Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

[Steve_OS]

The President of EA Sports, Peter Moore has posted another blog, where he asks... Is Boxing Dead?

Of course he brings in a little Fight Night Champion flavor into the mix. Check it out.

"I hear the question often - Is boxing dead? My answer is always an emphatic no.

Is the sport challenged by declining interest, a lack of bona fide superstars (sorry Manny) and the growth of mixed martial arts? Absolutely. Does the sport miss the dynamic legends of the past, like Ali, Frazier, Foreman and Holmes? Of course. As a lifetime fight fan, I will always remember as a young boy listening to the big fights from America on a transistor radio under my pillow at night. Those were the days when there was no bigger global sporting event than a world heavyweight championship fight. While title fights still routinely generate tens of millions of pay-per-view dollars and are watched by millions, the sport of boxing clearly is not the cultural fixture it once was. But, let me be clear, boxing’s not dead."

[Vast]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

Well at least now we know where the story mode idea came from.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

Don't know too much about this, but can you create a boxer in the story mode? Or are you stuck with the default character?

[BlueNGold]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

Don't know too much about this, but can you create a boxer in the story mode? Or are you stuck with the default character?

Stuck with the default guy. Legacy is for created boxers.

I would have much rather they focused all of this effort on Legacy Mode than some pre-determined story mode, but it is what it is.

[Vast]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

Stuck with the default guy. Legacy is for created boxers.

I would have much rather they focused all of this effort on Legacy Mode than some pre-determined story mode, but it is what it is.

Exactly! Peter Moore says "Gamers are looking for innovation, and, in boxing, we have a unique opportunity to tell the stories behind the game and to bring the participants to life as characters, not just players. The sport of boxing gives us a chance to create a true cinematic sports experience."

Why not create an organic legacy mode that has these elements sprinkled in. We would all be blown away. everyone.

Starcraft is such a deep and intricate game that still sells millions. Why does EA think simple is best? That things can't be too difficult, "can't add too much depth, it'll scare away the casuals."

[NYG_Meth]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

Exactly! Peter Moore says "Gamers are looking for innovation, and, in boxing, we have a unique opportunity to tell the stories behind the game and to bring the participants to life as characters, not just players. The sport of boxing gives us a chance to create a true cinematic sports experience."

Why not create an organic legacy mode that has these elements sprinkled in. We would all be blown away. everyone.

Starcraft is such a deep and intricate game that still sells millions. Why does EA think simple is best? That things can't be too difficult, "can't add too much depth, it'll scare away the casuals."

I hear ya, brutha...

[Money99]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

Exactly! Peter Moore says "Gamers are looking for innovation, and, in boxing, we have a unique opportunity to tell the stories behind the game and to bring the participants to life as characters, not just players. The sport of boxing gives us a chance to create a true cinematic sports experience."

Why not create an organic legacy mode that has these elements sprinkled in. We would all be blown away. everyone.

Starcraft is such a deep and intricate game that still sells millions. Why does EA think simple is best? That things can't be too difficult, "can't add too much depth, it'll scare away the casuals."

Exactly. I hope that's something they'll be doing down the road.

[eye guy]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

I didn't read the article but instead decided to answer the question in the title... Is boxing dead?

No. It is very much alive in the lighter weights, but it's struggling mostly in the HW division. Any boxing follower/supporter would've said the same thing.

[LingeringRegime]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

"can't add too much depth, it'll scare away the casuals."

Holy ****, he actually said that?!?!? Nevermind doesn't surprise me.

[GamerzIgnite]

no idea why there is so much hate for the story mode. personally i loved the Road to Wrestlemania mode...which is basically the same thing. Plus in SvR theres still the normal CAW career and they are fine as 2 different things.

looking forward to this story mode thing, for sure.

[TheCreep]

Holy ****, he actually said that?!?!? Nevermind doesn't surprise me.

Lets stop it before it starts lol. No he didn't say that.

[BlueNGold]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

no idea why there is so much hate for the story mode. personally i loved the Road to Wrestlemania mode...which is basically the same thing. Plus in SvR theres still the normal CAW career and they are fine as 2 different things.

looking forward to this story mode thing, for sure.

I don't hate the idea of adding a Story Mode. To be honest it looks pretty decent and is a nice new addition to the game.

I do however hate the idea of adding it when there is still so much left to add to the Legacy Mode. I just feel they could have spent all that time they put towards Champion Mode into Legacy Mode, so that we could get a Legacy Mode like some of those older (I think) Japanese boxing games.

[Dazraz]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

I didn't read the article but instead decided to answer the question in the title... Is boxing dead?

No. It is very much alive in the lighter weights, but it's struggling mostly in the HW division. Any boxing follower/supporter would've said the same thing.

The Heavyweight division has been dead since the fall of Mike Tyson. Unfortunately it's at this weight that boxing in general is judged. If the HW division is on a downer then so is boxing.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

This blog is an example of how video games work. Here we have an executive of EA Sports telling us why they went with this version of Fight Night, and if you read everything in its context, it's not a bad move at all.

A for-profit company is going to always be challenged with increasing revenue. Moore's question, "Is boxing dead," tells us that they can't trust the sport itself to sell the game. That's completely understandable. We aren't here on the release of a new system, where FN3 was, showing us graphics we've never seen before and that alone being the foundation of a big seller. Now EA is challenged with a less popular sport (among gamers) and they have to do something to catch the eye of the consumer.

I think the Champion Mode is a step in the right direction. It's also nice to see Moore comment on the broken stamina system that hurt FN4's online mode. At first I read the blog as an obvious PR stunt to promote FNC in a positive light, but in its context, what he writes shows us what probably goes on from the top down. The pressures are there to seel the game, while the developers try to make the game a solid representation of the sport.

[Phobia]

Re: Peter Moore Blog: Is Boxing Dead?

This blog is an example of how video games work. Here we have an executive of EA Sports telling us why they went with this version of Fight Night, and if you read everything in its context, it's not a bad move at all.

A for-profit company is going to always be challenged with increasing revenue. Moore's question, "Is boxing dead," tells us that they can't trust the sport itself to sell the game. That's completely understandable. We aren't here on the release of a new system, where FN3 was, showing us graphics we've never seen before and that alone being the foundation of a big seller. Now EA is challenged with a less popular sport (among gamers) and they have to do something to catch the eye of the consumer.

I think the Champion Mode is a step in the right direction. It's also nice to see Moore comment on the broken stamina system that hurt FN4's online mode. At first I read the blog as an obvious PR stunt to promote FNC in a positive light, but in its context, what he writes shows us what probably goes on from the top down. The pressures are there to seel the game, while the developers try to make the game a solid representation of the sport.

Always love your writings Dave, our outlook on the gaming industry always have been pretty similar.