Steve Carrier on June 23, 2023
New details have emerged regarding Kenny Omega’s involvement with AEW Fight Forever, shedding light on the genesis of the video game and the effort invested in its development.
AEW Fight Forever is set to be released on June 29, giving fans the opportunity to engage in immersive wrestling gameplay. AEW Senior Vice President Nik Sobic revealed in an interview with SEScoops that Omega was instrumental in pitching the concept for the game, with discussions taking place early in the company’s existence.
Sobic recounted how he and Omega approached AEW founder Tony Khan, proposing the idea of venturing into the video game industry despite the substantial financial investment already made. Fortunately, Khan was receptive to their proposal. Sobic explained that they were able to demonstrate the demand for a game of this nature and the potential success it could achieve if executed correctly.
“Kenny Omega and I had the audacity to go back to our boss and say, ‘We know you spent a lot of money. But what do you think about taking this tremendous leap of faith and letting us start working on a video game?’ Luckily Tony Khan, founder of AEW, is a very data-centric person. He makes all decisions based on data and analytics.”
Sobic further disclosed that he and Omega have been diligently working on the game for over three years, investing considerable time and effort into its development. Responding to criticisms regarding the lengthy production process, Sobic explained their decision to hand-animate every wrestling move in the game, eschewing the more common motion capture technique used in many sports games. This deliberate choice was made to enhance the player experience and provide a distinct gameplay feel.
“(Kenny Omega) and I have been working on this game for the last three-and-a-half years every day. One of the number one questions is, ‘What’s taking you so long? Here’s what I’ll say. We made a decision to hand-animate every single wrestling move in this game.
“A lot of games, especially simulators and pretty much all sports games today, use motion capture. We decided not to do that. We thought it was worth the investment. We think it’s worth it from a player experience standpoint.”
As fans eagerly anticipate the game’s release, Kenny Omega will also be defending his IWGP US Championship against Will Ospreay at AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door 2023, adding further excitement to the ongoing crossover between AEW and NJPW.
What are your expectations for AEW Fight Forever, the upcoming console game from AEW? Let us know in the comment section below.
June 23, 2023 12:37 pm
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