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Fox Sports to stream boxing card in VR this weekend
Virtual reality isn't only taking root in gaming and movies, it's hitting the world of sports, too. This weekend, Fox Sports will broadcast its Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) coverage in VR with the help of NextVR. The network says NextVR will install "multiple cameras" around the ring area to give "fight fans the best seat in the house." Of course, that seat is in your living room. In addition to the visuals, Fox will offer commentary and match stats on the VR stream. NextVR has teamed up with the broadcaster before, with coverage of a NASCAR race and golf's US Open last year.
Oscar de la Hoya to launch free boxing channels on the web
Ever since he retired from professional boxing, Oscar de la Hoya's turned into one of the most powerful people in the sport. Now, as the CEO and founder of Golden Boy Promotions, a firm that represents boxers and sets up fights, de la Hoya is looking to bring boxing into the connected age. That's why the 10-time world champion is teaming up with FilmOn, an internet TV service, on two streaming channels scheduled to launch by the end of January. Per Variety, these are expected to feature live and on-demand content, and both are going to be available for viewers at no cost.
Watch a full boxing match in VR for the first time
You're probably going to see a lot of virtual reality sports coverage before long, but there's still a lot of ground left to cover -- including, apparently, fisticuffs. Showtime has posted what it says is the first full-length VR video of a boxing match, giving you a 360-degree look at a middleweight championship fight between Daniel Jacobs and Peter Quillin. The footage isn't quite as immersive as you might like (it's ringside, not in the thick of the action), but it gives you an above-the-ropes perspective that even the managers wish they had. You won't see a live VR bout any time soon, but this is still a tantalizing glimpse of what boxing coverage could look like down the road.
Real Boxing is one of the most unintentionally hilarious games on the App Store
There are countless games on the App Store that do their best to be funny. There are games that succeed at this, some that fail, and then there are games like Real Boxing, which has accidentally become a hilarious experience without even trying. First, let's talk about the actual fighting. As the name implies, Real Boxing is a pugilism simulator, pitting you against either real-life or computer controlled opponents in one-on-one slugfests. The mechanics aren't quite as in-depth as most non-mobile fighting games, with only a handful of moves to pull off and very basic blocking and counter moves. This would all be fantastic -- and in all honesty the game does play quite well -- if not for the game's ridiculous player models which don't appear to be modeled after any human that has ever actually existed. Your fighter's arms bend wildly in a manner that would surely lead a real boxer to cry out in agony, and it's hard to plan a block when your opponent's arms seem to be able to reach your jaw no matter how far away they are. It's like boxing against Stretch Armstrong, and it's more funny than it is frustrating. Then there's the fighters' necks. I'm not sure what mad scientist combined giraffe DNA with that of world-class fighters, but the result is what you'll find in Real Boxing. I've never seen more awkward looking player models in a boxing game, and it makes it very hard to take the game seriously when the player models looks so absurd. I found myself laughing through the fights instead of caring who won, simply because the groans and grunts coming from the strange looking humanoids were too much for me to handle. The game has seen dozens of updates since its release at the tail end of 2012 -- it's free right now for a limited time, in case you're interested -- but studying human anatomy doesn't appear high on the developer Vivid Games' priority list. If you want a laugh, you can pick the app up for no cost, but be wary of the glut of in-app purchases that permeate the experience.
Europe gets boxed Wii Sports Club in July, baseball and boxing this month
Wii Sports Club will add its baseball and boxing events to the Wii U eShop on June 27 in Europe, Nintendo announced today. The publisher added the two sports to the game in Japan a few weeks ago, though it hasn't offered a release date for North American players. Those looking to pick up the full retail version of the game in Europe will have that option come July 11. The sporty HD remake landed on the Wii U eShop in November, debuting with trial versions of its tennis and bowling games. It offered per-sport and per-day pricing models, which carry through this month's launch of baseball and boxing. Wii U owners that download Wii Sports Club will get a 48-hour free trial to check out the game's five sports. Following the trial, they'll have the option to pick up 24-hour passes on the eShop for £1.79, or can permanently unlock both the boxing and baseball games for £8.99. Nintendo noted that the trial is open to all players, including those that have used up Wii Sports Club trials in the past. [Image: Nintendo]
iPad vs. Kindle, fight!
