What a year for fight fans as boxing made its return to consoles everywhere with FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 this year. Rumours flew in '08 about the upcoming title and speculation fueled on which fighter would grace the cover of the game. At the beginning of this year (actually late last year), it was revealed that the decision would come down between two of the greatest fighters of all time, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. We would put it to a poll and after months of voting, the people wanted nothing more than to see them both on the cover. Check out the Ali vs Tyson trailer which gave fans their first look at the game.
Prior to the game shipping we would hear from many of the producers on the team who discussed features in the game, environments, character design, and even some of the authentic gear that boxing fans hoped to see in the game. For more videos, check out the Video Media Player which includes Producer Videos, real life looks at some of the boxers in the game in our Sweet Science series, and gameplay videos.
The first lucky people to get a look at the game were some of the most hardcore boxing video game fans who were invited to EA Canada to meet the development team and provide their feedback at the FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 Community Event. They were in for more than just a feedback session however as the invites got the chance to meet the Latin Snake, Sergio Mora and Welterweight Champ Shane Mosley. Some of the community leaders even got 'lucky' enough to get in the ring with Mora for a few rounds of sparring. Check out FIGHT NIGHT forums moderator POETICDRINK2U's first impressions of the game here.
Gamers would truly be able to Get in the Game as the team featured the Photo Game Face application to the delight of fight fans everywhere. Check out the video on Game Face and Boxer Customization along with the Producer Blog on Photo Game Face.
Having Mike Tyson as one of the two cover athletes was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the game. He was just as thrilled to be in the game after a long hiatus away from video games. Check out his interview on ESPN where he talks about being in FIGHT NIGHT Round 4. We also had the pleasure of hosting the LA and New York premiere of the critically acclaimed documentary Tyson that gave fans a chance to hear about Mike from his own words. Here's a look at my review of the film.
As the long awaited launch of FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 approached, early reviews came in and the critics agreed that the game was going to be nothing short than a Knock-Out! Fans in Hollywood were treated with a chance to get their hands on the game first during the game's launch event dubbed the Showdown on Sunset at the House of Blues. Stars and fans alike took to the sticks as Mike Tyson, Sergio Mora, Shane Mosley, and Snoop Dogg as Malice exchanged virtual blows on the big screen. Check out the recap of the event here.
For fight fans looking for the upper hand, check out the Tips and Tricks page. Obviously those that got the tips down were highlighted in our Main Event and Ultimate KO videos.
The game wouldn't end after ship however as the development team was dedicated to ensuring the best in game quality with game improving title updates and more boxers and more content. This would continue even six months later as the team currently works to get Champions Pack II out for fans as we speak. For all the DLC info, check out the blogs here and the latest podcast from the producers here.
So on behalf of the FIGHT NIGHT Round 4 team, I'd like to thank everyone for their support of the game this year and wish everyone a fantastic Holiday Season and Happy New Year!