2K Sports steps into Don King's ring

2K Games unveils game partnership with flamboyant boxing promoter Don King for a 2008 release.

Publisher 2K Games has tapped well-known promoter Don King to be the face of its upcoming "documentary-style" boxing game.

Don King Presents: Prizefighter, which is slated for a second quarter 2008 release, is being developed by Venom Games, the studio responsible for Rocky and Rocky: Legends on the Xbox and PlayStation 2. The game is scheduled for simultaneous release on the Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS. 2K Games Australia confirmed there will be no PlayStation 3 version of the title.

A 2K Games Australia representative told GameSpot AU Don King Presents: Prizefighter would include a documentary-style narrative career mode, training, and the need to manage personal relationships outside of the ring. Players will also need to maintain a crowd-appeal rating, which will be determined by the amount of time spent working on skills between bouts.

In a press statement, boxing promoter Don King said he was excited about working on the project. "In all my years working in professional boxing, I have never seen anything come as close to re-creating the thrill, the intensity, the courage, and the spectacle of the sport," he said.

More information will be available on a 2K Sports' microsite, although at the time of publication, the page was not yet live.

79 Comments

  • thomas_vg1

    Posted Jun 10, 2008 10:27 am PT

    What?!?! A sequel to the original FMV game Prizefigher??? Someone get me Tom Zito!

  • ckern1285

    Posted Jun 3, 2008 3:39 pm PT

    I think the only way to revolutionize this new gaming experience will be to create a new way to interact with the wii besides the standard controllers. If they specially designed a set of light-weight boxing gloves with multiple sensors I think it would allow the wii to be more accurate and realistic when throwing punches and trying to block and dodge. The extra features such as seasoning your character are pointless if playing the game is not enjoyable.

    I'll stick to the wii sports boxing for now.

  • thenephariouson

    Posted Apr 14, 2008 6:34 am PT

    It makes me laugh to think that 2K & Venom think we are naive or dumb enough to fall for what will be a poor boxing sim just because they've bolted 'Don Kings' name on the front!! Its a 'Miss' for me. Hopefully we'll see EA do FNR4.

  • p3j5h9

    Posted Mar 24, 2008 2:57 pm PT

    seems like NFL management modes but for boxing

  • KelpsterD

    Posted Mar 23, 2008 10:49 pm PT

    great idea...hope it doesn't bomb.

  • vgfanr

    Posted Jan 30, 2008 11:20 pm PT

    Yeah like tommcruise said you can't group B-Hop vs LaMotta!

    Hopefully it doesn't "FLOP" like APF (All Pro Football) did!

  • jsmoke03

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 9:53 am PT

    kinda scared cuz the previous games the studio worked on doesn't have a reputation for bringing good boxing games. i played the first rocky, it was fun, but nowhere near fight night series

  • thekey

    Posted Jan 23, 2008 9:39 am PT

    This game looks like it might be really good! And knowing Don King he's going to want it to sell so he's probably going to make sure this game is really go. So we'll have to see.

  • tommcruise

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 8:27 am PT

    Yea, what the guy below me said (about real boxers).

    However, I don't want legends and current boxers grouped together like on Fight Night 3. Muhammed Ali vs. Roy Jones was not fun.

  • thekey

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 8:23 am PT

    Well As long as there are real boxers in it, I'm game!

  • clawboy

    Posted Dec 11, 2007 6:58 pm PT

    ONLY IN AMERICA.

  • kingeric420

    Posted Dec 11, 2007 1:44 pm PT

    "In all my years working in professional boxing, I have never seen anything come as close to re-creating the thrill, the intensity, the courage, and the spectacle of the sport,"
    Don King boxing promoter now turned video game promoter. I bet the game is going to suck big time. I base this on the crappy games Venom has produced. It's going to take more than Don King to get me to buy this game. I'll wait for a review!

  • Petri87

    Posted Dec 11, 2007 10:52 am PT

    Well, seems interresting but come on! Its made by Venom Games and their best game is Pray whicjh is just plain avarage. And Don King?????? WHY? Everyone hates that guy!

  • mooseman721

    Posted Dec 11, 2007 9:47 am PT

    Rocky (5.5) and rocky legends (6. were below average games, this game is being created by the same team. Fight night it won't be, don't get your hopes up.

  • dnathug

    Posted Dec 11, 2007 8:27 am PT

    Can't wait to see for info about this game, Don King in full Next-Gen, that's almost a scary thing to think about, FNR3 rocked, 2K should do just fine, can't wait to see what their going to add to the Boxing Ring,

  • blind83

    Posted Dec 11, 2007 12:23 am PT

    well I didn't see any news about FNR4 ,so this might be a great boxing title to play

  • demoralizer

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:12 pm PT

    EA Chicago laid off some great Devs that worked on FNR3. These are some very talented and hard working folks, pick them 2K pls.

  • faceman420

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 9:13 pm PT

    they'll have big shoes to fill

  • prioritymail

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 8:21 pm PT

    I bet he will see about 20% of those profits too...

  • HAMMER261266

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 7:45 pm PT

    It's great to see another boxing game, but they have their work cut out for them. The Fight Night series is great and a lot to live up to.

  • SaintRasmus

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 6:44 pm PT

    Maybe you can get money under the table in this game ?? I mean its a Don King game !!

  • DON_DU

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 6:32 pm PT

    why wouldn't they make it for the ps3

  • CaptainHerlock

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 6:22 pm PT

    Boxing games are usually pretty fun. Don King is enough of a character that this might be interesting. It's at least worth a look.

