EA prototyping Fight Night Kinect

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 1 February, 2011

Would be a "totally different game".

EA Sports is investigating how a Kinect-enabled Fight Night game would work best for fans of the boxing game series – and has even conducted prototyping.

Fight Night Champion, due out next month and previewed this morning by Eurogamer's Will Porter, does not support Sony's Move controller or Microsoft's Kinect add-on.

"It's a little bit too twitch-based, not to mention the fact that standing on your feet for three minutes and throwing punches is something that, believe it or not, might be beyond the fitness level of most gamers!" gameplay producer Brian Hayes told Eurogamer in August last year– before both Move and Kinect launched.

Now, just weeks before the release of Fight Night Champion, producer Mike Mahar has told Eurogamer EA Sports is figuring out how to make a Kinect boxing game as we speak.

"It's an interesting proposition," he said. "Undeniably at some point we're going to want to integrate motion controls into our game somehow, whether that's in a mini-game or a separate game I don't know.

"Right now the best simulation experience we can give users is through a conventional controller. I also think that most of our users don't want to, and can't, punch for 10 rounds! I just don't think people are capable of it! If you're going to make a full fighting game it might be a different experience than a Fight Night or an MMA..."

Kinect, which enables Xbox 360 owners to control games with their bodies, is the fastest-selling consumer electronics device of all time.

While its launch line-up of games focused on mainstream gamers, Microsoft has promised to release games aimed squarely at the core gamer this year and beyond.

For Mahar, Kinect integration for Fight Night means more than mini-games - indeed it would probably lead to a separate release.

"It's definitely something we're looking at," he added. "We've done some pretty cool prototyping. It could perhaps be a mini-game embedded in. Then again with how precise and how robust the movement and motion controls are now, I think we'd be doing them a disservice if we simply said that our version of a motion control game is a mini-game within Fight Night.

"I think we'd best serve the community, if we're going to do anything ever, with a totally different game. That's the speculation on my part."

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #1 1 year ago

    Hmm a boxing game that doesnt use move or kinect when both are ideally suited to it, seems like a massive missed opportunity,

  • RoaringPanda #2 1 year ago

    Pretty please Mr. Hayes, I'll be your best frieeeennnd

  • mezzomorto #3 1 year ago

    And regards fitness levels, one could stagger the learning curve in easy stages, there's no need to throw someone into a 10 round fight from the word go...

  • StolenGlory #4 1 year ago

    "Beyond the fitness levels of most gamers..."

    The umbrage that I take at this stupid, stupid comment hasn't lessened at all in the last six months.

  • altitude2k #5 1 year ago

    I thought that the fitness comment was ridiculous when I first heard it last year, also. Punching into fresh air doesn't sound like an awful lot of work.

    Now, I'm by no means the fittest person on the planet, but I do take care of myself and do a decent amount of cardio (running, mostly) and strength-based exercise. In fact, I devote far more time to that than gaming per week. And even so, the boxing in Kinect Sports is absolutely shattering, especially the KO minigame. Care will need to be taken to ensure a decent level of progression with regards to the fitness levels of the gamer.

    So in fact, yes, I can definitely see their point. Anyone who takes offense, or thinks that comment is stupid really needs to try a short round of Kinect Sports boxing themselves. You would indeed by surprised.
    Edited by altitude2k at 01/02/11 @ 09:37

  • Desheep #6 1 year ago

    A game that not only potentially makes you swing your arms and punch for 10 rounds, but also trains you to be able to punch for 10 rounds?

    That to me is a far more appealing exercise than a step-aerobics game or using Wii-fit. Get to fucking work!

  • Toothball #7 1 year ago

    The other problem with this game would be the number of punched spectators. No matter how many warnings they put up, people are definitely going to get punched.

  • Jim_Lahey #8 1 year ago

    Try shadow boxing for 3 minutes. It is a superb cardio work out. Could work well in Fight Night, start off at 30 second rounds then work your way up. It is a known fact that hitting thin air will wear you out more than hitting a bag or mits.

    If EA are not able to work it into a full game , i can see it being added as a mini game, just like there is now but with kinect instead of a pad.

  • homerramone #9 1 year ago

    Course it would be a totally different game. Why add motion controlls to an existing product that they would suit perfectly when they can sell it for £40 AND sell the regular one :-)

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #10 1 year ago

    I have to say that the Boxing in Kinect Sports has turned out to be a bit of a favorite in two player. Having 1 to 1 control of your hands makes it a much better game than the Wii equivalent and gives me some hope that they could actually make a pretty decent boxing game.

    It's incredibly satisfiying twatting someone in the belly to lower their guard and then left hook, right hooking them to the ground!

    As for the fitness, anything that makes me forget a little bit that I'm working out would be a great thing in my book.

  • Geordiemp #11 1 year ago

    If someone does a non party / proper deep game for Kinect that gets > 8 and has more than say 6 hours of unique content I would buy one.

    My money is still safe for now.

  • Geordiemp #12 1 year ago

    @Spacemidget

    I remember seeing a you tube video where all you had to do was spin / roll your hands in front of you and you could not loose as system ciuld not 'keep up'....

    A bit like the dance move where you have both hands infront and to a forward wheel motion....

