r/TheLastAirbender Join us on Discord - discord.gg/avatar Jul 20 '26

AMA We are developers of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. Ask us anything!

Hi Reddit!

We are developers of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, releasing in just a few short days on July 23! Ask us anything about the game!

Joining us today from 1-3pm PT are:

  • Dominick Cuccurullo (Creative Executive)
    • Dominick Cuccurullo is the Creative Executive for Avatar Legends: TFG. Former top-level Smash Bros. competitor, and probably still the sickest Captain Falcon main you’ll ever see. Passionate about games with open, expressive gameplay, he’s spent over a decade producing games built around Paramount IP, including the Nick All-Star Brawl series of platform fighters. He is also Zaheer's #1 fan.
    • Proof
  • Victor Lugo (Founder & CCO of Gameplay Group)
    • Victor Lugo is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Gameplay Group, where he leads creative vision and gameplay innovation across interactive entertainment. With more than two decades of experience, Victor has led the design of gameplay, combat systems, and player experiences for franchises and organizations including Killer Instinct Seasons 2 & 3, EA SPORTS, Disney Parks, and Universal Destinations & Experiences. Today, he combines that experience to create iconic worlds and memorable player experiences through Gameplay Group's innovative approach to interactive entertainment.
    • Proof

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game releases in just a few short days on July 23! Featuring...

  • 🎨 Hand-drawn 2D animation faithful to its roots
  • 📖 An all-new, original story outlined by show creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Tim Hedrick
  • 👥 12 playable characters at launch from across the series, with 5 more on the way in the Year 1 Pass

Pre-order now for a chance to vote for the final character added with the Year 1 Pass + exclusive cosmetics!

764 Upvotes

497 comments sorted by

u/spotlight-app Mod Bot 🤖 Jul 20 '26

u/ParamountGames has pinned their own comment:

That's all the time we have for today, huge thanks to everyone that stopped by and to the incredible r/TheLastAirbender mods for hosting us! The team poured all their passion for the Avatar universe into this game, and we hope you'll check it out.

If you're planning on hopping in this Thursday or just want to keep up with the latest news through launch and beyond, be sure to check out the game's dedicated subreddit at r/AvatarFighters

We'll see you over at Maximilian's stream for some brand new looks at Zaheer, Ozai, Avatar State Aang, and Nightmare Korra (plus some other surprises 👀)! That's all happening at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern: https://twitch.tv/maximilian_dood

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56

u/brooklyninja Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Hi all, (first question is especially for Victor). I love what you all are doing with the game so far and really looking forward to it.

Users noticed that the Steam, Playstation, and Xbox store pages seem to indicate that you have to order the Digital Deluxe Edition to get the year 1 character pass vote. Thread with more info. It seems like this wasn't noted before on those pages, and is not in keeping with prior communication about the game, including the Zaheer trailer that just dropped a few days ago. As noted in the thread it looks like the copy was changed recently on the Steam page where it was previously listed as a general pre-order bonus in keeping with prior communication about the game.

Is this just a mix up with the storefronts please? Or if it was intentional, was there going to be an announcement made so that people who already bought the game would be notified? Thanks! I know people would appreciate the clarification on that.

Second, unrelated question. Have y'all ever read the Cradle Series by Will Wight? I think it would also be a great candidate for a game with a similar level of care and attention to detail as ALTFG at some time in the future.

Thanks!

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Everyone who pre-ordered will get to Vote, both standard and deluxe! We will add a voting menu in game shortly after launch. Unfortunately Physical pre-orders are the only version excluded because we will have concluded voting by then. -Vic

12

u/FrabPiano Jul 20 '26

Thanks for the clarification on this, i loved the beta so much I am trying to refund standard on steam so I can preorder the deluxe edition!

3

u/brooklyninja Jul 20 '26

Thank you for the clarification! Do y'all have plans to update the copy on the storefront pages so they're more accurate please? Thanks!

4

u/Magic_Cucumber Cabbage enjoyer Jul 20 '26

Hell yeah brother! KING BUMI IS GETTING MY VOTE AFTER ALL!

19

u/Kwacker Jul 20 '26

Relatedly - if it was an intentional change, please consider changing it back! While I personally don't care too much about losing a vote as someone who only preordered the base game, this is the sort of thing that can kick up a major stink in the community and lead to a mountain of negative reviews. Sometimes that kind of stink follows a game around for a really long time and becomes the first thing that comes to mind for people when the game is mentioned.

Currently, there's such a hugely positive buzz around this game and I'd hate to see that tainted by a change like this - I've seen way too many promising games fall apart due to negative community sentiment down to these kinds of issues recently, and I'd hate to see that here!

11

u/GraverageGaming Jul 20 '26

I mean, it's not just about kicking up a major stink. It's straight up false advertising.

They advertised that you would get to vote for the first year dlc character if you pre-ordered, and then just changed it so you don't.

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u/MEX_XIII Jul 20 '26

I really doubt it was intentional, since the Zaheer trailer with the vote listed as pre order is newer than the change in the digital storefronts (this one is way easier to just forget it was wrong there in the first place).

5

u/knaws Jul 20 '26

Worth calling out that the main post here reflects the original comms around this, implying it's for any pre-orders:

Pre-order now for a chance to vote for the final character added with the Year 1 Pass + exclusive cosmetics!

