If you are a boxing and video game fan, there is a good chance you’ve played a Fight Night game. The first Fight Night revolutionized the boxing game genre when it was first released in 2004, winning the hearts of many gamers with its fun yet realistic gameplay. Sadly, it’s been nearly a decade since we’ve seen a new addition to the franchise.
Even though there hasn't been a new entry since 2011's Fight Night Champion, the series still has quite a devoted following. But despite the fact that fans all over the world still play Champion, EA continues to ignore the series. Instead, EA has shifted its focus to the UFC games. While these games have their fair share of fans, they have never captured the same success as the Fight Night games.
According to EA, obtaining the proper licensing and boxer imaging rights was far too difficult to continue the series. The company could have to go through each individual boxer and promoter in order to gain their license, which gets expensive, especially when it comes to big names like Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson. Having the UFC license allows EA to use all these fighters. Since it didn't think Fight Night was making enough to warrant the price of buying individual licenses, EA abandoned Fight Night.
That being said, EA might have a renewed interest in the long-time boxing series. Over the last few years, EA has been dropping subtle hints about resurrecting Fight Night. Legendary boxer Lennox Lewis even stated that EA Sports is considering bringing the franchise to next-gen consoles. English boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has also implied that a new Fight Night might be on its way. EA hasn't responded to these rumors, but many boxing game fans remain optimistic.
Now would be the perfect time to finally reignite the Fight Night franchise. The success of the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight and the recent heavyweight championship bout between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have given boxing a much needed comeback. The YouTube celebrity boxing match featuring KSI and Logan Paul also exposed the sport to a new generation of potential boxing fans. EA would be smart to capitalize on boxing's recent spike in popularity.
Over the last decade, a lot of skillful young boxers have emerged. Boxers like Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr. are becoming household names among boxing fans, but none of the previous Fight Night games feature these newer fighters. Many boxing game enthusiasts would enjoy an updated roster featuring some of the new faces of the sport, and adding them would also appeal to younger fans who may have missed out on the previous Fight Night games.
With next-gen consoles set to hit store shelves this holiday season and only a few subpar boxing VR games on current systems, a new Fight Night game would be a great addition to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Improved graphics and updated online gameplay would take Fight Night to new heights. And, if EA included a deep storyline like it did in Fight Night Champion, fans of the series wouldn’t be able to get enough.
The Fight Night games will always be a favorite among boxing game fans, as evidenced by the fact that the nine year-old Fight Night Champion is still going strong. With a new generation of consoles on the way, now is a perfect time for EA to release another entry in this long-dormant but beloved series.