Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game has experienced a significant delay for Xbox consoles, announced merely hours before its planned release on July 23. This last-minute postponement has ignited a strong backlash from Xbox players who were anticipating the game's launch.
The fighting game, developed by Gameplay Group International and published by Paramount Games, was initially slated to release simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch. However, Paramount revealed that the Nintendo Switch version would launch with limitations, excluding crossplay and English-only language support, with plans to add these features later.
The situation is more severe for Xbox players, who now face a delay until September 3, a six-week setback. Paramount cited "unforeseen circumstances on a backend feature" as the reason for the delay, offering a vague explanation for the issue.
"For the Xbox community, we are forced to delay the release," Paramount stated. "Due to unforeseen circumstances on a backend feature, we will now launch by September 3. Existing preorders will remain active and will not be canceled."
This announcement has been met with considerable frustration from the Xbox gaming community. Many fans expressed their disappointment and anger online, criticizing the management and timing of the delay. "Delaying an anticipated game by a month and a half less than 24 hours before release is actually insane," one user commented, urging the publisher to "Do better."
Some players suggested that Xbox owners should receive a free deluxe upgrade as compensation for the inconvenience, with others advising fellow gamers to seek refunds. Concerns were also raised about the practicality of existing preorders remaining active, with one user stating, "Watch this ticket support go through." The abruptness of the announcement, less than 24 hours before release, was widely seen as unacceptable.
The delay impacts the game's launch momentum and the potential player pool for crossplay matchmaking. The decision raises questions about whether Xbox gamers will wait the additional six weeks or opt out of purchasing the game altogether.
This is not the first delay for Avatar Legends. The game was previously scheduled for a July 2 release but was pushed back to July 23 to incorporate "brand new content previously unplanned." The game has had a complicated development history, having been initially in development at Maximum Entertainment before its cancellation and subsequent revival by Gameplay Group.
Maximum Entertainment, known for its publishing label Modus Games, previously faced player backlash for ceasing development on the 2D fighting game Them's Fightin' Herds. The company has also experienced financial difficulties and internal disputes.
IGN's review of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game awarded it an 8/10, praising its "diverse roster, an incredibly flexible combat system that rewards precision and creativity, and some of the coolest looking combos around," despite noting some "puzzling omissions and a lackluster story mode."