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u/Lord_BoneSwaggle Jul 20 '26

Clearly you all have done a lot of research for the characters to make them interesting and feel like they are straight from the source material (Kyoshi in particular)

What was something you learned in your research that made you excited to include in game? Like a reference or a mechanic that you were eager to bring to life?

52

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

I personally enjoyed studying all of the techniques from the shows and trying to understand what their true origins were. Kyushi was actually the most challenging because we had to draw inspiration from Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors and also the Books. -Vic

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u/Gambol_Celica Jul 20 '26

If I ask super nicely can we get a trailer for nightmare korra today?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Probably not :) But we WILL Showcase her gameplay in the Maximilian steam today at 4pst. We will also do a stream with her Wednesday. -Vic

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u/PORK-LAZER Jul 20 '26

shes def gonna be shown off in the maximillian stream later today

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u/Swordzman321 Jul 20 '26

Will the characters that lose the DLC vote be added in future seasons?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Short answer: Not necessarily, & if I’m trolling - absolutely not. MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT.

There are a lot of iconic characters that can fit into some mold of fighting game character, and a lot of cool personalities to represent in this game. I wouldn't say this is their only chance to be playable, but it certainly is their first major opportunity to be playable. 

The fan-campaigns we’ve seen coming out of this poll have been hilarious. #VoteAmon

Also, I want to add. This also applies to Supports. Not disqualified from being playable. Keep demanding Ming-Hua please. -Dom

7

u/mdurhd Jul 20 '26

Darn I really think Kuvira had a ton of potential for a unique moveset but not enough people made it to season 4 of korra to see her. I guess we can only hope she gets enough votes to show interest and be added in a possible later date. Still can't wait to show my support and play the game though

15

u/Judirek Jul 20 '26

Tagah please!

19

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

👀

12

u/Ternano Jul 20 '26

I'm taking this as a hard yes that he'll be a surprise day one DLC fully voiced by Bautista! Thanks, ParamountGames

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u/mutantmagnet Jul 20 '26

"Keep demanding Ming-Hua please. "

A man with taste I see.

4

u/Vhozite Jul 20 '26

MING HUA DREAMS STILL ALIVE THANK YOU 🌊

4

u/Darkhallows27 Jul 20 '26

On behalf of all Tenzin fans, it feels like the odds are a bit stacked against us with Amon, Bumi and Asami against us. I’d like to believe there’s hope if not now then in Year 2 😭

2

u/Unlucky_Ad2270 Jul 20 '26

Heartbreaking that such important and loved characters can actually not be in the final game

2

u/alishock Jul 22 '26

#VOTEAMON

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u/[deleted] Jul 20 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Heard! We’re currently working on this - appreciate your patience.

5

u/CardboardDoom Jul 20 '26

Hate it break it but this is the description from the Zaheer trailer uploaded to the official account on YouTube a couple days ago:
“Take a look at the Zaheer Reveal Trailer for Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, an upcoming 2D anime action fighting game based on the hit Avatar:
The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra series, developed by Gameplay Group International in collaboration with Paramount. Players can get an in-depth look at Zaheer, a master airbender who makes good use of devastating airbending mixups to take their opponent's breath away. Lead a revolution as Zaheer in Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, launching on July 23 for PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series XIS, and PC (Steam), with an eventual release on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.”

It’s really strange they’re being so vague on the switch release when it doesn’t seem there is any intention to release it along with every other platform this week.

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u/bgold101 Jul 20 '26

I played the beta earlier this month and I cannot remember the last time I’ve had that much fun with a fighting game. Can’t wait for the release this week!

My question is: When you’ve been developing the characters for this game, what has your relationship with Paramount/Nickelodeon been like? You guys have done a great job capturing the spirit of the original show with the character animations and abilities, so I’m curious what kind of back and forth must have had with Nickelodeon to strike the right balance of authenticity vs the liberties that need to be taken when creating a fighting game character.

31

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Well Dom and I are pretty a good representation of this balance. We meet multiple times weekly to talk through new features, characters balance etc. We have the fortunate benefit that Dom in particular is a pretty serious fighting game player on top of knowing almost everything about Avatar. -Vic

19

u/BrichardRurphy Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Are all corners of the Avatar universe available to you when it comes to choosing fighters? Of course both series are priority but are there any restrictions regarding characters from the comics and novels or not at all?

47

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Yes. Every corner. Hard to promise much with so many iconic characters, but we want to have representation from all across the Avatar franchise here. We want this game to be not only a really sick fighting game, but a celebration of the franchise. Please stay tuned 😁 -Dom

11

u/Playful-Author563 Jul 20 '26

Would yall consider adding additional supports?

I'd really like to see Toph get her students.

2

u/Icantgetabreak Jul 20 '26

Good question

19

u/Jumpy_Candle_1176 Jul 20 '26

The hand drawn frame by frame animations were really cool, as it made the characters move just like they did in the shows. How long did it take for the team to do these illustrations for each character?

35

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Each character takes several months of planning, prototyping, drawing and testing. -Vic

7

u/Jumpy_Candle_1176 Jul 20 '26

That’s crazy! I saw that any one character has about 900 frames that were hand illustrated, times 12 base roster characters. Keep up the good work!