  • SizeMatterzz

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 3:08 pm PT

    Im sure this game will suck!

  • II-NewEra02-II

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 2:47 pm PT

    UMMM! i hope the do good ...but i dont see that as what will happen ....

  • PlanoPunisher

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 1:28 pm PT

    They should call the game "King's Quest"

  • Dreski83

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 12:52 pm PT

    I'm not too excited about the developer who has a rough track history with boxing games... yet I am very interested in any sports game backed by 2K

    not so much Don King...

  • snarple_basic

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 12:48 pm PT

    manage personal relationships outside of the ring??? Well for me i personally would rather just fight. Anytime I buy a game like this I just want to fight. Smackdown vs Raw I dont want to be the brand manager and make matches I want to fight. Personally all this sim life style stuff just puts a damper on the game for me. I hope they just stick to the boxing, and maybe a few work out mini games like Fight Night and leave the rest out of the game.

  • stanley2011

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 12:35 pm PT

    I never played any of there games but if they nail the controls for the wii version its going to be awesome

  • dannymalt

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 12:25 pm PT

    Don King, is a promoter and a man who capitalizes on anything. He'll have nothing to do with the production of the game, probably just some audio, and they'll slap his face in the game. And he'll go promote the game as the best boxing game ever, even if it's terrible. This game could go either way.

  • Lionheart_VIII

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:53 am PT

    Although I have to admit this sounds awesome, I am a little afraid of the outcome. I played some of the Rocky games but they sucked, but then again the only fight night I like was the original, after that it felt more arcady with the addition of haymakers. But really Don King does have a point about the recreation of the thrill. Never once has Fight Night felt better than watching the actual thing, which to me is way more exciting. Hopefully Don King can give some good pointers on this game and make it a good one.

    Oh and honestly, I've been watching boxing since the cradle, and maybe its just I have a preferences for different fighters, but the fights where King does promote dont seem to be a crappy as you all take them for. Maybe I just like the fighters he doesnt promote, but even at that I mean some of the fights that people say were bought, make sense to me from the score cards.

  • mattcake

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:51 am PT

    Finally a reason to buy a ps3! This POS game isn't coming out on it, woo

  • NandoSupes

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:46 am PT

    the Rocky games have not been any good anyways,so why is this game gonna make me change my mind?,because Don King is backing it up?.,I love the sport of Boxing, I use to train myself,but King is a scumbag of the highest caliber. the Fight Night series was the best boxing game around.I don't really expect much out of this one.

  • DreFullCircle

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:40 am PT

    hell yeah. this is the type of diversity we need in sports games. the exclusivity contracts have hindered creativity. also, for you don king haters, the man single handedly changed the industry of boxing promotions. you have no reason to hate the man besides his hair.

  • majestikk

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:33 am PT

    All I know is we definitely need to see a good boxing game. EA sports did good with the first Fight Night, but then it just started to turn mediocre. We definitely need to see some good Next-Gen boxing games. Boxing is more than just 2 men in the ring beating up on each other. It's an art, it's a tough sport, and hopefully we can get a revolutionary Next Gen boxing game that does the sport justice.

    I doubt that a boxing game with Don King's name behind it will actually be good, but it's a start.

  • matt_dangelo

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:18 am PT

    interesting, i hope it isnt so boring as a documentary. lets hope they do better then Fight Night Round 3.

  • Super-Mario-Fan

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 11:00 am PT

    A Wii multiplatform game that's not also on the PS2? Yes!!!

    PS2-to-Wii ports FTL.

  • hoverboy

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:57 am PT

    A Don King boxing game? Sweet! Is it going to have a "Fix the Fight" manager mode where you can pay boxers to take the fall in a specific round? Or will it have a "Pay off the Judges" option where you can pay the judges to give the score to your fighter instead of the guy who actually won? How about an "Exploit the shmuck" mode where you can lure a poor boxer from another country to your stable with "American dollars" only to toss them to the curb, broke both physically and financially after you've used them for all they're worth.

    Hopefully they add these modes to make it just like *real* Don king boxing.

  • GIF

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:56 am PT

    Does Don King swindle you out of your money like a sucka in this game? I think that should be a requirement.

  • JohnDeadly

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:55 am PT

    Bad move 2K

  • ocdog45

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:38 am PT

    don king is evil. htis games sounds like its gonna suck alot. nothing beats fight night anyway

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:37 am PT

    don king is scum. he lets the boxer do all the work and takes most of the money. he should be shoot. PEOPLE PLEASE DONT BUY THIS GAME

  • DemannameD

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:34 am PT

    Don King is the SUCK.

  • tootergray34

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:33 am PT

    how about give me a new version of punch out????

  • polsci1503

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:21 am PT

    is it realistic? If I win the title will Don King run away with all my money and leave me addicted to crack, broke and a horrible "used" feeling?

    If King is getting any cut from this game, count me out. He has single handedly ruined boxing.

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:10 am PT

    What ever happened to the next fight night?

  • daveyf03

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 10:06 am PT

    Only in America...

  • FraserAlexander

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 9:35 am PT

    ashuncc2 - no sorry, but if you google it you'll see forums and interviews w/ the creators as well as the news when EA chicago closed where it mentions that the franchises from the closed studio's (there was more than only chicago) will live on.

  • uklegendkiller

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 9:15 am PT

    Sounds interesting but i have a funny felling it'll blow, I'll stick with fight night instead.

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Dec 10, 2007 8:54 am PT

    Just give me Fight Night Rout 4.

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