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #13 1 year ago

    @Geordiemp

    Maybe, but then you can also hum your way through Singstar, constantly shake the Marracas in Samba de Amigo, elbow your way through Double Dragon and sit in the top left of the screen holding fire in Afterburner SMS. Are you saying you just like to cheat your way through games?

    You can either play the game properly and have fun... or cheat.

  • coolbritannia #14 1 year ago

    mezzomorto, I had the exact same thought. And altitude is correct, shadow boxing is ridiculously tiring, I workout for 2 hours a time, 3 times a week, and I wouldn't get past round 3 as I am at the moment. If they made this properly it could be epic. A boxing game that spends more time training than it does fighting, it would be the first fight night game I've ever bought.

  • ThePissartist #15 1 year ago

    Instabuy.

  • ThePissartist #16 1 year ago

    Oh, I'm relatively fit (I exercise several times a week), but 30 mins of constant (frantic) punching would WIPE ME OUT.

  • hulkamania78 #17 1 year ago

    Gotta agree with the above I weight train 4-5 times a week, Football, Spinning classes, Body pump and swim twice a week but despite how hard I train nothing compares getting on a punch bag or sparring with someone for 5-10 mins the sweat is dripping off you no matter how hard u train. fatigue will set in no matter how fit you are.

    Being a fit freak I am interested the kinect boxing is good and responsive but being a real boxer using footwork etc would be immense in a game as long as there is no lag with the movements.

    Then again I am a MMA fan and have been for 15 years but I cant see myself grounding and pounding my mate in my living room on an UFC game no matter how responsive. Maybe these sort of games should be used more in gyms etc to get people in shape.

  • Shikasama #18 1 year ago

    StolenGlory - That's right, because the average gamer is just as fit as trained, athletic boxer. How dare he suggest otherwise! Fucking disgusting.

    If anyone who has ever been involve din any sort of combat sports can't see how 3 minutes of shadow boxing/ training drills, wouldn't completely knacker an average person who doesn't train that way then they are doing it wrong. Or are stupid.

  • Webbiker #19 1 year ago

    They wont give us kinect boxing or golf, the two sports that instatntly come to mind whent thinking about motion controlled games, but they do try to offer car racing and river racfting of all things.

  • lennon #20 1 year ago

    The number of people thinking they are having a heart attack when actually they have just strained a chest muscle is set to sky rocket.

    Kinect Sports Boxing is great fun in small bursts a full game based on it could be a little much for me.

  • coolbritannia #21 1 year ago

    lennon, you pussy.

  • busboy33 #22 1 year ago

    Ohm yes.

    Please dear God yes.

    Certainly it would kick my ass, conditioning-wise. That's a GOOD thing. Heck, even just training with a partner wearing target gloves would be fantastic. Jab, jab, duck, hook. Graph my speed . . . show me my progression. Count calories. I'd eat this sh*t up!

    Over the holidays, when my extended family got together I brought over my Kinect with Adventures and Fitness Evolved. Every one of the males in attendance, after playing with differnt bits, just wanted to go back to the STUPID "punch a block" minigame in Fitness Evolved . . . over and over and over. More than one said "is there an actual boxing game for this?"

    This could be a big seller. MS should get behind this ASAP . . . make their PR about how this is "hardcore" gaming that everybody can understand and play.

  • Machiavellian #23 1 year ago

    Hmm a boxing game that doesnt use move or kinect when both are ideally suited to it, seems like a massive missed opportunity,

    Actually I see it different. It would be very risky at the time of development to add in Kinect and Move controls to this game not know if they would be a success or if there would be significant amount of users for the added development time. I guess most gamers think that game development just happens and there isn't a cost vs feature for each game. For a niche game like FN, wasting unneeded development time on risky "What If" scenerios is how dev companies find themselves shutting down because they cannot recoup the cost for games that did not sell better than it took to make.

    Anyway it only makes sense that after Kinect has Sold over 8 million to start to consider the platform including the move with it's 4 + mill and growing.

  • Machiavellian #24 1 year ago

    mezzomorto, I had the exact same thought. And altitude is correct, shadow boxing is ridiculously tiring, I workout for 2 hours a time, 3 times a week, and I wouldn't get past round 3 as I am at the moment. If they made this properly it could be epic. A boxing game that spends more time training than it does fighting, it would be the first fight night game I've ever bought.

    What you describe is a fitness game. It would appeal to a lot of people who want a good workout while playing a game like Fight Night but it also would probably have just as many people who would not want all that activity and just want to beat up Ali with Tyson. Making such a game separate sounds like the best move and would definitely get my money. Making a kickboxing game along the same lines would be even better.

  • wildfish #25 1 year ago

    Wow, ur totally under estimating and stereotyping your audience! You have no idea who can box a three minute round, not thinking anyone of you could do it!!!. boxing is a great cardio and conditioning workout, as someone should have said before me, get ur fucking asses to the gym!!!!

  • dirtyvu #26 1 year ago

    I know in Kinect Sports boxing, I'm totally spent after 3 rounds... probably the most tiring event ever on any game system. except for maybe Rapid Runner which is almost non-stop sprinting. I'm surprised I didn't have a heart attack after that. That event would bring Usain Bolt to his knees.