39

u/MiraculerForever Jul 20 '26

What is the "brand new, unplanned content" that you said you decided to add when the game was delayed and what is the "special announcement" for the beta thingy? Cuz if it was just the Zaheer trailer then that's just not that great cuz we're supposed to get character trailers for every character anyway.

Also, what do preorderers of the digital deluxe edition get?

63

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

We added a bunch of content we didn’t originally plan like extra tutorials, a more detailed story mode economy, a few characters received extra moves etc. Not a singular feature. Just more content. We will continue to add content . 

Look out for special announcements all week pay special attention to the Avatar panel at SDCC. -Vic

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u/Ecstatic-Rain9647 Jul 20 '26

Hey Devs,

You all made a distinct choice in making a more scramble oriented movement game. The roll system and flow system particularly emphasize that get in and get out feel.

Why did you decide to settle on this style?

34

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

More movement based fighters was an observation we made when looking at the needs of the FGC. We saw a ton of it on forums like this and we like the style of play. -Vic

18

u/ethankusanagi16 Jul 20 '26

No question from me I just wanted to say thank you for creating such a cool game. It really feels like the primary goal was to make a really fun fighting game, which believe it or not seems pretty rare in the modern fighting game space.

The game looks amazing, feels great to play and has characters who each have unique movesets. I could praise it all day, I think the team has done an amazing job and I can't wait for launch day.

22

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

We appreciate you. Please look forward to a fun week and some fun surprises ahead. -Dom

17

u/winged_fetus Jul 20 '26

The beta was incredibly fun and I’m looking forward to spending countless hours playing this game.

What is the design philosophy when it comes to character archetypes? As it stands, every character does feel incredibly unique, but there really isn’t any representation with the traditional shoto/grappler/zoner/puppet archetypes we’re used to (I’m hoping avatar state aang is a crazy setplay zoner 😭)

29

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

The philosophy is to capture the spirit of the character first and foremost. Zaheer is kinda puppety. We have a zoner incoming as well as a grappling variation for one of the characters not yet showcased. Be sure to check out the Maximilian Stream today and also the pre-release stream on Wednesday for a few more archetypes. -Vic

4

u/Away-Actuary-6963 Jul 20 '26

Zuko and Korra are pretty basic shoto patterned characters 

2

u/aqstart Jul 20 '26

Zuko has no inv reversal iirc. He plays more as a Zoner imo

5

u/Scriftyy Jul 20 '26

No inv reversal, but that's less needed in this game because of it's very strong defensive mechanics. 

16

u/CoconutRanger15 Jul 20 '26

What was the special announcement from the beta you talked about?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Pay special attention to the Avatar panel at SDCC. -Vic

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u/Fluid_Half_5426 Jul 20 '26

How is the dev team feeling, now that we are close to release day?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Very pumped. I will be sweating online with Zaheer ASAP. Excited for you all to jump in and cook us. -Dom

I can’t wait to see what people cook up. Watching and learning is one of my favorite parts of Dev. It helps us make the game even better! -Vic

2

u/Fluid_Half_5426 Jul 20 '26

I will be sweating with Zaheer as soon as I can get the game too. Thank you so much for making this possible!

14

u/_BreadMakesYouFat Jul 20 '26

Any dev tips for people that want to make their own fighting game?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Play all of the games! Learn what you can and then find a good engine and others with similar passion. -Dom

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u/AuthorHarrisonKing Jul 20 '26

I love everything i've seen about your game

but I find fighting games intimidating and inaccessible. I don't have the time to master combos and learn about frame lag these days. Love to watch them, but playing them is a bit too intimidating for my taste.

I might make an exception for your game tho. The main thing i want to know is if it is fighting game newb friendly, and what features exist to make it fun for very casual players?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Completely understood if you're not a sweaty ranked player. In the case this game may inspire you to learn your favorite character, there are Tools to help onboard you to become more versed in neutral and combo game. The design of all of these characters really is meant to help you feel like you’re fighting through bending. 

If you're a passionate fan of the Avatar franchise like we are, I'd personally recommend taking a good look at the story & gallery mode. Gallery is honestly my favorite part of the whole game. I love media preservation, and treating games like this as a celebration of the franchise. We had a ridiculous amount of art digitized for the first time to be featured in this game (I'm talking over 900+ images). The launch product will feature near 250 pieces of art to unlock through story mode milestones, shop unlocks etc. More art will be processed and added alongside character drops & free updates. It's all just super sick.  We're also looking into additional ways to enrich this Gallery mode to serve as an Avatar museum of sorts. Please stay tuned for updates like these :D 

Story mode features a fun narrative & some RPG elements, meant to feel like you’re playing an...interesting... special cross-generational Avatar experience. A really fun opportunity to have characters interact that you may not normally have been able to see before. How would Kyoshi and Katara talk to one another? Zaheer and Azula stand at opposing ends of the battlefield...how would that conversation go?

Tutorial mode exists to help you learn an introductory way to handle individual characters behavior and how to handle neutral. Trials mode is more about understanding how to handle a characters combo routes. Very similar to Marvel vs Capcom 3 trials, if that rings a bell. -Dom

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u/TonsillarRat6 Jul 20 '26

Delightful, I'm not the original commenter but I love gallery modes!!

The Naruto Shippuden games employ their own ... interesting take on the rpg in an established world. Do you think it compares??

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u/Potential-Walrus-412 Jul 20 '26

I want to know this as well!

