attachment_365630" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Awaceb ??& Kep??ler Interactive[/caption]

Thankfully, there's a promising indie that has to be included on this list: Tchia. It's an open world that has the titular character exploring the beautiful archipelago islands and sailing the seas. A neat mechanic in this game is that you can take control of any animal in the game. You can even learn the ukelele in Tchia. It's docking onto PS4, PS5, and th?e Epic Games Store on March?? 21.

Additionally, Crime Boss: Rockay City is making its way to consoles and PC (Epic Games Store) on March 28. Starring Hollywood talents like Chuck Norris and Michael Rooker, this crime-based first-person shooter has you planning heists, similar to Payday. The twist is it has rogue?like mechanics as you take down enemy forces from rival gangs and avoid the custody of Officer Norris. The action seems fun and having more co-op experiences can only be a good thing.

The post Most anticipated game releases – March 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh yeaaah, dig it!

The release of WWE 2K23 is fast approaching its March 17, 2023 date with retail, and to get you in the supl??exing mood, 2K Sports has released a trailer showing off its WarGames mode. This mode features two rings, side-by-side within a steel cage, and has two te?ams facing off with each other with three or four members a piece. The members of each team are let into the cage in an alternating fashion, and the winning team is decided by pinfall or submission once everyone is inside.

WarGames started off with Jim Crockett Promotions, which w??ould become WCW. It would continue appearing throughout WCW’s run, which ended in 2001 when WWE (WWF at the time) bought them out. WarGames was then brought back in 2017 with the NXT brand, albeit with some minor changes.

[embed]//youtu.be/P529mRa_cog[/embed]

With the inclusion of two rings, this is actually a pretty big addition to the series. I expect to see many limitations in terms of what venue and mode it can be played in, but it could be a fun way to mix up multi-player. I just don’t want to see w?hat the load times look like when you have two teams full of custom wrestlers.

More importantly, though, the trailer shows that “Macho Man�Randy Savage is once again on the roster this year for WWE 2K23. He looks about the same as he did in WWE 2K22, but my enthusiasm for the release would be significantly diminished if he wasn’t in it.

WWE 2K23 will be available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on March 17, 2023. It will arrive in St?andard, Deluxe, an?d Icon Edition flavors.

The post New WWE 2K23 trailer shows off WarGames mode, c??onfirms Macho Man appeared first on Destructoid.

Funny choice to put nobody on the cover though

2K Games has officially announced that the latest iteration of its WWE 2K series, WWE 2K23, will step int??o the squared circle once again this spring. The rocky-roaded wrestling series will be making its grand return on March 17, when it launches on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox p?latforms.

The publisher will release three separate editions of the title, each of which will be sporting the square-jawed visage of crossover star John Cena. This year, as grapple fans will no doubt be aware, celebrates 20 years since Cena's initial arrival in the WWE. As such, this latest series entry will be ??foc??used on the Doctor of Thugonomics, (or is he a marine? or is he a Peacemaker?), with this year's 2K Showcase mode dedicated to Cena's astronomical, and incredibly controversial, rise to glory.

//www.youtube.com/??watch?v=3vG2p-eSXxA&ab_chan?nel=WWE2K

WWE 2K23 will feature all of the mo?des that you know and tolerate �from singles matches and Royal Rumbles, to the returning MyGM, MyFaction, and WWE Universe modes. T??he Creation mode will receive new options for custom arenas and entrances, (which can now be used in online matches) while the match list will be bolstered by the addition of Dusty Rhodes' favorite cage match endeavor: WarGames!

WWE 2K23 will be available in several editions that are too boring for me to itemize... Ok, I guess i have to. The Standard Edition will simply feature a copy of WWE2K23 itself, while the Deluxe Edition includes a Seas??on Pass for all five post-launch DLC packs, the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger, and a selection o??f MyFaction character cards.

