AFL 23

AFL 23 PC is a licensed Australian rules football simulation from Big Ant Studios, published by Nacon. The current Steam listing still uses the name AFL 23; no verified rebrand, definitive-edition rename, or storefront transition was found. Its main appeal is direct control over AFL and AFLW matches combined with club management, tactical decision-making, and deep community creation tools.

This is a niche sports game built for players who want Australian football rather than an American football or association football substitute. It is also one of the few PC releases that combines licensed AFL competition content with an on-field control model, management career, local multiplayer, online play, and editable teams and stadiums.

How AFL 23 plays on PC

The match loop revolves around reading space, moving the ball quickly, and choosing when to risk possession. You handball through traffic, kick toward leading targets, contest marks, tackle ball carriers, and try to create scoring chances before the opposition can reset its defensive shape.

Marking contests, ruck contests, set shots, tackles, clearances, and player switching give each phase a different timing demand. A successful ruck hit-out can start a clearance chain, while a poor kick can immediately turn into pressure at the other end.

The game is presented from an on-field sports camera rather than a management-only view. A later gameplay update added a third-person camera option for set kicks and marks, giving players another way to read the angle before attempting a shot or restart.

It is not an arcade game where every possession becomes a straight sprint to goal. Positioning, stamina, interchange decisions, and the strengths of individual players matter. The most effective attacks usually come from recognizing a lead early instead of forcing a spectacular kick into a crowded contest.

Licensed teams, player traits, and tactical identity

All 18 AFL and AFLW teams are represented, with more than 1,200 modeled players connected to individual skills and traits powered by Champion Data. The result is a roster structure that aims to make team selection meaningful rather than treating every footballer as a cosmetic variation.

Player traits are important because they shape how a team functions on the field. Speed, contested strength, kicking ability, marking, and other attributes influence whether a player is better suited to carrying the ball, winning possession in traffic, defending space, or finishing inside 50.

Big Ant Studios also built the game around coach-influenced gameplans. These plans provide a tactical framework for how players react and structure themselves, although the practical value depends on how much control you want to take during a match.

The presentation is supported by licensed stadiums and a broadcast-style commentary team including Anthony Hudson, Jason Bennett, Kelli Underwood, Garry Lyon, and Daniel Harford. That helps AFL 23 feel like a specific Australian football product rather than a generic sports engine with different uniforms.

Management career and the real single-player structure

Management Career is the central long-term mode for players who prefer running a club rather than controlling every moment of a single match. You recruit, draft, develop players, manage contracts and personnel, and make tactical decisions while pursuing premiership success.

The mode is closer to a club-management layer attached to a playable sports simulation than to a full player-life career. You guide the team across multiple seasons, but you do not create one athlete and follow that individual through a traditional player career.

That distinction is one of the most important catalog facts. Players searching for a single-player football journey, a detailed player progression story, or a modern career mode built around one created star should not assume those features are included.

Gameplay sliders were added for Play Now, Seasons, and Career Mode, allowing players to adjust aspects of on-field behavior and tune the experience toward a preferred level of realism or accessibility. Quick interchange and manual interchange options also give coaches more control over substitutions.

Academy creation tools and community content

The most distinctive PC-friendly system is the Academy. It allows players to create and share custom clubs, players, guernseys, and stadiums, turning AFL 23 into more than a fixed licensed roster.

Academy content is useful for players who want to rebuild a competition, invent a fictional club, recreate a local side, or experiment with alternate team identities. The creation tools also provide a longer-term activity after the official competitions have become familiar.

However, custom content should not be confused with unrestricted access across every mode. Some created assets and mode-specific teams have limitations, so players should view Academy primarily as a creation and sharing ecosystem rather than a guarantee that every custom item can replace official career content.

This is where AFL 23 has a clear identity among sports simulations. Players who enjoy the club-building and editable-roster side of Big Ant's sports simulations with custom teams and management layers like Rugby 25 will recognize the design philosophy, even though the rules and match flow are entirely different.

Content model, Pro Team, and storefront realities

AFL 23 is a paid base game on Steam, not a free-to-play download. The current storefront also flags in-game purchases and chance-based in-game purchases, which is relevant for players evaluating the game's card-oriented Pro Team ecosystem.

Pro Team is separate from the standard AFL 23 team and career structure. Its squad-building model is based around collecting player cards and forming a custom side for that mode, rather than freely transferring the created team into Management Career or ordinary match types.

The key content gap is that AFL 23 does not offer the same kind of player career or broad story-driven progression found in larger annual sports franchises. Its replay value instead comes from match mastery, club management, roster decisions, online competition, and Academy experimentation.

Players interested in a different Big Ant approach can compare that structure with licensed sports management games such as Cricket 26: The Official Game of the Ashes, where roster planning and match control operate within a different sport's tactical rhythm.

PC features, multiplayer, and localization

The PC version is distributed through Steam and lists single-player, online PvP, shared or split-screen PvP, shared or split-screen co-op, and cross-platform multiplayer. Steam also lists Remote Play Together, Steam Cloud, achievements, and Family Sharing.

Controller support is listed as partial controller support, so a gamepad is the safer choice for players who want precise movement, tackling, marking, ruck timing, and set-shot control. The Steam listing does not present AFL 23 as a keyboard-focused sports experience.

Localization is limited to English interface, English audio, and English subtitles. The commentary and on-field presentation are therefore aimed primarily at English-speaking players, with no verified broader subtitle or voice-language package in the current PC listing.

There is no verified anti-cheat product or separate third-party launcher identified in the storefront information reviewed. The practical PC ecosystem is centered on Steam features and the game's own online services rather than a documented external launcher requirement.

Who should play AFL 23?

AFL 23 suits players who already understand Australian rules football or are willing to learn its spacing, possession chains, contested marks, and rapid changes of direction. Fans of the AFL and AFLW licenses will get considerably more from the roster authenticity than players approaching it as a generic sports title.

It is also a good fit for players who like management career decisions, adjustable gameplay settings, local multiplayer, or community-created teams. The Academy gives the game an unusual amount of flexibility for a licensed sports release.

Players seeking a polished blockbuster sports package, a deep player-career story, or a highly structured training mode should set expectations carefully. The game has a narrower focus, and its strongest long-term hooks are club control, competitive matches, and creation tools rather than cinematic progression.

AFL 23 FAQ

Is AFL 23 still called AFL 23 on PC?

Yes. The current Steam storefront continues to list the game as AFL 23. No verified rebrand or replacement PC edition was found during the storefront check.

Who developed and published AFL 23?

Big Ant Studios developed AFL 23 and Nacon published it. The game is part of the officially licensed AFL video game line.

Does AFL 23 include AFLW teams?

Yes. The licensed content includes all 18 AFL and AFLW teams, along with more than 1,200 modeled players whose skills and traits influence their roles on the field.

Does AFL 23 have a player career mode?

No traditional single-player athlete career is listed as part of the game's structure. Its main long-term single-player option is Management Career, where you control recruiting, drafting, development, contracts, and match-day decisions for a club.

Can you play AFL 23 with friends on PC?

Yes. Steam lists online PvP, shared or split-screen PvP, shared or split-screen co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, and Remote Play Together. A controller is the practical input choice for local and online matches.

Can you create teams and stadiums?

Yes. The Academy Tools support custom players, clubs, guernseys, and stadiums, with options to share community creations. Availability and use can vary by game mode.

What language does the PC version support?

The current Steam listing identifies English for the interface, full audio, and subtitles. No additional PC localization package is listed.