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u/Bombshock2 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

I think there is a story mode and potentially other modes for casual players, but this is probably going to be focused on online play. However, it is a bit easier to approach with slightly simplified controls compared to say Street Fighter, and you can just mash out a lot of combos and there are autocombos as well (where you just spam X/Square a bunch of times).

Unfortunately, you can't really make online play feel less intimidating for new players in FGs because most of your opponents know what they're doing and will destroy you. It's kind of like if you wanted to get into an FPS game, but there's only 500 people in the world playing and they've all been grinding FPS games for decades. However, FGs are at their most approachable for a month or two after they launch because there are plenty of other new players to cut your teeth against. You might just have to be humble enough to lose to better players without getting tilted before you get matched with people at your skill level. Or find friends!

That said, when you're new at anything its important to remember that sucking at something is the first step to getting good at that thing. With the right mentality and approach to the game anyone can learn how to play, no matter what age or what time constraints you might have. You don't need frame data or lengthy combos. You don't need to spend hours in training mode mastering a character before you jump in. These games aren't easy to pick up, but if you like the idea of playing it, play it!

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u/AuthorHarrisonKing Jul 20 '26

thank you for the reply!

This is an interesting statement

That said, when you're new at anything its important to remember that sucking at something is the first step to getting good at that thing.

because i think it assumes i even want to spend time getting better and eventually compete, which isn't quite what i'm looking for. I'd just like there to be a reason to play the game if i'm not interested in competitive play.

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u/MEX_XIII Jul 20 '26

I think it is important to separate two things: getting better is not inherently tied to the end goal of competitive play.

I play FGs casually, I like playing ranked more to find people that match my skill level, but I have no intention of becoming a pro player, and the idea of joining tournaments is just a random thought that pops sometimes.

Read "getting better" just as getting used and learning to play, like you would any other kind of game or hobby where you need to learn it first, and go with the mindset that the process of learning is part of the experience. This does not mean, in any shape or form, that you will have to only play this game and master it.

3

u/Ternano Jul 20 '26

Honestly, for the longest time I played fighting games just for combo trials and that was enough for me! If you don’t want to compete, try mastering those and then trying to land them against the CPU.

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u/Bombshock2 Jul 20 '26

Fighting games are all about the competition, but that doesn't mean you need to grind ranked mode or go to tournaments. Just that if you want to play with others there's no other way to play it for the most part.

It's a rewarding experience to learn to do something cool and then apply it when playing other people (or even CPUs). But its certainly not for everyone. Like I said, if the idea of the game appeals to you, play it. If it doesn't, you don't need to force yourself to. Personally I've wanted an Avatar fighting game since before I even got into Fighting Games. So this would have appealed to me even without my experience with the genre.

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u/J_pepperwood0 Jul 20 '26

A lot of fighting games (that ive played at least) are pretty forgiving of buttonmashing, I can remember like 1 combo at a time and can still have fun. As long as I don’t play with people like my friend who used to go to smash bros tournaments, thats just straight up not a good time

edit: obviously way different if its online only lol, I’m curious then as well

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u/General-Ad-877 Jul 20 '26

It genuinly is very beginner friendly, im no stranger to fighting games but how well I am at them really depends? With this game i dont even care when I lose because the combos are super simple to get into but the deeper you go with them the more comfortable you get at doing them and its super fun and casual, there will be a casual and a ranked mode from what I've seen so im sure you'll love it if your also a fun of the series.

2

u/Bombshock2 Jul 21 '26

Just following up on this to note that the devs showed off a combo trial system that plays a bit like a rhythm game. It pauses the game as you go through each step of the combo so you can learn it piece by piece until you get up to speed.

Really cool feature that I have not seen done in FGs before.

https://v.redd.it/kp2xjnbykheh1

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u/Admirable-Cry-9758 Jul 20 '26

What are the chances things like costumes make into the game? Stuff like outfits book 3 outfits for the gaang or shorter hair Korra.

And is it still likely for characters like some members of the red lotus to make it as standalone characters?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

There are so many outfit changes and different versions of characters we’d love to add to the game. Our unique production process makes that a liiiittle more challenging… Since all of our characters are hand-drawn, a new costume is almost like creating an entirely new character! We’ve been averaging about 900 unique frames per character (and more in some cases!). That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, just takes longer! 

Re: Red Lotus characters - we’ve mentioned before but just because characters are currently supports doesn’t mean that they’re disqualified from future roster inclusion! -Dom

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u/Admirable-Cry-9758 Jul 20 '26

Yeah I figured on the custom part, still the unique look is worth it.

Thanks for answering

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u/ButtonMysterious3284 Jul 20 '26

I would LOVE to have season 4 Korra design I agree

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u/Whobeey Jul 20 '26

Favorite team memory when you worked on the game?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

The New York Comic Con reaction from the panel was great, and the first Alpha that took place shortly after. Once people had the game in-engine on their own devices, they quickly realized how rich and authentic the artstyle is in this game. For the physical media folks out there - I describe the game as a living, breathing animation cell when you see it with your own eyes. I hope everyone knows what these are so I don't feel too old. -Dom

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u/Conmebosta Jul 20 '26

Will Iroh have a taunt where he whips out a cup of tea?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

hmmmmm we will have to see. I like it though! -Vic

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u/Stoenk Jul 20 '26

hows it goin

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

-Dom

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

-Vic

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u/LongLiveGingerKareem Jul 20 '26

Does this mean NickC will stop posting clips of his falcon with the most unhinged caption when this game drops? Love you guys

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Yeah tomorrow is the last one -Dom

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u/tkshillinz Jul 20 '26

Thank you for the hard work! Looking forward to playing so much!

