Skip to main content

EP. 118 – Do Fans Really Know What They Want in a Boxing Game? Or Is That Just an Excuse?

 

EP. 118 – Do Fans Really Know What They Want in a Boxing Game? Or Is That Just an Excuse?


“One of the most common things you hear whenever fans criticize a boxing game is this phrase:
‘Fans don’t know what they want.’

But today, I want to challenge that.

Is that actually true… or is it something people say to dismiss feedback they don’t want to deal with?”

Pause.

“Because boxing fans have been very specific for decades.
And if you look at the history of boxing games, you’ll see innovation didn’t come from ignoring fans — it came from listening to them.”

Segment 1 – Do Fans Know What They Want? Or Is That a Cop-Out?

Talking Point

The phrase “fans don’t know what they want” is often used as a shield, not a fact.

Question

Do fans really not know what they want in a boxing game?

Answer

Fans absolutely know what they want — what they don’t know is how to code it.

There’s a difference.

Fans consistently ask for:

  • Responsive controls

  • Realistic stamina and fatigue

  • Fighters that behave differently

  • Smart AI, not input reading

  • Authentic pacing and punishment

Those are design goals, not vague wishes.

What people confuse is:

  • Fans disagreeing on implementation

  • With fans being wrong about direction

Every genre evolves because fans push it.

Question

So why do developers or defenders say fans don’t know what they want?

Answer

Because it’s easier than admitting:

  • The tech isn’t there yet

  • The budget wasn’t allocated correctly

  • The team lacks genre-specific experience

  • Or the design direction is locked too early

Saying “fans don’t know what they want” reframes criticism as ignorance instead of feedback.

Segment 2 – Undisputed: Where Is It Now, and Where Does It Go From Here?

Talking Point

Undisputed is not a failure — but it’s not finished either.

Question

What did Undisputed get right?

Answer

A lot, actually:

  • Real boxing stances and foot placement

  • Slower, more deliberate pacing

  • Visual authenticity

  • Licensed fighters and arenas

  • A foundation that could support realism

It proved there’s still a serious appetite for boxing games.

Question

Where did Undisputed fall short?

Answer

In systems, not presentation.

  • AI behavior feels layered, not organic

  • Punch selection lacks intent

  • Defense often feels reactive, not predictive

  • Career mode depth is limited

  • Fighters don’t fully express their personalities

The issue isn’t that the game is “bad” — it’s that it hasn’t evolved fast enough after release.

Question

Where does Undisputed go from here?

Answer

It has two paths:

Path One:

  • Lean into accessibility

  • Shallow systems

  • Faster matches

  • Esports-style balance

Path Two:

  • Deep AI profiles

  • True tendencies and traits

  • Dynamic fatigue and damage

  • Fighters that adapt mid-fight

  • Career mode that actually simulates boxing life

The second path is harder — but it’s the one fans are asking for.

Segment 3 – Boxing Games of the Past: What Did They Innovate?

Talking Point

Boxing games didn’t survive by accident — they evolved.

Question

What did earlier boxing games do that mattered?

Answer

They took risks.

  • Fight Night Round 2–3 introduced analog punching

  • Fight Night Champion leaned into narrative and atmosphere

  • Knockout Kings focused on fundamentals and ring positioning

  • Older games emphasized timing over spam

They weren’t perfect — but they moved the genre forward.

Question

Why do people still talk about Fight Night Champion?

Answer

Because it felt complete.

  • Clear vision

  • Polished systems

  • Cohesive experience

  • Fighters felt different

It didn’t need excuses.

Segment 4 – Why I Don’t Support Fight Night Forever

Talking Point

Mods are not the same as development.

Question

Why don’t you support Fight Night Forever?

Answer

Because it’s built on someone else’s finished work.

Modding can be impressive — but:

  • It doesn’t advance the genre

  • It doesn’t solve design limitations

  • It can’t fundamentally change AI architecture

  • It relies on nostalgia, not innovation

Reskins and tweaks aren’t a roadmap for the future.

Question

But doesn’t it prove fans want boxing games?

Answer

Yes — but that was never in question.

The problem is when mods are used as a weapon to dismiss real development:

  • “Look, fans are happy with this”

  • “Why build something new?”

  • “Why invest in deeper systems?”

That mindset stalls progress.

Segment 5 – The Bigger Issue: Dismissing Feedback

Talking Point

The boxing game genre is too small to ignore its core audience.

Question

What happens when feedback is dismissed long-term?

Answer

You lose the people who care the most.

Casuals come and go.
Hardcore fans build communities.
They create longevity.

Ignoring them doesn’t grow the genre — it shrinks it.

Question

So what should developers actually listen to?

Answer

Patterns, not noise.

If thousands of fans repeat:

  • “AI feels dumb”

  • “Fighters feel the same”

  • “Career mode lacks depth”

That’s not complaining — that’s data.


“Fans don’t always agree.
But disagreement doesn’t mean ignorance.

Boxing games exist today because fans kept asking for more realism, more depth, and more respect for the sport.

If developers stop listening — or worse, dismiss feedback as entitlement — the genre doesn’t evolve.
It stagnates.”

Pause.

“And the real question isn’t whether fans know what they want.

The real question is whether studios are willing to build it.”

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment