Multiplat AFL 23 - PS/Steam Releasing May 4, Xbox TBC

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

WHEN CAN I PLAY? READ BELOW:

• PlayStation (Physical): Thursday 4 May
• PlayStation (Digital): 8:01am AEST Thursday 4 May
• Steam: Currently 8:01am AEST Thursday 4 May, may be moved to 12:01am AEST
• Xbox (Digital or Physical): TO BE CONFIRMED, unlikely to be 4 May

Spoiler: Specific Big Ant quotes about the release:

Those that pre-ordered PS versions will be able to play on Thursday, disks will have already been mailed by retailers, they will also be available in-store.

Steam will also be available Thursday.

Stating the obvious, we are still having issues with XBox.

Seriously, anyone that looks hard knows there’s issues - why do you think there are so many exclusives for a particular platform that are not marked as exclusive, but are only on that platform.

If I took that road, life would have been a lot easier.

Xbox digital and retail will release at the same time - that is not a decision we get to make.

It applies now and I will no doubt pay a price.

Spoiler: Other Quotes

Re: commentary team

Spoiler: Other Quotes

Hamish is still there, Daisy didn't make it into the final version of the game.

We added Gary and increased the workload of Harf.

Re: game availability/release dates

I can never give 100% guarantee about anything in the future, but as it stands today, the statement I am prepared to make it that all stock that is at retailers on 4 May will be available for sale.

As to the amount that will be there for sale, and whether it is enough, that is a question I cannot answer.

It will be made digitally available on the various platform holder electronic stores.

Clarifying, the game will not release prior to 4 May 2023.

I am vague as there is one platform that has had sufficient stock at retailers and the other has not, and I cannot name them (contractual reasons).

The game will not be further delayed because of the numbers of units in stock.

Re: Steam listing

I've already put in a request for the screenshots to be replaced with current ones, they'll probably only be there for a day.

As much as the feedback has generally been positive, these are old, meant to be placeholder only and were not meant to go live.

Re: playing lists

All playing lists are accurate for the 2023 season.

Re: content creator footage

This is all prior to day one patch (as some have noted updates like numbers etc are apparent)

Re: Career mode

A head's up on Career mode.

At the AFL 23 Launch night I mentioned the non-team based Individual Career Mode in an interview with Dean (Twistie3). As alluded to at that same event, we were working with the AFL and AFLPA to include as many past legends in the game as possible.

The great news is that we have received approval for far more AFL legends than were previously envisaged, but this has meant that we had to make the tough decision to divert resources away from the Individual Career mode development. The individual Career Mode function will not make it into AFL 23, Career Mode will be entirely team based. I expect this mode to be include in future iterations of the game.

Re: microtransactions

You do not have to make purchases, things can be earned.

Re: general development

So fundamentally flawed, in so many ways, it’s bananas.

We are doing AFL as it’s a passion project, without us doing it there would not be one being made.

So much more upside with making games that are played internationally, let alone one that will not even be played in every state in this country.

 

[Lucev23]

Wonder what awards will be in the the game? Coleman, Norm Smith and Brownlow are obvious but would love at least Rising Star and AA to be in there too.

I thought the midseason draft footage was pretty cool, can't wait to redraft Zac Langdon

7

Zac Langdon

Age

28

Ht

177cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.3

2star

T

3.3

5star

G

0.3

3star

D

6.3

1star

K

3.3

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

1.3

1star

T

3.3

4star

G

0.3

3star

D

6.3

2star

K

3.3

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.3

2star

T

3.3

5star

G

0.3

3star

and win him a Brownlow

 

[magpienato]

Do not understand this comment at all. I think Big ants UI is and always has punched way above their weight going back to AFL live. I think the presentation and menus of afl23 look slick as hell.

It's very average for what I know Big Ant is capable of when even Wicked Witch is able to beat them out in terms of UI presentation.

There's ways to make simple look great rather just simple and bland which is what we've seen in AFL23 so far

 

[DaveM303]

magpienato Still waiting for that source.

 

[magpienato]

magpienato Still waiting for that source.

I was searching for the post earlier about how he said career mode was planned to be in the game at the initial launch date but is now not in the game at this delayed date... despite the game supposedly already being finished by then. On the contrary, the gameplay we have seen has been janky as all hell and that's just the build we're seeing... looks at notes 4 days from release let alone over a month ago.

Genuine question, have you kept up with video games at all over the last few years? Almost every game is like this now, released unfinished and fixed up later.

 

[GOTHELIONS16]

Wonder what awards will be in the the game? Coleman, Norm Smith and Brownlow are obvious but would love at least Rising Star and AA to be in there too.

There is confirmed to be a trophy where you need to have 5 players from your club make the AA team in career mode.

 

[Selim]

im still tossing up if i wanna cancel my xbx copy at JB and buy it on steam, people buying on steam rather then pc any reasons why?

 

[Baz_hawk]

im still tossing up if i wanna cancel my xbx copy at JB and buy it on steam, people buying on steam rather then pc any reasons why?

Same boat, still undecided but the swaying point for me is ultrawide support and since it's been radio silence on that front when I've asked the question, I suspect they wont be supporting it so will likely just grab it on PS/XB

 

[Selim]

Same boat, still undecided but the swaying point for me is ultrawide support and since it's been radio silence on that front when I've asked the question, I suspect they wont be supporting it so will likely just grab it on PS/XB

yea i just basically brought a brand new computer and am wanting to get more into pc gaming (got a 4080 in there) but still never played an afl or any sports game on pc so still very 50/50 about it

i feel like thats a thing they dont need to be radio silent on tho just say yes or no aha

 

[Sewelly101]

Wonder what awards will be in the the game? Coleman, Norm Smith and Brownlow are obvious but would love at least Rising Star and AA to be in there too.

I thought the midseason draft footage was pretty cool, can't wait to redraft Zac Langdon and win him a Brownlow

Ross said months ago in a tweet that all medals & trophies had been scanned, including the Brownlow, would love to see it in game though this week

 

[Freo16]

It's very average for what I know Big Ant is capable of when even Wicked Witch is able to beat them out in terms of UI presentation.

There's ways to make simple look great rather just simple and bland which is what we've seen in AFL23 so far

What games specifically are you comparing the UI to ?

I’ve played most of big ants recent games and I’d say AFL 23 is much better in this regard, the team selection screen in particular is significantly better than Cricket 22

 

[freoman10]

Really hope there is a fair few different specky animations. Nothing would be better than taking a speaky in the goal square and being wowed, rather than just seeing the same one over and over.

Not sure if Micheal had taken a specky in his gameplay or any of that, so would love to hear.

 

[BigAntStudios]

I'm not talking about just AFL games, there are literally hundreds of games that I could choose from to take my money and attention away. Call me old fashioned but when I pay $80 for a game I expect it to be worth... $80

Video games are a buyers market, producers should be doing everything in their power to get you to play their game, not the other way around.

Demand better as a consumer, don't bat for companies who wouldn't even think about you for second. I know you're better than this.

So fundamentally flawed, in so many ways, it’s bananas.

We are doing AFL as it’s a passion project, without us doing it there would not be one being made.

So much more upside with making games that are played internationally, let alone one that will not even be played in every state in this country.

 

[DaveM303]

I was searching for the post earlier about how he said career mode was planned to be in the game at the initial launch date but is now not in the game at this delayed date... despite the game supposedly already being finished by then. On the contrary, the gameplay we have seen has been janky as all hell and that's just the build we're seeing... looks at notes 4 days from release let alone over a month ago.

Genuine question, have you kept up with video games at all over the last few years? Almost every game is like this now, released unfinished and fixed up later.

I have kept up with games over the last few years and I agree with you that loads of games are released unfinished.
But you said that Ross "de facto confirmed" that the game was unfinished on April 13th and I'm still waiting for evidence of that.

 

[Lesnish]

So fundamentally flawed, in so many ways, it’s bananas.