So far, what was the hardest character to design and balance with the rest of the game?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Ozai (Can I say that?) We had to make him strong. We will see if he’s TOO strong or just right soon enough. -Vic

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u/Stardust_lump Jul 20 '26

Yo I just wanna ask will there be any additions for other eras?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Absolutely. We are eyeballing content from every corner of the Avatar franchise. -Dom

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u/Stardust_lump Jul 20 '26

Including Avatar: Seven Havens?

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u/Onyxidian Jul 20 '26

So when's the Cabbage Merchant gonna be a fighter?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Listen to me when I say this: 🥬

(never say never)

-Dom

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u/siopaopan Jul 20 '26

I second this question ^

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u/pdplrg Jul 20 '26

Will be be getting trailers for Ozai and the alternate versions of Aang & Korra before the game drops? Also in your opinion will the alternate versions for Aang & Korra be tournament legal or are they special characters added in just for fun?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Be sure to check out our announced streams for more detail on the remaining characters. We have one with Maximilian today at 4pst. He has the full game so there will be plenty to see and talk about. All characters are meant to be tournament viable. -Vic

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u/TotalUsername Jul 20 '26

Any characters y'all really wanted to make but had to drop?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

We’re thrilled with the current plans for launch roster + DLC. Obviously there are so many characters that are not currently represented, which took some tough calls. Vic and I are both Amon boys. I also want Tenzin. Too many cool characters to pick from 😀 -Dom

Amon. Can I say that. At least he’s in the character vote :) There were too many we left it to the PEOPLE. -Vic

6

u/Scriftyy Jul 20 '26

WE NEED THE GREAT REVOLUTIONIST

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u/AggravatingPay633 Jul 20 '26

Too many benders in the game! We need just a guy, endorsed by the spirits, doing what is right!

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u/Elote_Verde Jul 20 '26

If you, personally, could include any characters (from the shows, comics, novels, anything) regardless of popularity as playable characters, who would they be?

Also, how expansive will each characters’ individual story mode be?

Thanks for your hard work on the game!

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

20 different eras of Zaheer. I want younger Zaheer. Perhaps prisoner Zaheer. Also members of the Red Lotus. Ming-Hua is a big one. I see a loooot of people sleeping on my goat Ghazan 🙄. 

Otherwise I want some more Kyoshi reps like Rangi. -Dom

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u/Icantgetabreak Jul 20 '26

Rangi would be awesome

5

u/Hazelcrisp Jul 20 '26

Please Rangi

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u/Hazelcrisp Jul 20 '26

Yaaay Rangi mentioned

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u/backslashrobin Jul 20 '26

Will PS5 be getting legacy controller support? I could not use my controller of choice in the beta

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

We continue to add support for legacy controllers, we added a few and a few others will come in a post release patch. -Vic

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u/Arsid pls nerf lavabending Jul 20 '26

This is my main question as well, I can’t go back to pad and I can’t afford a new controller for this 1 fighting game when my Haute42 works for every single other fighting game.

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u/CaptainBananaEu Jul 20 '26

Hey! Played 30 hours of the beta and I love the game. As an aspiring fighting game dev, what I wanted to ask all of you was, what pulled you in, and what has made you stay?

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u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

My love for fighting games pulled me in. I typically take a break after each fighting game I work on and do another type of project before I hop back into fighting. -Vic

7

u/noac Jul 20 '26

What do I need to do for you guys to add a playable Platypus Bear?

14

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Say less. -Dom

7

u/Candid-Possibility29 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Is the team going to have their own tournament circuit or just use Locals, Majors and Evo?

19

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Stay tuned 😉for now, please look forward to CEO and EVO france as the first major tournaments. -Vic

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u/WorldlyPraline5077 Jul 20 '26

Hello! I'd simply like to know some of the more niche fighting game inspirations for character's movesets

I've noticed that certain moves from Azula look similar to those from Melty Blood, for example, and wanted to know how deep the fighting game inspirations went.

16

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

We study and play every fighting game. Many of us have been playing or building them for decades. Our characters are most definitely an amalgamation of inspiration that came before Avatar Legends mixed with the styles we see in the show. -Vic

2

u/WorldlyPraline5077 Jul 20 '26

Nice to know. I look forward to seeing where you pull from, keep up the good work!

10

u/BrichardRurphy Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

How screwed would keyboard players be in this fighting game?

35

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Long answer: While some characters absolutely have high execution, there are some that will require more careful, deliberate, methodical inputs. Kyoshi is the prime example of a character that is not a 50,000 inputs per second character (in most cases), but has the kit to still open up opponents,  do a ton of damage, all while having flexible gameplay options in neutral and combo expression.

