In 2020, Australian developer Wicked Witch and publisher Tru Blu Games released a licensed Australian Rules Football game called AFL Evolution 2. Five years later it's now getting an unusual license-free re-release.
As spotted by Press Start, AFL Evolution 2 is getting a re-release on the Nintendo Switch called Aussie Rules Evolution 2. A retail listing for the game describes the game as having "no licensed teams, just pure fun and great gameplay," and screenshots included in the listing show generic uniforms and players.
AFL Evolution 2 was first released in 2020 on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and was the last licensed AFL game from Wicked Witch before the licensing rights were transferred to Nacon subsidiary Big Ant Studios, best known for its licensed cricket and tennis games. The game was subsequently pulled from digital storefronts in January 2023, shortly before the release of Big Ant's AFL 23.
At the time of writing, only a Nintendo Switch version of the game is available for preorder, with a retail release date of July 18, 2025, and no digital release has been announced, either on Switch or other platforms.
It comes shortly after the release of the next officially licensed AFL game from Big Ant Studios, AFL 26, which was released last month on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The game is also set to be released at a later date on Nintendo Switch 2.