Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

[SHAKYR]

This is a writing MMChrisS had did. It's very interesting to me.


Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

Fight Night Round 4 is coming later this year, which should be very exciting news for boxing fans the world over. Unfortunately, in a sport where exclusivity doesn't make sense, where is the competition?

That is a question that was recently posed to me and as I started to look, I began to draw a few conclusions of my own. Why aren't there more boxing games? Here are a two very good, practical, and very related reasons I could come up with:

1)The sport itself is in a severe downturn and has no marketable names. Since the interest in boxing overall has waned significantly across America, and since there isn't anyone worthy of marketing the game around (at least a current star) many companies probably balk at the ideal of making a boxing game with no real current interest in the sport.

2)Licensing the old names is costly. And if the lack of a modern set of stars wasn't enough, licensing former greats such as Tyson, Ali, Foreman, etc. is not a cheap task. Only the biggest of the big in the sports gaming universe (EA) has been willing to pony up the money for so many former greats. It also doesn't bode well for the sport that all of the most marketable names in boxing are either retired (Ali/Tyson), dead (Joe Louis, James Braddock) or fictional (Rocky Balboa).

So what can companies do to make a boxing game that is marketable, profitable and realistic enough to compete with Fight Night? Let's hear your thoughts!

[TheCreep]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

Thats a good question man. With the history 2k has with sports titles, I was really expecting Prizefighter to smash on FNRnd3. I dont know, maybe another developer will give it try.

My two favorite titles at the moment are Victorious Road and Fight Night 2004. After going back and playing FN 2004, I cant play Rnd 3 anymore, **** is extremely slow and plodding. Seems like we'll be getting the speed back in Rnd4 though. Now all we need is CAB and career mode to rival Victorious Road, and it seems like Rnd4 might be a base for future Fight Nights reference deep career modes.

[TheCreep]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

As far as what companies can do to compete with FN, I think a boxing game with all fictional boxers (lowers the budget of the bat) and a deep create a boxer mode for users to create whoever they want, might do well.

[SHAKYR]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

As far as what companies can do to compete with FN, I think a boxing game with all fictional boxers (lowers the budget of the bat) and a deep create a boxer mode for users to create whoever they want, might do well.

I totally agree.

[Complex]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

Well while I like the idea of dumping real boxers in the name of more dollars for development, it would make the game less appealing to the masses. Boxing can help itself by continuing doing what it is doing and that is getting names guys in the ring for good fights. Diaz vs Marquez, Mosley vs Margarito etc.

I would like a pure representation of the boxing, and I think FN4 is a HUGE step in that direction.

[wepeeler]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

The problem with making the game less appealing to the masses is less $ for the developers. That will never fly...

Unfortunately, the hardcore boxing fans like us suffer because we know what the sport is really like. Putting that into a video game would probably bore the masses (ie clinching in heavyweights). I would also love a pure representation of boxing and I agree that R4 is getting awfully close...

[TheCreep]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

Actually, a game with a deep CAB mode and all fictional boxers could work for the masses. I think the only thing needed would be a cover star. So the devs could pay one boxer to be on the cover and the rest would be fictional within the game.

[Money99]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

I think if this game does very well, you'll see more.

There's a lot more Tennis games today thanks to Virtua Tennis.
Hopefully FN4 can do the same.

Actually, a game with a deep CAB mode and all fictional boxers could work for the masses. I think the only thing needed would be a cover star. So the devs could pay one boxer to be on the cover and the rest would be fictional within the game.

I agree. And if you think about it, I bet 75% of the people who are going to buy this game won't even recognize more than 5 of the current fighters in this game.

[IStillDoWhatIDo]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

My opinion as an extremely casual boxing "fan" (if I can even call myself that).

Boxing has no stars and no one who can draw attention to the sport. I don't know if it's because we were spoiled by the KO antics of Mike Tyson or what, but there hasn't been a dominant force that can garner attention to the sport since. Well, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Oscar succeeded in this, but one is "retired" and the other is aging.