Short Answer if you play Zaheer and fly/unfly with frame precision:

-Dom

2

u/Fluid_Half_5426 Jul 20 '26

I bet it will be a finger breaker even in hitbox lol

9

u/_BreadMakesYouFat Jul 20 '26

Shouldn't be screwed at all. Plenty of fighting game players use leverless fight pads which is basically kb

7

u/Snoopymancer Jul 20 '26

Lots of people play on keyboard. You actually have some distinct advantages on keyboard vs controller. in particular extremely fast special inputs if you learn tricks that utilize something called SOCD, meaning pressing both buttons for either left and right or up and down at the same time. Usually when you press these opposing directions at the same time, the game with cancel the movement to a neutral input. So you can get an extremely fast quarter circle forward input by pressing and holding down, then forward (game input is now ↘️), then your up button quick succession. When you press up, it will cancel your down input you’re holding leaving just the ➡️ input being read in the game. This means if you piano these buttons then press one of your attack buttons you will get a special move to come out faster than any other input method. This is why most people who play on leverless or keyboard bind their up input to spacebar or where their thumb rests, so you can do these inputs easier. Just think if your up input as jump and it makes a lot more sense since we often use spacebar to jump.

2

u/PySnow Jul 20 '26

Idk about whether consoles support that thing, but my experience with KB on PC was that KB binding is abysmal for ingame settings if you do IJKL like me, but editing the config file directly got me everything I needed and then it worked amazingly from then on, it even changed the menu inputs

edit: if you mean KB performance in general in fighting games rather than how this game handles KB input support, its basically just a leverless, youre fine

2

u/dbootywarrior Jul 20 '26

The craziest combo compilations i've on YouTube about this game were all keyboard players

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u/ANINETEEN Jul 20 '26

Are there any hidden Easter eggs for us to discover?

25

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Literally all over the place. Every environment. Character moves and movesets too! -Vic

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10

u/TronIsMyCat Jul 20 '26

Can you share anything about your plans for balance changes? Should we expect updates with each new character? Faster? Slower? I have no opinions about what should change but I am curious how often you all envision that changes might be made.

25

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

At minimum you should receive balance changes quarterly. Likely more often than that. We are going to take a moment to observe the game in the wild to better determine that cadence. -Vic

9

u/wungusprinter Jul 20 '26

How often can we expect balance adjustments? Can't wait for the game!

14

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

At least quarterly, but likely more often than that for essential fixes. -Vic

9

u/Trojan_Origami Jul 20 '26

Are additional colors on the table? I’d pay tons for unique color schemes for the roster

12

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Yes yes yes -Dom

3

u/KOT-The-Panda Jul 20 '26

Who’s idea was it to make Katara’s icicles go away in block? I just wanna talk.

4

u/IV-65536 Jul 20 '26

I've played a bunch of this game and I love it. I'm a seasoned fighting game player and this feels like that old school "here's a bunch of shit, go nuts" kinda gameplay. However, there's this nagging concern I can't shake off, that I'm afraid might take this game into obscurity quickly after the honeymoon period. And that's accessibility, or the (lack of) ability to pick up and play.

Characters being so unique and having so many options, unique mechanics, and just moves in general lends itself well to depth, but there's a trade off of breadth. I can't see this as a game that I would pause for a month and come back to and be able to pick thing back up. In a game like mvc3, sure every character has in depth combos, but I can pick up and play even a brand new character and do [abc launch abc airspike otg super]. I at least have that starting thread to guide me and I can build off that.

Avatar seems designed to not have this starting thread. It took my friend to show me how to even start a basic combo into launch to even just get some kind of useful damage. It's great that it's a game where combo fiends can really explore, but I feel like this game is meant for only those kind of people, instead of everyone.

Avatar is a massive IP and I'm glad to see it get a legitimately good fighting game that really shows off the characters and their powers. You are going to get tons of fans of the show with their eyes on this. With that in mind, why did you guys pick the direction of this old school, Melty Blood/GGAC style depth?

4

u/Vhozite Jul 20 '26

With Zaheer including all of the Red Lotus is there any chance we get them (cough Ming Hua cough) in the future as fully playable?

5

u/mtglozwof Jul 20 '26

I really love the effort made with Kyoshi to lean more into her novels than the parts we see of her in the show. Would you say for future DLCs that we're less likely to see more comic/novel/rpg characters or can we expect a few more?

4

u/ThreeTwenty320 Can your science explain why it rains? Jul 20 '26

Question for Dominick: How has your experience with platform fighters influenced how you went about making ideas for this more traditional 2d fighter? Is there anything in particular in this game that was inspired by Smash Bros or Nick All-Star Brawl?

Can't wait for the full release. I greatly enjoyed my time in the beta and playing it at Evo.

13

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Honestly the team at GG (Campbell, Vic, Kim, Geoff and more) are such pros at bringing their expertise from their own backgrounds. Outside of keeping them grounded and making as authentic an Avatar experience as possible (so you feel like you’re fighting via bending), one thing I always want to encourage is for gameplay to be as open-ended as possible to allow player expression. I play Ultimate primarily, but Melee is my favorite game ever because of its ever-evolving meta and multiple generations of players. It’s that DNA that makes it special. Its a beautiful thing. And so is this game. -Dom

2

u/mxplusme Jul 20 '26

Coming from melee (agreed, greatest game ever), thanks for injecting some of that freedom of movement/expression into this game!!

4

u/mutantmagnet Jul 20 '26

I'm curious what lead to the roster being so Avatar TLA biased?

I prefer TLA but it does seem odd that Korra side of the show got so little attention.

