AEW Console Game Leaks Ahead of AEW Games Event, Confirms Developer

Hours before the AEW Games’ first presentation fans discovered a new website, aewgames.com, was active and confirmed several aspects of All Elite Wrestling’s plans with video games moving forward. The site, which has since been locked off via a password, confirms three games are on the way — an untitled console game developed by Yuke’s Co., a game titled AEW Elite General Manager and AEW Casino: Double or Nothing.

The Japanese developer was previously heavily involved in developing WWE video games, starting with WWF SmackDown! on the PlayStation and WWF Royal Rumble on the Dreamcast in 2000. Their last title was WWE 2K19, ending their 18-year relationship with the franchise.

AEW president Tony Khan confirmed in the post-show media scrum for Full Gear on Saturday that the first two games were on the way.

“I can’t say too much,” Khan said. “We’re making multiple games. We’re working on more than one game in AEW Games and we’re going to cater to different platforms. We’re going to cater to different kinds of games and different interests. I think we’ll put a title out, a console game that’s best in class [for a] console game. We’re really excited about it. We have some big surprises to come in 2020. I just can’t say enough, there’s still time in 2020. The show was great but there is still going to be a lot to come this year. That can impact our video game plans.

“And also, we’re going to put something out for those people, like myself, that love putting wrestling cards up together and it allows somebody to do the job I do, be the general manager of AEW and book cards,” he added. “That’ll be fun. There’s going to be a few different titles and then I don’t think we’re going to stop anywhere either. I think we’re going to expand here at AEW Games because it’s a great chance to build AEW, introduce gaming fans to AEW and introduce AEW to gaming fans, expand and build a business. There’s a lot to come there, for sure.”

We will keep you updated on more information as it becomes available.

In an interview with ComicBook earlier this year, Kenny Omega (one of AEW’s executive vice presidents who has been credited in helping develop AEW’s games division) explained what modern pro wrestling titles are missing compared to classic games from the early 2000s.

“For me it’s a feeling of actually performing a match,” Omega said. “It’s a feeling of impact with each maneuver. I also feel that, a big thing with No Mercy was that when you did a maneuver by a particular wrestler, the way it was performed and the way it the opponent received the move looked perfect in every single animation. That’s because the artists back then, they weren’t using green screens, they weren’t using MoCap they were actually manipulating joints frame by frame by frame by frame while watching tape of said performer doing that maneuver to an actual opponent.

“There’s a big difference,” he added. “I know there’s a lot of good athletes out there and I’m sure that there are a lot of people that do and can do a V-Trigger, but if it doesn’t quite look like the way I do mine the way that I did the Kotaro Crusher, when I do the One Winged Angel it shows. Even if it’s similar, it still doesn’t feel the same. It doesn’t feel right. I think that is what’s missing in games, you just don’t actually feel like you are the superstar, that you’ve chosen to control.”