For die-hard WWE heads, the Icon Edition will include all of the Deluxe Edition content, as well as early variants of Superstars from their rookie days at FCW, including John Cena as "The Prototype", Bastista as the underwater demon "Leviathan", and vanilla rookie versions of Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar, who looked much the same except with a higher flattop and no tattoos. All pre-orders will unlock rapper and part-time wrestler Bad Bunny wh??o, I am led to believe, is actually pretty solid in the ring.

WWE 2K23 launch March 17 on PlayStation, PC, and?? Xb?ox platforms.

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That's Sephiroth's music!

The world of wrestling has plenty of overlaps with video games, especially for wrestlers who embody certain pieces of gaming iconography like Kenny Omega. And last night, the wrestler made a grand entrance at Wrestle Kingdom, to the ?tune of "One Winged Angel."

At Wrestle Kingdom 17, an event put on by New Japan Pro Wrestling, Omega entered the ring to Sephiroth's tune from Final Fantasy VII. Omega already has several ties to the silver-haired villain, including naming his incredible finisher after the song. For Wrestle Kingdom, t??hough, things turned up a notch.

Making use of the massive screens for framing, Omega arrived in full Sephiroth attire. And in a glorious flourish, he extends his hand out with a massive, lone wing. Add in that pinpoint turn, and it's a pretty spectacular intro for the event. You can see the whole ring entrance here on NJPW's social account.

//twitter.com/njpw?world/status/1610591471744487425

While the Final Fantasy references may be noth??ing new, it's a spectacular entrance. It's a bit of a re-entrance for Omega, who's b??een with All Elite Wrestling. He returned for Wrestle Kingdom 17 to challenge Will Ospreay for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.

Previously, Omega has also entered the ring in full Sans cosplay, paying homage to a different kind of role-playing game in Undertale. Honestly, "Megalovania" would probably b?e on my short-list for a walk-up song if I had one.

If you'd like to go watch the full spectacle of Omega's entrance, the match itself, and the rest of Wrestle Kingdom 17, you can find it here on the NJPW site. Otherwise, Omega is also wrestling in AEW, and is currently embroiled in a team feud there. As for Sephiroth, looks like he'll be coming back too in the upcoming second installment of Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII remake series, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Maybe he and Clo??ud? can wrestle to bring this thing full-circle.

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Dig it!

Publisher Skybound Games has announced a release window for the intriguing and spectacularly silly-looking wrestling RPG WrestleQuest �A??s reported during yesterd??ay's Nintendo Indie World Showcase, the day-glo grappler will launch on PC and console platforms in May 2023.

As we have previously reported, WrestleQuest is a unique spin on the typical RPG adventure title, as will charge players with taking their custom superstar through the territories in a bid to become the pro-wrestling king of the 1980s. Alo??ng?? the way, the rookie will team with, (or oppose), a who's who of 30 genuine pro-wrestling legends, including "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, The Road Warriors, Sgt. Slaughter, and Andre the Giant.

Also, Jeff Jarrett is in the mix.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtpjlXOviKA

WrestleQuest incorporates fun pixel visuals, as well as a novel "Hasbro figure" look to each of its ring legends. As you can see from the above trailer, matches play out in turn-based fashion, with a wide variety of strikes, holds, throws, and specials available to our roster of ring-rockers. One gal even shows up on a motorbike, which might be considered cheating, all things considered. Another fun moment sees Andre show ?up to bodyslam the entire ring! Good wo??rk, boss.

As the player progresses through their star-spangled career, they will be given the o?ption to customize their wardrobe, gimmick, and entrance to ensure that they become the talk of the town... or at least The Observer. With its tongue firmly stuck in its cheek, and some rad-looking visual design. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing whether this underdog delivers a five-and-a-half star matchup when it finally emerges from the locker room.

Add Bull Nakano and this is going t?o be my GOTY 2023.

WrestleQuest launches May 2023 on PlayStation?, PC, Xbox,?? and Nintendo Switch.

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Who needs EVPs?

Snap on the spandex and comb that mullet, as it's time to step back in the 1980s heyday of professional wrestling, as Hamster adds Taito's old-school ring-rocker Champion Wrestler to the Arcade Archives ??on Nintendo Switch and PS4.

Hitting the arcade scene in 1989 �at the height of both Hulkamania and pro wrasslin's first international boom �Champion Wrestler lacks any official licensing from any real-life promotions, but makes a strong effort to captur?e the excitement, color, and flamboyance of the pseudo-sport as depicted dur?ing this golden era. Players can choose from a selection of suspiciously familiar characters with rad names like Matterhorn Decker, The Samurai, Miracle Rastan, and Jimmy Carbon, before battling it out in one-on-one, tag team, and even cage match action.

Check out the action in the video below, courtesy of YouTuber Janet.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JR1wU0SfGI

Champion Wrestler is certainly a weird one. The game boasts a selection of nice moves, some fun sprite art, and cool touches such as ring entrances and cheating managers. To play, however, it's a little odd, with the player required to walk around in order to build up power for some of their better throws and holds. Still, all of these flaws fall away at the end of each match, as bizarre wrestler portraits show the winner hanging in casinos, appearing on TV shows, and living in luxury, w??hile the loser is carted off to hospital, quits the business to sell hot dogs, or even turns to a life of crime! A silly but fun touch.

Champion Wrestler would eventually be ported to PC Engine in Japan, and would also make an appearance as a Virtual Console title for Nintendo Wii. If you fancy stepping into the ring with this odd release, then it is available to download now on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, priced at around $??????????????????????????8.

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The Greatest Trailer in The History of Our Sport

During its THQ Nordic Digital Showcase 2022 presentation, the publisher dropped a new trailer for its upcoming pro-wrestling title AEW: Fight Forever, which is? currently in development at st??udio Yuke's.

The trailer, which contains far more "skit" than it does "gameplay" sees veteran announcer Tony Schiavone settle on the couch with the inimitable Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, (I hope y'all did the little hand gesture), as the duo (pretend to) battle it out in All Elite Wrestling's console debut. We don't really get to see muc??h of the game in action, frankly, but we do see Baker apply the lockjaw to her beau Adam Cole before laying in a beating with a selection of weapons, including bins and fire extinguishers. Spirit of '99.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rdrmi13XI0

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the trailer, however, is the reveal of ?a selection of AEW-themed "mini-games" which see a bevy o??f AEW wrestlers bagging a torrent of casino chips, partaking in some kind of bizarre human batting cage, and indulging in what appears to be some rhythm-action calisthenics. Schiavone, everyone's favorite earring dad, looks almost as bewildered by the chaotic action as he did that one time in 1995 when The Yet-ay and The Giant pulled a train on Hogan.

While I won't deny that the reveal of a selection of Mario Party-style mini-games is most definitely a fun and surprising addition to AEW: Fight Forever, I'm only really left with one question for the development team: Can you deliver a rock-solid wrestling game? That's all anyone honestly wants at this point. That's what the market has been craving, and that's what AEW fans are hoping will be delivered in Fight Forever. And with rumors that the project is already way over b??udget, these added extras are welcome, but in-ring is hopefully key focus here, as it is? absolutely where the game will live or die.

AEW: Fight Forever is c?urrently scheduled to release on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. There is still no word of an official launch date outside of its tentative release window of 2022.

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Bah gawd, that's Iron Galaxy

If you've ever played a battle royale and thought the whole shooting thing was a little dry, there's a new battle royale out today that should solve that and then some. Rumbleverse is live today, bringing chops, kicks, and high-flying? throws to Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

If you haven't seen it before, Rumbleverse is essentially a wrestling battle royale from Iron Galaxy, the studio behind games like Wreckateer and Divekick. The studio's had a fair bit of experience working on fighting games, and it shows in Rumbleverse.

The 40-person grappler royale has players rush throughout a city, grabbing special magazines full o?f moves to then employ against other players. ?Melee weapons like bats and chairs are also in the mix, of course.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=suOmxeeyRsI

There's a standard battle royale mode, or Solo Mode, as well as a recently revealed Duos Mode whe?re players can team up. There's also a Playground Mode, which will let users explore Grapital City at their own place. It's kind of like the training room equivalent, for this wide world of wrestling?.

Total knockout

Rumbleverse is free-to-play as well, and it has crossplay enabled. You can also form cross-platform parties for Duos, though you'll need to add each other through the Epic Games Launcher to make that happen. The FAQ on Iron Galaxy's site has an easy-to-follow rundown for how to make that happen.

While the game launches today, its first season kicks off next week on August 18, with a Battle Pass available for purchase then. There are also special bundles for Rumbleverse, if you?? want to start out with some extra cosmetic??s and shop bucks.

Fortnite may potentially be getting Goku, but for those who really want to brawl, seems like Rumbleverse is a solid option. It's out now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Epic.

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Check it out before TK has a trademark change of heart

Yukes, THQ, and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) have "officially announced" the company's first-ever foray into the video game world, AEW: Fight Forever. While the existence of the game was no secret, the teams put out today's statement after multiple retailers �including Amazon UK and Xtralife �revealed se?veral features, modes?, roster members, and the cover art to the debutante wrestling title.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNI16NzyV1Y

According to the retailer listings and the official statement, the digital ring-rocker will feature newly optimized tag mechanics, support for online Vs/co-op multiplayer, as well as a huge arsenal of over 40 weapons, daily in-game challenges, and much more. A selection of featured match types includes standard one-on-one, mu?lti-wrestler, and tag-team showdowns, Ladder matches, Unsanctioned Lights Out brawls, Exploding Barb Wire Death Matches, and, an AEW trademark, the Casino Battle Royale.

A selection of new screenshots, (alongside what is hopefully placeholder artwork for the final release), features known roster members Kenny Omega, Nyla Rose, Kris Statlander, and Chris Jericho depicted alongside as-yet-unannounced AEW stars such as Dr. Britt Baker, Jon Moxley, Yuka Sakazaki, Darby Allin, Abadon, Thunder Rosa, and the current AEW TBS Champion, Jade Cargill. R?eferee Aub??rey Edwards is also present, presiding over the in-ring action.

"One of the first things I did after signing with AEW was to ask [AEW promoter] Tony Khan to let me help assemble the best gaming team on the planet, to make the best wrestling game ever," said Omega, EVP of AEW. "Well, we just landed the perfect finisher by partnering with global publishing and distribution powerhouse THQ Nordic for AEW: Fight Forever. The THQ brand has long been synonymous with wrestling games �there is simply no more qualified partner to bring AEW: Fight Forever ??to the millions of wrestling fans the world over."

The road to release has been something of a rocky one for AEW: Fight Forever. Originally announced back in November 2020, the drip-feed of information and in-game footage has been relatively slow �with even these retail listings offering up far more information on the title than anything that has been officially released by the promotion itself. There have also been online whispers that Fight Forever?? is having a difficult development cycle, with stories of creative differenc??es between the developers and wrestlers involved, as well as unconfirmed rumors that the project has already gone way over budget.

AEW: Fight Forever, deep in development at veteran wrestling game studio Yukes, is currently scheduled to release on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. There is still no word of an official launch date outside of its tentative rele?ase window of 2022.

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AND HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA!

WWE, a company that has absolutely no need to point eyes in other directions right now, has revealed that it is teaming up with two major video game brands for a pair of brand new in-game promotions, that will see its ring-rocking superstars feature in Epic Games' Fortnite, Psyonix' Rocket League, and Mediatonic's Fall Guys.

Battle royale juggernaut Fortnite will soon be welcoming the presence of one of the industry's biggest and most successful all-time stars: The Doctor of Thuganomics, John Cena. Cena will be dropping onto the landing zone on all platforms July 29, kitted out with his trademark jorts, inflatable finger melee tool, WWE title "Back Bling," and iconic "You Can't C Me" taunt. Unfortunately, it does not appear that playing as Cena will af??ford you the ability to hit your opponents with the Attitude Adjustment.

I expect Cena to be banned from online play almost immediately given his na?tural camouflage abilities.