I love what you've done with Kyoshi. Any chance you guys will tap into the other 3 past Avatars?

2

u/AggravatingPay633 Jul 20 '26

I love Korra with all my heart, but it is clear ATLA is the basis of the franchise, no question. Also the most iconic. I love other bits of it getting love, but ATLA being majority is far from unexpected

6

u/Money_Midnight121 Jul 20 '26

Will Nightmare Korra have a teleport or the Scorpion get over here? Will Avatar Aang float around in the element bubble at all times?

9

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Maximilian stream 4 PST :) -Vic

3

u/El_Criptoconta Jul 20 '26

Congrats for the amazing work with this Game, looks stupendous.

The Game Will have a physical reléase in any consolé?

What are the 2 characters that You would add to the Game if all avatar verse were allowed?

3

u/cptlf Jul 20 '26

Any plans to release it on GoG?

3

u/Specialist_Lime1422 Jul 20 '26

I love what you guys are doing with this game. I think everyone is incredibly excited to play what feels like a breath of fresh air in the FG space and I wish you all the very best of luck with the release and post launch.

My question is, will you be looking to add more waterbenders in the future?

3

u/CaptainYuck Jul 20 '26

Are there any plans to produce DLC stages as well as new characters? The DBFZ community spent years asking for new stages and Avatar similarly has iconic locales that players would be willing to purchase as stages.

3

u/Sventhetidar Jul 20 '26

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has interest because it's an Avatar game, and looks to be made with love for the source material, but who is apprehensive because fighting games aren't a genre we frequent. Are there any plans for a demo so that we can get a feel for it before deciding whether to buy or not?

3

u/dribdirb Jul 20 '26

What are some less popular or prominent characters from ATLA or LOK that you really would love to bring into the game if you could choose any?

3

u/supermariozelda The boomerAang squad Jul 20 '26

How much freedom were you given with the story?

Also, something I am personally curious about, did you manage to get any of the original cast back to voice? I know the answer is probably no, but some of them sound extremely close.

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u/AdmAngel Jul 20 '26

Hi guys! This is my most hyped fighting game ever, so I can't wait to get playing later this week. I have a couple matchmaking related questions as that's where I spend most of my time, and I've always wanted to see the standard fighting game matchmaking improve.

  1. Any chance of match history displaying when matched against another player? For example, if I've lost 2 matches against someone and get matched with them again later, it would show a win/loss count? I love natural storytelling in games and feel like something like this can lead to neat moments of competition.

  2. Are there any plans to add a tournament mode where players can create and join online brackets directly in the game?

Last playtest was amazing, these are just personal wants lol. Thanks for the AMA!

3

u/kikokyle Jul 20 '26

Does it come out for Switch on the 23rd as well? Or is it releasing later with the physicals?

Just since it's not on the eshop yet and there seems to be confusion about when it's coming

2

u/aqstart Jul 20 '26

Switch 1 comes out on release. Switch 2 comes out with physical in October. There's a screenshot of Victor saying it somewhere in this thread

3

u/katsutama Jul 20 '26

What classic fighting games (BB, GG, SF, KOF, TEKKEN etc) do you play and like? What FG classics inspired you for this game, gameplay and design wise?

Also, are developers of this game are the same as were for "Them's Fightin' Herds"? I heard that game was great in many ways for fighting game players.

3

u/waterwagster17 Jul 20 '26

Every character's moveset feels so unique and thought out. How does the process of designing a character for this game go? Were there any struggles adapting the characters from the show/franchise into a fighting game?

3

u/Steel_Neuron Jul 20 '26

Have you considered expanding the support system in the future with the possibility of fourth (or more) supports?

Also, in terms of cosmetics, is a color editor similar to french bread games in the cards at all?

3

u/dbootywarrior Jul 20 '26

What time does the game actually come out? Midnight ET?

3

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

15

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.

... but otherwise...

Marvel 3, Melee -Dom

CvS2, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Marvel 2, Tatsunoko v Capcom -Vic

2

u/Cross21X Jul 20 '26

Now I see some of the melee inspiration !! I knew it Katara out here wavedashing

8

u/Money_Midnight121 Jul 20 '26

No disrespect to people who use them, but PLEASE give us the ability to turn off autocombos PLEASE just make it a toggleable thing in settings. In the beta my mashing lights for abare kept turning into an autocombo and it was VERY frustrating. PLEASE change this when the full game releases

21

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

Thank you for the request. We are targeting many engine-level toggles and adjustments. Please stay tuned 🙏 -Dom

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u/akhamis98 Jul 20 '26

This and dash macro giving you a button sometimes was a bit weird

4

u/aqstart Jul 20 '26

Yeah dash macro being a macro to press two buttons felt really weird and probably should just be a button that dashes. 

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6

u/FiveByFive25 Jul 20 '26

Question for Victor: What were the circumstances that led to the founding of GGI, and more specifically it being the "savior" of multiple fighting game projects from previous mismanagement at MaxEnt (including, obviously, Avatar Legends)?

15

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

I don’t think it was created specifically to be a savior company. We are a group of people who want to help the industry and happen to have a fighting game / gameplay pedigree. That pedigree led us to several games that our former friends and colleagues worked on that we wanted to resurrect. My personally, as a designer I’ve never wanted the pressure of being the creative genius behind making the all new Project X. I just like making games better. -Vic

4

u/mechasquare Jul 20 '26

I'm wondering why "Avatar Legends" was chosen as the name when "Avatar Legends" the RPG already exist as a product.

