An Avatar: The Last Airbender AAA action-RPG is in development

A new AAA action-RPG based on the hit Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender is in the works. As per a report from IGN, Paramount Game Studios, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive and a new team called Avatar Studios will be collaborating on the upcoming project.

According to the report, the new game will be “the biggest video game in franchise history“. Unlike the recently-released Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance, which was very faithful to the events of the show, this upcoming game will be a prequel taking place thousands of years in the past where players play as an “all-new, never-before-seen Avatar“. The developers promise that the game will include “a vibrant world” in which the player will get to “master all four elements, engage in dynamic combat alongside companions, and experience the challenges and decisions that come with being the keeper of balance in the world“.

“We know loyal fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender have been eager for more stories that bring them into the universe of the show, and through gaming, we’re able to expand the world-building and allow fans to experience the new content in a completely immersive way,” stated Doug Rosen, SVP, Games and Emerging Media at Paramount in the announcement. “Saber Interactive has a proven track record in bringing IP-based games to life, and we are excited to co-fund this AAA title alongside them and let fans experience this world first-hand.”

“At Saber, we are all truly fans of the IP we work with,” said Josh Austin, Head of IP Development & Licensing, Saber Interactive. “Our team members are some of the most devoted, passionate creatives out there and it’s an honor to join forces with Avatar Studios and Paramount Games to further expand the Avatar Legends universe in video games. This unique co-fund structure is a result of our ever-expanding collaboration with Paramount, which started over a decade ago with WWZ, and we’re excited for all that’s on the horizon.”

Although Avatar: The Last Airbender has had numerous video game adaptations across multiple console generations since the show debuted, they’ve rarely received particularly glowing reception. With a well-realised world, over-the-top fantastical martial arts action and emotional storytelling, there’s no reason that a great game CAN’T be made from the property. With Saber Interactive having received a lot of recent acclaim for Space Marine 2, Avatar: The Last Airbender is in good hands with the team that is working on it.

This game is still in early development, so it is unlikely we will hear more for a while. For Avatar fans looking for something to play in the meantime, Maximum Games is working on a The Last Airbender fighting game, set to release in Early Access in 2025.