For those of you who prefer your battle arts of the vehicular persuasion, then Rocket League is also currently feeling the pro-wrestling vibe. From July 28, players can purchase brand-new octane decals for their road rippers of choice. The two new designs are styled after the color schemes and shirt logos of both John Cena and the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.

The WWE ?SummerSlam Octane Decal Bu??ndle will retail for 500 credits.

Finally, over in the cutesy bean-bashing world of Fall Guys, three new costumes are headed to the in-game store. These outfits are stylized after three top WWE stars: The video game-lovin' Xavier Woods, legendary deadman The Undertaker, and yer boy Moyse's favorite, Asuka. These three skins will be available to purchase within Fall Guys during this week's "Blundermania" promotion, which will take place betwee?n July 28?? and August 1.

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Good God Almighty, They Killed It

The book closes on a piece of pro-wrestling history next month, as 2K Games has officially confirmed that it will shut down the online servers to the abominable WWE 2K20 and its somewhat better-received predecessor, WWE 2K19, on June 30.

Speaking on Twitter, 2K Games said that going forward the development team would be focused on supporting its most recent WWE release, WWE 2K22, which launched on PC and consoles in March of this year. Once the switch is flicked on June 30, all online elements of WWE 2K19 and 2K20 will become inactive, including online matches, m??ultiplayer lobbies, and the Community Creat?ion suite.

While WWE 2K19 did find some favor among hardened fans, and is considered one the best releases in the WWE 2K series, WWE 2K20 will go down in history as one of the most shambolic releases in AAA history. Rolling out in October 2019, the wrasslin' sim had an utterly disastrous launch �the title packed to capacity with glitches, bugs, warped animations, online lag, flailing cameras, mislabeled control prompts, frame rate issues, and ?many, many more issues. 2K Games sheepishly apologized for the quality of the product as soon as launch day, but not before raking in plenty of $60 sales.

It didn't end there. Future updates and fixes would add further problems, including an amusing bug that prevented the game from launching once the real-world calendar hit 2020. Yikes. 2K Games would decide to take a year out from the franchise, and instead released garbage brawler WWE 2K Battlegrounds �a microtransactions-filled disaster that died a deserved death in doubl??e-quick time.

WWE 2K22, considered a "restart" of sorts for the beleaguered series, has received relatively positive reviews from critics and fans, but most of the community admits that there is still much to be done before the WWE 2K series hits the heady heights of the pro-wrestling video game greats. If you want to check it out for yourself, then WWE 2K22 is availa??ble now on PlayS??tation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

Adieu, Becky No Face...

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You Know What That Means

Publisher AEW Games has dropped some new development footage for its upcoming All Elite Wrestling video game, which has been officially titled AEW Fight Forever. The new ring rocker is currently in development at Yuke's, though platforms and ?a release window are yet to b??e confirmed.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwO6CsnS0SI

The two new videos focus on AEW wrestlers Nyla Rose and Kris Statlander, (not forgetting referee Aubrey Edwards) as the two warriors battle it out in squared-circle action. While the footage obviously reflects a title still in its developmental stages, and is thus is a?? little janky, Yuke's recognizable wrasslin' game style pe??eks through.

From the chunkier, "action-figure" look of the character models to the exaggerated, thunderous impact created by the moves themselves, AEW Fight Forever wants to recall the glory days of Yuke's earlier work, such as the Toukon Retsuden series, and the formative releases in the WWE SmackDown! line. While AEW Fight Forever isn't quite Shut Your Mouth just yet, this early footage shows promise.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=egU5k2_lYbo

There is a lot riding on AEW Fight Forever, at least in the hopes of wrestling game fans. A lot of players have found themselves severely disfranchised with pro-wrestling games for many years, as 2K Games' WWE 2K moved from stagnation to abomination. While the excellent Fire Pro Wrestling World can be held up as a shining light in regards to a dedicated sandbox wrestling game, some players are still looking for that semi-casual, fun, party feel of classics such as WWF No Mercy and WWE Here Comes the Pain �/em> both of which push two decades?? old.