The iPad is taller and has the reach advantage, but the Kindle seems suspiciously confident. The Vegas oddsmakers will have a field day with this one. [Photo credit: Dan Farber]
Testing Reebok's Checklight head impact monitor with a human punching bag
Last year Reebok showed up to CES with the Checklight, a head-impact sensor developed in collaboration with mc10. Problem was, the company didn't really have a way to demo the preproduction version of its G-force sensor. They simply slipped it into a black skullcap and let the press take photos. But, in the interim, it's come to market, offering protection to athletes young and old, for a reasonably affordable $149. This year, the companies came fully prepared with a pair of boxing gloves and some headgear. Naturally, being the masochist I am, I invited anyone who was interested to join me at the Reebok booth on the show floor where they would get to punch me in the face. The response was alarmingly enthusiastic.Not wanting to disappoint, I dutifully donned the black skullcap, with the sensor's blinking display hanging behind my head. Then it was just a matter of removing the glasses, putting on the foam headgear and accepting that I'd brought this on myself. To the Checklight's testament, it appears to work quite well. After taking a surprisingly strong blow from one of the many editors lined up to take a swing, the rotational and directional sensors inside triggered an alert that perhaps my coworker had gotten a little too enthusiastic. The light at the back flashed yellow to indicate that I absorbed a moderate impact. After assuring everyone that I was ok, we continued with the demonstration. But, had the light flashed red, the hands-on (fists-on?) would have been quickly called to a close. While red doesn't mean you have a concussion, it does indicate that you've taken a particularly hard hit and should get checked out. For more of this Engadget editor getting punched in the head, check out the video after the break.
Fight manager sim Title Bout Championship Boxing 2013 out on iPad, Android
Boxing management sim Title Bout Championship Boxing 2013 is now available on iPad and Android via the Google Play store. Title Bout 2013 launched on PC, Mac and Linux in June 2013, one month after Out of the Park Developments sold the series to PISD, an independent company that provides OOTP with development libraries used for Out of the Park Baseball. Title Bout 2013 has players simulating boxing matches, setting up tournaments, training sessions and more in a management simulation/text-adventure-style interface. Much like OOTP Baseball and Sports Interactive's Football Manager series, Title Bout 2013 features a huge database of real-life athletes, sporting over 8,000 fighter records. The management sim is said to be nearly the same on iOS and Android as it is on PC, though it's priced at a moderate $1.99 compared to the current $9.99 price for two PC licenses on the game's site. Title Bout Championship Boxing has a lengthy history, as it began as a tabletop game created by brothers Jim and Tom Trunzo in the late 1970's, later seeing DOS-based text simulation TKO Boxing in 1990. Comp-U-Sport created Title Fight 2001, a brand later sold to OOTP Developments, which launched Title Bout Championship Boxing 2 and version 2.5 in 2005 and 2008, respectively.
WWE '13 is your big chance to wrestle like a professional boxer (Tyson, specifically)
Mike Tyson is known for his years as a professional boxer slash professional ear-biter, so you can imagine our surprise when THQ announced this morning that he's appearing in upcoming wrestler WWE '13. Tyson's reprising his role from 1998 as a "ringside enforcer" for D-Generation X. He's also a playable character, though, ya know, he's totally not a wrestler."The baddest man on the planet is back – and only in WWE '13," Tyson said in the press release, totally of his own volition and not written by someone else. "Fans everywhere can now relive what I experienced during the 'Attitude Era.'"Only pre-orders of WWE '13 get access to Tyson as a playable character. The game launches on October 30 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.%Gallery-158593%
Tomy BattroBorg 20 throws motion-controlled punches, rocks 'em and socks 'em Wii-style (video)
The last time we saw someone move the game on for Rock'em Sock'em Robots, it was a motion-controlled experiment that was unlikely to see the light of day. Tomy must have been frustrated enough waiting for the practical reality to take matters into its own hands, as it's just unveiled the BattroBorg 20, a fighting robot that... lets you take matters into your own hands. The toy uses a Wii-style nunchuk motion controller that translates the player's own thrusts into the plastic robot's punches. Each robot can tell if it's been decked, although it takes just five punches to win by TKO -- these aren't exactly Queensbury rules. At an estimated $50 for each robot and matching controller on the July 14th release date, the BattroBorg isn't the cheapest way to relive the glory days of pint-sized fisticuffs, but it's certainly the most involving.
