AEW: Fight Forever trailer showcases mini-games and Tony Schiavone’s deck shoes

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 studio 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 much 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.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the trailer, however, is the reveal of a selection of AEW-themed “mini-games” which see a bevy of 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 budget, 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 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 release window of 2022.