Avatar game creator assures fans it’s not ‘canceled,’ hints at July updates.
The Avatar series has faced a challenging year despite some exciting announcements. Following the leak of the upcoming film, Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, it was revealed that a highly anticipated AAA Avatar role-playing game in development at Saber Interactive has been canceled.
Originally announced in 2024, this Avatar game was set to offer a fresh narrative rather than featuring well-known characters like Aang and Korra. Players would have taken on the role of a “never-before-seen Avatar,” exploring a story set thousands of years in the past in an “unexplored area.” The game promised an immersive experience where players could master all four elements and engage in dynamic combat alongside companions.
Despite confirmation from a senior executive at Paramount Games Studio about the game’s cancellation, Bryan Konietzko, co-creator of the Avatar series, has a different perspective. In a recent social media post, he shared cover art for The Last Airbender’s soundtrack and expressed his frustration with Paramount.
“Despite what anyone without actual knowledge may be chirping about, that big video game—the premise of which I came up with—wasn’t ‘canceled,'” Konietzko stated. “Did it experience a big setback? Yep. These things are not easy (none of this is). Will it ever happen? Hopefully.” He also mentioned that more information would be revealed at San Diego Comic-Con, scheduled for July 23-26.
The situation surrounding the untitled Avatar game mirrors the fate of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin game, which was announced in 2023. Initially developed by Black Forest Games, the project was pulled back to the drawing board after the Paramount Skydance merger in 2024, with new collaboration now underway with PlatinumGames. Given that Konietzko refers to the Avatar game’s status as a “reset,” there’s still hope for this AAA title under the new leadership at Paramount Game Studio.
The conflicting reports add to the confusion, especially considering the tumultuous state of Paramount Skydance Corp., which is currently in the process of acquiring Warner Bros. As part of this deal, the company is reportedly contemplating selling Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network to satisfy European regulators concerned about over-consolidation in children’s entertainment. Since Avatar is a Nickelodeon property, it’s plausible that Paramount might sell its rights to the series soon. Even before these developments, others connected to the show have criticized Paramount’s leadership.
In response to the (possibly not quite) canceled game from Saber Interactive, Greg Baldwin, the voice of Uncle Iroh, labeled Paramount executives as “straight-up evil” and “soulless bastards” who “have nothing but contempt for a show about grace and redemption and the struggle against fascism.” This sentiment isn’t surprising, especially with the current leadership at Paramount being linked to the Ellison family, known for their ties to the Trump administration and a shift in CBS’s direction. Originally, Avatar – Aang: The Last Airbender was set for an earlier theatrical release, but the company opted for a streaming debut, which ultimately led to the leak. The good news is that the movie is still on track for release this year, specifically on October 9 on Paramount Plus.
In more positive news, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, which was also previously shelved by Paramount despite its potential, is set to launch even sooner, with a release date of July 23 from PM Studios. The untitled Avatar RPG might find itself in a similar situation to the fighting game, potentially falling into the hands of another developer who can bring it to completion.
