Xbox Players Furious as Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game Gets Last-Minute Delay on Their Console

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game has been abruptly delayed on Xbox just hours before its scheduled launch, sparking outrage among fans. The game, published by Paramount Games Studio and developed by Gameplay Group International, was set to release on July 23 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch.

In a statement released shortly before launch, Paramount confirmed that the Switch version will only be available as the Standard Edition at launch, with crossplay and language localization beyond English coming later. However, the situation is worse for Xbox players, as the entire game has been pushed back to September 3—a six-week delay that puts Xbox users at a competitive disadvantage. Paramount vaguely attributed the delay to "unforeseen circumstances on a backend feature," stating, "For the Xbox community, we are forced to delay the release... Existing preorders will remain active and will not be canceled."

Xbox gamers have reacted strongly, with many criticizing Paramount's handling of the situation. Comments on social media include: "F**k your game! Delaying your game HOURS before release on XBOX is horrible management," and "Delaying an anticipated game by a month and a half less than 24 hours before release is actually insane." Others demanded refunds or free upgrades, and some expressed frustration over the lack of transparency.

This last-minute delay is highly unusual, especially for only specific platforms. While PC and PS5 players can still play at launch, the overall player base for crossplay matchmaking is now reduced. It remains to be seen whether Xbox fans will wait until September or skip the game entirely.

Avatar Legends has faced previous setbacks, including a delay from July 2 to July 23 to add new content. The game's development history is also troubled: it was originally in the works at Maximum Entertainment before being canceled in 2024, then revived by Gameplay Group. Maximum Entertainment, known for publishing Them's Fightin' Herds, has faced financial issues and legal troubles. Notably, former Skullgirls design director Mike Zaimont, who faced harassment allegations, worked on the game during its time at Maximum Entertainment.

Despite these issues, IGN gave Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game an 8/10 review, praising its diverse roster, flexible combat system, and impressive combos, while noting some omissions and a lackluster story mode.