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.

 

[sneddo0526]

Will it be on the Xbox store on May 4th?

 

[palmomagpie]

Email from JB Hifi... Mid to late June the release been pushed to. Assuming just Xbox physical so I'll just cancel the preorder.


View attachment 1676052

Yep Same Email For Me Too


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Me too.

What a shitshow.

Ahh what a terrible outcome. Feel for all you guys and BigAnt as they are the ones who'll cop the wrath of this instead of the stores/distributors. An extra $20 to get the game digitally and 1 maybe 2 months early is probably worth it in that case

 

[Mitho]

On the positive side though, I submitted a preorder cancellation request online and they've already responded that it's been cancelled.

 

[thedavemiester]

So no price matching either. Might as well get digital

 

[DTLSchulzy16]

BA shit show continues

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Ahh what a terrible outcome. Feel for all you guys and BigAnt as they are the ones who'll cop the wrath of this instead of the stores/distributors. An extra $20 to get the game digitally and 1 maybe 2 months early is probably worth it in that case

I'll wait for reviews and launch impressions and so forth. Experiencing it for the first time after a month of patches and for $20 cheaper might not be the worst idea!

 

[cheesepizza69]

Email from JB Hifi... Mid to late June the release been pushed to. Assuming just Xbox physical so I'll just cancel the preorder.


View attachment 1676052

This gotta be a joke or something absolutely ridiculous...

 

[Spirit Level]

I got that email too, is it the same for EB games?

 

[Etto]

BigAnt have been quiet, but Ross did say the game will release no matter the Xbox stock levels

 

[Grechy]

A few concerns I see some people have brought up on various forums.

1. Ruckman seem to hit the ball 5 metres at every centre bounce. In real footy this is not the norm. Generally it's tapped within a metre of the centre circle and the mids go to work from there.
2. Goal kicking - I hope it's challenging, I think EVO 2 after the second patch got better with making it more difficult and a challenge from set shot level.
3. I'm seeing a lot of one on ones and not many pack formations. Watch a real game of footy and it can often be a contested slug at various stages of the game.

 

[palmomagpie]

So current state of play for purchasing options, we're looking at:

PS5 & PS4 Disc: Currently available for pre-order with expected release May 4 - $78 The Gamesmen | $79 JB Hi Fi ($89 from 5/5 onwards) | $99 EB Games
PS5 & PS4 Digital: Not available for preorder, only waitlist - Expected release 12.01AM May 4 or at worst midnight in UK - $99
Xbox Disc: Appears to be not available for preorder for some - Expected release mid-late June (at JB, other 2 probably to follow) - $78 The Gamesmen | $79 JB Hi Fi ($89 from day after release day) | $99 EB Games
Xbox Digital: Not on store at all yet - Expected release 12.01AM May 4 or at worst midnight in UK - $99
Steam: Available to waitlist - Expected release 12.01AM May 4 or at worst midnight in UK - $99

 

[orazio ray]

i ordered ps4 copy from JB and I didn’t receive an email about another delay. just the email from the first delay.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

BigAnt have been quiet, but Ross did say the game will release no matter the Xbox stock levels

Given Xbox stock levels are zero, surely the original delay was never about stock levels in the first place.

 

[palmomagpie]

BigAnt have been quiet, but Ross did say the game will release no matter the Xbox stock levels

If it was going to be an all-round choice, us PS5/4 users would have been told by now as well

 

[DTLSchulzy16]

BigAnt have been quiet, but Ross did say the game will release no matter the Xbox stock levels

Also said player career was in the game less than 2 months ago. Game keeps changing and the finish line keeps moving. Soon it’ll just be pro team with legends. Maybe this has been EFootball the whole time

 

[Etto]

Also said player career was in the game less than 2 months ago. Game keeps changing and the finish line keeps moving. Soon it’ll just be pro team with legends. Maybe this has been EFootball the whole time

Player career mode was never in the game from what i understand

 

[thedavemiester]

So if the PS copies have been sitting at retailers for weeks because of the stupid xbox parity law and now the xbox copies still haven't arrived (and I assume parity law no longer applies)... Does that mean PS could have been playing weeks ago?

Someone at microsoft/BA had royally screwed up here.

 

[Treehill23]

Player career mode was never in the game from what i understand

Which is funny considering Ross said it was at the launch
So I’m guessing he was planning on cramming this in with 1 month before release ? Tf

 

[Andonis1997]

i ordered ps4 copy from JB and I didn’t receive an email about another delay. just the email from the first delay.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Because it's not PS4 that's delayed.

 

[chenny420]

so out of curiosity i went to the eb games website to pre order an xbox copy there and this is what it says… don’t think anyone is getting a physical xbox copy until mid june.

 

[tastiger]

JNT BA Good morning, I can't wait to have a controller in my hand playing this. Will there be sliders in the game?

On VOG-L09 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[BrandonMyers02!]

Just called my local JB at Chadstone, said my PS5 order is still good to go. Must just be XBOX

 

[thedavemiester]

so out of curiosity i went to the eb games website to pre order an xbox copy there and this is what it says… don’t think anyone is getting a physical xbox copy until mid june.

My EB preorder still says "Estimated release 4th May"

 

[Quivorir]

Pretty sad that we have a direct line to two people from bigant here and we find out this news from the store.

 

[palmomagpie]

So if the PS copies have been sitting at retailers for weeks because of the stupid xbox parity law and now the xbox copies still haven't arrived (and I assume parity law no longer applies)... Does that mean PS could have been playing weeks ago?

Someone at microsoft/BA had royally screwed up here.

Microsoft's outsourced team distributing the discs surely made a 14,203km mistake and the horse they sent to Austria with the discs on it has now broken down somewhere near Saudi Arabia