Explore the world of LGBTQ+ inclusive video games with “Avatar Legends”

Dare I say 2026 is the “Year of Avatar”? No, not James Cameron’s blue space colonizers, but the animated Avatar series from Paramount and Nickelodeon. After launching a brand-new film this summer and announcing a new installment airing this October, the 21-year-old franchise has never felt fresher.

​After several misfires and hollow attempts at a fun video game adaptation, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game has arrived to knock your socks off with a lore-accurate, combat-heavy play experience. In addition to boasting beautiful hand-drawn animation and callbacks for true fans, the game is receiving hype for its virtually unheard-of roster, with 16 percent of playable characters being queer.

​Two of the 12 characters, Korra and Kyoshi, are proud members of the queer community. Kyoshi, who is in a romantic relationship with fierce firebender Rangi, even appears in-game to power up Kyoshi’s moves to deliver devastating destruction. This month, a comic book titled Avatar Legends: Masters of the Elements Volume 1 ties into the video game and features a sapphic short story about Kyoshi and Rangi.

​Avatar takes place in a fantasy world where some people can control the elements of water, fire, earth or air. The show follows the all-powerful Avatar, who can bend all four elements on their mission to maintain balance throughout the world. The Avatar reincarnates after death, which is how the series first had Kyoshi and, later, Korra.

​This series notably tackles themes of war and unending grief and boldly explores the consequences of genocide, as the militant Fire Nation wiped out the peaceful Airbenders. Avatar taught a generation of viewers that it’s worth working together to fight back against oppression and to promote peace when the world champions chaos.

​In its time, Avatar has introduced a small but meaningful cast of queer characters. The titular avatar in Avatar: The Legend of Korra goes on a bisexual relationship journey. Between fighting bending terrorists and other baddies, Korra proudly ends up romantically involved with her female friend Asami Sato. The two women finish the fourth season by walking into a magic portal together, holding hands and starting something special.

​The game’s iconic queer characters, Korra and Kyoshi, are playable in the new Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. The 2D gameplay runs similarly to that of classic Street Fighter. Each challenge is a one-on-onebattle, with a health bar at the top of the screen and with the winner being whoever outlasts the other.

The game features several modes, including both local and online versus modes, a single-player campaign with an original narrative, combo trials, and a gallery mode. The single-player campaign was created by one of the show’s original writers, but turns out to be a bit goofy in its execution. To bring characters together who don’t actually exist at the same time was a tough challenge, and although the original narrative blends everyone together in a fun, fan fiction-like way, plenty were still hungry for more from this mega-meaty franchise’s first foray into fighting games.

It’s evident that the creators of this game not only understand the timeless source, but appreciate it. Character abilities vary drastically to make each member distinctly different, and the variety of fighting moves reflects impressive feats fans have seen from the show. Hyper-specific references will make the OG fans, those who’ve been around since the early days of gaming, happy as they run through the roster of fearsome fighters.

​The super-speedy gameplay is perfect for genre-lovers who have experience dishing out fast-paced button combos, but amateur players should be wary of the steep learning curve on the road to mastery. To improve, the game offers an incredibly in-depth tutorial that accurately times and rates each click to prepare the player for battle. 

​Play as Kyoshi and Korra to channel their avatar energy, along with their queer spirit, to take down those who oppose you in Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.

This video game is now available for purchase on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch (with Switch 2 compatibility coming in October).