Not to mention that a lot of the competitors and champions are foreigners who may not even know english. How can a kid look up to a champion who doesn't even know english. How can you market that type of champion???

Coming from a CASUAL FAN, there seems to be too much parity. There needs to be a boxer to transcend the sport who is a FORCE (a Tiger Woods), young, american (marketable), maybe cocky, or a heroic. basically, there is poor marketing with boxing.

Boxing is a sport that actually feeds off of its video games because I know that my friends and I learned from Fight Night about boxers that already existed in "real life"

[Money99]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

My opinion as an extremely casual boxing "fan" (if I can even call myself that).

Boxing has no stars and no one who can draw attention to the sport. I don't know if it's because we were spoiled by the KO antics of Mike Tyson or what, but there hasn't been a dominant force that can garner attention to the sport since. Well, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Oscar succeeded in this, but one is "retired" and the other is aging.

Not to mention that a lot of the competitors and champions are foreigners who may not even know english. How can a kid look up to a champion who doesn't even know english. How can you market that type of champion???

Coming from a CASUAL FAN, there seems to be too much parity. There needs to be a boxer to transcend the sport who is a FORCE (a Tiger Woods), young, american (marketable), maybe cocky, or a heroic. basically, there is poor marketing with boxing.

Boxing is a sport that actually feeds off of its video games because I know that my friends and I learned from Fight Night about boxers that already existed in "real life"

Absolutely. The sport does have some really great fighters, but sadly not any that are house-hold names, or more importantly, in the heavyweight division.

Truth be told, I have no doubt the next Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali is out there. But he's probably playing middle linebacker and draining 3's on an outside basketball court.

There's far more security and less physical risk in football and basketball than boxing.
Meanwhile, the European countries are cranking out champions like a factory. Because those athletes are given everything needed to them by their schools, army or government, they can afford to pursue boxing as a way to make a very good living.
Tell that to little Sam in Brooklyn who isn't given healthcare or a scholarship and has to deal with crooked promoters who don't always have their best intentions in mind. No wonder he chose the gridiron as a way out instead of the squared circle.

[Vast]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

Absolutely. The sport does have some really great fighters, but sadly not any that are house-hold names, or more importantly, in the heavyweight division.

Truth be told, I have no doubt the next Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali is out there. But he's probably playing middle linebacker and draining 3's on an outside basketball court.

There's far more security and less physical risk in football and basketball than boxing.
Meanwhile, the European countries are cranking out champions like a factory. Because those athletes are given everything needed to them by their schools, army or government, they can afford to pursue boxing as a way to make a very good living.
Tell that to little Sam in Brooklyn who isn't given healthcare or a scholarship and has to deal with crooked promoters who don't always have their best intentions in mind. No wonder he chose the gridiron as a way out instead of the squared circle.

Great post. You have to be a special athlete with phenomenal athletic ability and be able to take insane amounts of punishment with an unstoppable work ethic. and having a granite chin would help as well.

Boxing is definitely the hard road to take, you have to love the sport to do it.
Someone that stands out in my mind that could've been a beast is Larry Johnson. Former new york Knick.

I remember hearing he was a former golden gloves. Dude was i think 6'7 solid 245. I could just imagine what kind of a career he could've had as a pro boxer.

[Money99]

Re: Boxing Games: Why aren't there more?

Great post. You have to be a special athlete with phenomenal athletic ability and be able to take insane amounts of punishment with an unstoppable work ethic. and having a granite chin would help as well.

Boxing is definitely the hard road to take, you have to love the sport to do it.
Someone that stands out in my mind that could've been a beast is Larry Johnson. Former new york Knick.

I remember hearing he was a former golden gloves. Dude was i think 6'7 solid 245. I could just imagine what kind of a career he could've had as a pro boxer.

That's exactly the kind of athlete I was thinking of too.
I think it was Manual Stewart who said he could have made Johnson a heavyweight champ. I wouldn't have doubted it if he could have made that happen.