We are doing AFL as it’s a passion project, without us doing it there would not be one being made.

So much more upside with making games that are played internationally, let alone one that will not even be played in every state in this country.

That being said, all things going well, do you see a future with more AFL titles to come in the following years?

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[caloschwaby]

We are doing AFL as it’s a passion project, without us doing it there would not be one being made.

So much more upside with making games that are played internationally, let alone one that will not even be played in every state in this country.

Can only obviously appreciate this, but I mean how about making a game the best it can be as if there was competition in the market that could take it from you at the whim of the AFL? The AU game development scene is no where near big enough for that of course and I think everyone can agree that BigAnt was the best possible developer for an AFL game here, but I can't help but feel like there's a sense of complacency with that line of thinking.

I'm saying this talking more broadly about trends in the video game industry, particularly in sport games like Madden which have abused the artificial monopoly of the NFL video game licensing for almost 2 decades now, but as a consumer that's been burnt so, so many times I'm hoping BA's actions with the AFL license continue to speak louder than my doubts regarding video game development these days.

 

[BigAntStudios]

As lin

That being said, all things going well, do you see a future with more AFL titles to come in the following years?

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile ap

As long as we can break even we’ll be fine, at some point it will need to be profitable though, as all things need to be.

 

[BigAntStudios]

Can only obviously appreciate this, but I mean how about making a game the best it can be as if there was competition in the market that could take it from you at the whim of the AFL? The AU game development scene is no where near big enough for that of course and I think everyone can agree that BigAnt was the best possible developer for an AFL game here, but I can't help but feel like there's a sense of complacency with that line of thinking.

I'm saying this talking more broadly about trends in the video game industry, particularly in sport games like Madden which have abused the artificial monopoly of the NFL video game licensing for almost 2 decades now, but as a consumer that's been burnt so, so many times I'm hoping BA's actions with the AFL license continue to speak louder than my doubts regarding video game development these days.

If we were complacent and not passionate you’d have a point, and if either of those things were an issue we wouldn’t be making a game.

 

[tjpeg_44]

So many stadiums, some showing the final state of a stadium before it's even built.

Just on this, any particular reason why the Olympic Stand is outdated? It's had full digital signage on the second level since the beginning of 2015.

 

[zac080]

Ross what awards are there in management mode pls answer

 

[bdawwg1021]

It's very average for what I know Big Ant is capable of when even Wicked Witch is able to beat them out in terms of UI presentation.

There's ways to make simple look great rather just simple and bland which is what we've seen in AFL23 so far

Agree to disagree
I always thought the UI on the Evo games were cartoonish and clunky.

 

[Treehill23]

So we can’t see a full list of stats during or after a game and there’s no averages ?

Can someone pls retweet this to Ross as I’m probably blocked

 

[Fizzler]

The UI for the team selection and the stat leaders looks like it’s designed to integrate player photos (likely the model of the player), get that in there and it’s an almost perfect UI, maybe a little barebones but what they have there looks really really good.

 

[Baz_hawk]

yea i just basically brought a brand new computer and am wanting to get more into pc gaming (got a 4080 in there) but still never played an afl or any sports game on pc so still very 50/50 about it

i feel like thats a thing they dont need to be radio silent on tho just say yes or no aha

Nice, would get it on PC as I'm pretty sure it only supports controller so should be familiar and Steam lists it as cross platform if you wanted to play online.

Additionally, if it's a buggy port you can refund it through Steam.

And agreed, I think it's somewhere around 2% of all PC gamers have an ultrawide display so not gonna lose many fans just knocking it on the head.

 

[FearTheBeard13]

So we can’t see a full list of stats during or after a game and there’s no averages ?

“Can someone pls retweet this to Ross as I’m probably blocked.”

BigAntStudios don’t shoot the messenger

 

[Madog1185]

Hey BigAntStudios, I've seen a few people asking now but no answers from what I've seen, are we gonna see training and an inbox and whatnot in manager career? Saw that it wasn't included in any footage that's been shared and was just wondering if said features will be included at launch?