“Fight Night Champion” EA sport’s latest game in the ever popular fight night boxing series is set to be the first fight night game rated M for mature By the ESRB regulatory body (which basically means the game will probably be classified as “18” over here in the U.K.)
Now admittedly, a sport which primarily revolves around “Punching dudes in the face” is of course going to be a violent one, however they don’t call it the “sweet science” for nothing.
The fight night series has for a long time been admired by the industry as the truest representation of Boxing outside of actually stepping in the ring yourself.
The games have always placed a heavy emphasis on technique, punishing those attempting to blindly attack without thought or patience.
However, despite the use of skill, EA is determined to tout the games new “dynamic blood” and “realistic body damage” as the game’s true selling point.
“Experience the violence and brutality that is true to the trade”.
These things might genuinely be impressive but as you read the press release which makes no real mention of the core gameplay innovations or the new inclusion of gripping a story mode you have to ask yourself “Is this what people want?” Is excessive blood and severe facial deformation the key to increased sales? Only the final sales numbers can really say, but with the Runaway success of THQ’s “UFC Undisputed” fighting game series which has managed to sell over 3 million units over the 2 years that the franchise has been in existence, perhaps it’s no wonder why EA would decide to change tactics and appeal to the blood lust in the modern gamer.
Let’s just hope the final product knows how to pack an impressive punch in the marketplace
(see what I did there?)
