You’ve seen the trailers. You’ve heard the hype about the "spiritual successor" to No Mercy. But if you actually sit down and look at the AEW Fight Forever roster, things get a little weird. It’s a snapshot of a company that moves way faster than its developers could keep up with. You have guys like Cody Rhodes and CM Punk sitting right next to newer additions like Samoa Joe and Jay White. It's basically a playable time capsule.
It isn't just about who is in the game; it’s about why the list looks the way it does.
The Weird Reality of the AEW Fight Forever Roster
Most modern wrestling games operate on a yearly cycle. WWE 2K drops a new version, wipes the slate, and updates the gear. But Yuke's and THQ Nordic went for a "live service" approach with Fight Forever. They wanted one game that lived forever.
The result? A base roster of over 50 wrestlers that feels incredibly heavy on the 2021-2022 era of All Elite Wrestling. Because development took so long, the "day one" lineup was technically out of date before the disc even hit shelves.
Take Cody Rhodes. He was an Executive Vice President and a founding father of the company. He left for WWE in early 2022, yet he’s a fully playable, unlockable character in this game. Honestly, it’s kinda cool. Where else can you have Cody Rhodes face off against Kenny Omega in 2026 without a bunch of "Forbidden Door" legal headaches?
Then there’s the CM Punk situation. After the "Brawl Out" drama and his eventual move back to WWE, he remained on the roster. He was even on the original cover before they swapped him out for the likes of MJF and Orange Cassidy. If you’re a fan of wrestling history, this game is the only official place where that specific era of the AEW locker room is preserved in amber.
Every Playable Character (Base Game & Beyond)
To really understand the scope, you have to break down who is actually available. The game launched with the "core" names you'd expect, but the real meat of the current experience comes from the four distinct Season Passes.
The Heavy Hitters (Base Roster)
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- The Main Events: Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, and MJF.
- The Pillars: Darby Allin, "Hangman" Adam Page, Sammy Guevara, and Jungle Boy (Jack Perry).
- The Legends: Sting, Paul Wight (Big Show), and Dustin Rhodes.
- The Women’s Division: Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D., Hikaru Shida, Jade Cargill (another one who moved to WWE!), Thunder Rosa, and Riho.
- The Oddities: Abadon (who is terrifyingly well-animated) and Aubrey Edwards (yes, the referee is playable).
The DLC Waves
THQ Nordic didn't just stop at launch. They trickled out characters through four seasons of content. This is where most people get confused because you can't just "unlock" these—you've got to buy the passes or individual packs.
- Season 1: This brought in FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler), Keith Lee, The Bunny, HOOK, and Danhausen.
- Season 2: Added Toni Storm and The Acclaimed (Max Caster and Anthony Bowens).
- Season 3: Introduced Swerve Strickland, Claudio Castagnoli, and Jamie Hayter.
- Season 4: This was the "Big One" for many, adding Samoa Joe, Adam Copeland (Edge), and "Switchblade" Jay White.
Why Some Favorites Are Still Missing
People constantly ask: "Where is the House of Black?" or "Why isn't Konosuke Takeshita in the game?"
The truth is a mix of development bandwidth and timing. Each character in Fight Forever is hand-animated. They didn't use motion capture. That’s why the moves feel so "snappy" and arcade-like, but it also means it takes way longer to build a wrestler from scratch.
Also, the game's director, Hideyuki "Geta" Iwashita, has been open about the limitations. While fans want a roster of 200 people, the team focused on making the ones they did have feel unique. If you play as Orange Cassidy, he actually keeps his hands in his pockets. If you play as Bryan Danielson, the technical wrestling feels different than if you're throwing powerbombs with Wardlow.
Unlocking the Secret Characters
You don't get everyone right away. Some of the best names on the AEW Fight Forever roster require you to actually put in the work.
- Owen Hart: You have to play 100 exhibition matches. It’s a grind, but seeing Owen back in a video game for the first time in decades is worth it.
- Paul Wight: You have to beat him in the "Road to Elite" career mode under very specific circumstances (usually as a small wrestler in the "Who's Ribbing Who?" storyline).
- Brodie Lee: You need to win the TNT Championship in career mode.
The Current State of Updates (2026)
There has been a lot of chatter lately about whether the roster will continue to grow. Late in 2024, rumors swirled that THQ Nordic was winding down updates. While the "Season 4" pack with Adam Copeland felt like a grand finale, the game still receives balance patches.
The "Stadium Stampede" mode—that 30-person Battle Royale—is where the roster really gets to shine. It doesn't matter if the roster is "out of date" when you're riding a horse across a football field trying to hit Jay White with a t-shirt cannon.
How to Maximize Your Roster Experience
If you're just jumping in now, don't just stick to the default movesets. The "Create-A-Wrestler" (CAW) suite is notoriously limited compared to WWE 2K, but the community has found ways to bridge the gap.
- Check the Shop: Use the "AEW Cash" you earn from matches to buy different attires. Some characters have "Gold" versions that look ridiculous but are fun for local multiplayer.
- Download the DLC: Honestly, the game feels incomplete without Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland. If you find a "Complete Edition" or the "Season Pass Bundle," grab it.
- Experiment with Tag Teams: The game shines in tag team wrestling. Pairing FTR against The Young Bucks feels exactly how it should.
The AEW Fight Forever roster is a weird, wonderful, and slightly messy collection of wrestling talent. It’s not perfect, and it’s definitely missing some of the stars who have risen to the top of the company in the last year. But as a love letter to the first five years of All Elite Wrestling, it hits the mark.
To get the most out of your game, focus on completing the "Road to Elite" mode with at least three different character types (Power, Flyer, and Technician). This unlocks the hidden storylines and the currency needed to fill out your shop. Once you've unlocked Owen Hart and Paul Wight, head into the CAW suite to tweak the logic of your favorite stars; it makes the AI much more challenging in high-level matches.