Fight Night Returns: EA Revives Beloved Boxing Franchise

Electronic Arts has resurrected its long-dormant boxing simulation franchise, Fight Night, by creating social media accounts and announcing its comeback. The first post delivered exactly what fans had been hoping for: 'To everyone who stayed in our corner: Fight Night is coming back.' The post also featured an image of boxing gloves hanging over a ring with the caption, 'The fight is never over.' However, details remain scarce—no developer has been named (the original and the two most recent installments were developed by EA Canada in Vancouver, while Fight Night Round 2 and Round 3 were handled by the now-defunct EA Chicago), and it's unclear whether this is a new game, a remaster, or a remake. Given the licensing complexities, a new entry seems most likely, but there's no release window or confirmation of which consoles it will target. Regardless, the return of Fight Night is exciting news for many gamers, including this writer. In the lead-up to Xbox's 25th anniversary next month, I've been penning retrospectives on Xbox games I've loved over the past quarter-century. One of those pieces covered Fight Night Round 3, which I consider the first graphically stunning game of the HD era. While Fight Night was dormant, EA focused on its UFC franchise, whose latest entry, UFC 6, launched earlier this year to critical acclaim.