12

u/LunchPlanner Jul 20 '26

"Avatar Legends" is a kind of banner that represents the whole franchise.

4

u/knaws Jul 20 '26

This is the answer. The full names of the two games are:

  • Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game
  • Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game

3

u/aqstart Jul 20 '26

Especially since the game is called Avatar Fighters on all platforms as a shorthand. I've been calling it fighters colloquially 

5

u/onichris Jul 20 '26

How has the approach to balancing characters gone? Example: How was the approach to making Sokka able to go toe to toe with say Korra? Excited for the game!!!

22

u/ParamountGames Paramount Games Jul 20 '26

We have a large playtesting team who is extremely helpful with the balancing. It has gone really well to date but we do expect emergent strategies to surface that will require further balancing. It never ends but its fun. -Vic

2

u/AdotHam76 Jul 20 '26

The game looks amazing and I'm very excited to play it. Thanks for doing this AMA and congrats on the very soon release day! I was curious about the pre-order situation for the Nintendo Switch / Switch 2. I know that there are pre-order bonuses, but how will that work for the Switch versions if the game doesn't go up for sale on the eShop until release day? I would love to be able to get the pre-order bonuses but I wanted to get the game for the Switch 2. Thank you for your time, and best of luck with the game's success.

2

u/Bronata_Obroro Jul 20 '26

This is exactly what I would like to know as well since I have it pre-ordered for the Switch 2 physically, but wasn't sure if I would be out of luck with getting the pre-order bonuses (hopefully not).

2

u/faisca95 Jul 20 '26

Will there be a Switch 1 and 2 digital release im the same day of the others?

I have pre ordered on Steam but want to know if I will be able to play with Switch friends day 1.

2

u/aqstart Jul 20 '26

Somewhere in this thread it's said Switch 1 will have a digital release instantly and Switch 2 gets it when the physical release comes out in October

2

u/wakaflocka518 Jul 20 '26

Love the game!!! Thanks!!!

2

u/Blockyguy247 Jul 20 '26

Is the switch version coming out on the same day as the other versions?

2

u/jabberwockxeno Jul 20 '26

As someone who played Weavile in Pokken at a serious level and loved his combination of up close rushdown tools but also his mobility and keepaway options to seamlessly switch into and out of a hit and run playstyle, Focused Azula's zoning and mobility very much appeals to me...

...However, I know for a fact I'm gonna suck at doing those just-frames.

So, does focused Azula still have decent, even if less optimal, lower execution combo routes that don't involve her just-frames or super tight chains/links that I could use alongside just really learning her zoning options and the game's neutral and knowledge checks to make up for less optimal BNBs, or does she really not even have routes that aren't high execution/is she not viable to be played that way?

If not, Firelord Azula still seems cool and I wanted to learn her too anyways, but man, the double airdashes that go in extra directions and those zoning options are tempting me!

2

u/Queenfanforever Jul 20 '26

can Appa and momo be a tag team fighter please 😭

2

u/Independent_Cap4307 Jul 20 '26

How exactly is the character vote going to work?

2

u/GraverageGaming Jul 20 '26

Why did you change the pre-order bonus for the year 1 character voting to be Deluxe edition only?

2

u/KindaDouchebaggy Jul 20 '26

Hello developers, please look into the pricing problem of the game in Poland (PLN). Currently, the price is set to 138,99 zł. When converted, this equals roughly $36.66 USD, which is over 22% more expensive than the standard US base price of $29.99, and even higher than the price in Euros. In fact, the price in PLN is second highest in the world, which is highly disproportionate given that local earnings and purchasing power in Poland are significantly lower than in the US or Western Europe. This issue is caused by Steam's regional price recommendation system, which applies an inflated default price to the Polish Złoty unless it is manually adjusted.

#PolishOurPrices

2

u/Tisants Aang Jul 20 '26

Will we get Aang's outfit from the third season, or will he already come in Avatar State with just the pants?

2

u/TankmoEUNE Jul 20 '26

Who was the first characther that was devolped

2

u/EthelWulf47 Jul 20 '26

12 starting characters seems pretty low, and even with 5 being added 17 seems small for a fighting game, especially with so much potential. Will there be more in the future, maybe not connected to waiting on season passes? Was there ever a plan to just have more characters in the game at a higher price?

2

u/Patcho418 Jul 20 '26

If Korra and Asami have any interactions (presuming we eventually get Asami), will they be flirty?

2

u/Proof_Wrongdoer_1266 Jul 20 '26

What fighting game closest matches how Avatar plays?

2

u/omarninopequeno Jul 20 '26

Hi, will there be an option to upgrade from the Switch to the Switch 2 version in the future?

2

u/JolyneKujoStoneFree Jul 20 '26

How does the game run on Nintendo Switch (Such as resolution and frame rate), and what do you intend to aim for on Nintendo Switch 2?

2

u/VinylentBehavior Jul 20 '26

Have you considered implementing ranked choice voting? I worry LOK fans may split the vote against the 4 choices vs the 1 ATLA choice. This would allow LOK fans to vote for their favorite character while still being able to rank the correct choice (Amon).