Report Says AEW Lost Over $30 Million on Fight Forever

AEW Fight Forever was far more expensive than anyone expected. According to a new report, AEW absorbed at least $30 million in losses during the game’s development, a figure attributed to sources familiar with the project. The number was revealed by Insider Gaming executive editor Mike Straw in a new video examining the game’s troubled production and AEW’s future in gaming.

Straw’s reporting says repeated delays and missed deadlines played a major role in the ballooning costs. Fight Forever was originally targeted for a 2022 release but didn’t launch until June 2023, adding months of additional development expenses.

Sales Fell Well Below Expectations

The financial hit wasn’t limited to development. Fight Forever’s commercial performance reportedly landed at roughly half of its original sales projections. That shortfall made it even harder for AEW to recoup the money spent on the project.

We previously reported in April 2024 that the game had gone significantly over budget and was released partly so AEW could begin recovering development costs. That same report described tension between AEW and developer Yuke’s. Straw now says the two sides no longer have a development agreement in place.

AEW Still Owns the Game Engine

Despite the split, AEW reportedly retains ownership of the engine used for Fight Forever. That gives the company the option to work with a different developer in the future without starting from scratch.

Straw noted that AEW remains interested in revisiting branded video games at some point, but his sources did not support recent claims that AEW already has a third‑party licensing deal in place.

AEW has not publicly confirmed the $30 million figure. For now, the number remains tied to Straw’s sources rather than an official financial disclosure.