Fight Night Round 3 set the gaming world ablaze with its gorgeous E3 demo back in 2005. Now EA Sports is returning with the fifth iteration in the sports franchise, dubbed Fight Night Champion coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011. And, just in case you're wondering, this is not an expansion to Fight Night Round 4. Fight Night Champion will be its own standalone disc when it launches at retailers. When that will be in 2011 is anyone's guess. The developers at EA Canada in Vancouver are touting a new single-player mode as the biggest innovation in the game, saying, "Fight Night Champion will break the mold of what is expected in a single-player sports game. Players will be introduced to an entirely new way to step between the ropes and experience the drama, emotion, excitement and tragedy of world championship boxing." Goodnight, Winky. Hello new level of brutality. Brian Hayes, Gameplay Producer on Fight Night Champion said, "It's something people won't expect from an EA Sports game" about the game's big new mode. He quickly followed that remark with "Our lips are sealed for the time-being about that" for fear of the wrath of the EA Sports PR representative. He did tell us that the game will be "the full meal deal with desert and a toy. The whole enchilada. All that and a bag…" when asked if Champion was being treated as an expansion pack or a full retail release. It would stand to reason that the price tag would follow suit, but don't quote us on that. There will be between 60 and 65 boxers on the roster for the final product and users will implement the new "Full Spectrum Punch Control" to move the combatants around the ring and throw some of the most devastating punches ever seen in a Fight Night game. At least that's the impression I get from looking at that bloody Manny Pacquaio screenshot. Manny has seen better days.EA Sports touts the new control method as delivering both "the most realistic punching system ever seen" while still allowing Champion to be "the most user-friendly title in the franchise's history." Interpret that however you like, but you can bet that there will be an option for players to use face buttons and face buttons alone to throw punches. We weren't able to glean any other juicy tidbits of gameplay details other than the game will include new online features to go along with the headlining single-player innovation and control scheme. Being a huge Fight Night fan myself (and an even bigger cheerleader for solo gameplay when compared to taking the game online), I'm certainly excited to see the sort of new career experience Fight Night Champion is going to provide. For now, you'll just have to enjoy the pair of screenshots above. Expect to see the game drop onto shelves sometime next year on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