HBO's PunchForce hits the FCC, turns fists into data... violent, violent data
HBO has been quietly working on its PunchForce tech since about 2010, when it tried to convince British star Amir Khan and Argentine boxer Marcos Maidana to wear the sensors for their light welterweight title bout. Neither seemed particularly eager. Now though, over a year later, the latest in fist-tracking technology seems to be nearing its big debut. Tiny wireless monitors, worn under the wrist of the gloves feed velocity and impact data back to a laptop with a special receiver -- all of which now have Uncle Sam's approval. The real fun though, is what happens next. The information gathered isn't meant to be locked away in lab, it'll be broadcast to viewers throughout the fight and, eventually, fed to accompanying apps, presumably alongside its PunchZone stats. Check out the gallery below for a behind the scenes glimpse of PunchForce and hit up the source link to peruse the full user manual.
Behind the scenes with live ESPN 3D boxing at CES 2012
ESPN had a presence at this CES like no other we've witnessed from the sports network and the last of the four letter network's big events was Top Rank Boxing live from the show floor. The event drew quite a crowd and the 3D quality didn't disappoint. The crew was using a Sony HDC-P1 camera system with 3D rigs by the Pace Cameron Group all sent through a Sony MVX-8000x production switcher. If you didn't catch it live on ESPN 3D, we're sure there will be plenty of opportunities to catch the 3D reruns.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report
ESPN 3D kicks off summer slate of Friday Night Fights tonight
Unlike Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas up there you probably don't have ringside accommodations at the Pechanga Resort Casino tonight, but if you believe coordinating producer Phil Orlins, having ESPN 3D is practically the same thing. After a dry run earlier this year that also served as a test for producing the 2D and 3D feed together, there have been several more nights added to the ESPN 3D schedule this summer and the Front Row blog has an interview with Orlins about some of the challenges and advantages caused by 3D. We'll tune in at 9 p.m., but 3D or not, we're thinking it'd all be more exciting if Haye beats Klitshcko or Mayweather stops ducking Pacquiao.
Hit the gyms with Fight Night Champion's new online features
The latest dev diary for Fight Night Champion details the title's biggest, newest feature: Online Gyms. Create a fighter and join the ranks of a player-made gym, brawling up tournament ladders and taking on other teams. Just make sure your gym has a clever name, first. (For instance: "Boxers.")
The Fighter comes to Blu-ray March 15th
This film starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale has already snagged a few awards from the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild, but we don't have to wait for the Oscars to find Blu-ray release details for The Fighter. Due on March 15th, the Blu-ray combo pack version features DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack and also exclusively includes the "Keeping the Faith" segment which tells the real life story of the characters featured in the film. Check the rest of the details in the press release after the break, we'll find out if Micky Ward has one more win in him at the Academy Awards this weekend.
EA producer talks Fight Night Legacy Mode, full roster revealed
How could not want to hear all about Fight Night Champion from a man named "Jazz?" Okay, okay -- he's also an assistant producer on the title and he goes into detail about the game's much improved Legacy Mode. That might be more important ... we guess. In other Fight Night Champion news, the game's entire roster has been revealed by EA. And yes, before you start asking, Marvelous Marvin Hagler is totally in there. We've dropped the entire list after the break, aka "the only place you'll find Joe Frazier hanging out next to George Foreman."
Preview: The Fight
Sony had a new, roughly 60% complete build of The Fight on hand at a pre-Gamescom press event, and I have to say, my experience with the game couldn't have been more different from the one Chris Buffa had a few months ago (when the game still had its "Lights Out" subtitle). For one, I found the artificial intelligence to be at least competitive, if not overly hard. My computerized opponent -- a thin, bouncy, tattooed Asian gangster -- came at me constantly, using quick jabs to take advantage if I opened myself up with too many attacks and not enough guarding. The player who went before me actually lost to his computer opponent, a beefy black man in a wifebeater who countered an endless series of high, straight punches with some accurate low body blows. For another, I didn't notice any discernible lag between my real-life motions and the punches on screen. That's not to say there wasn't any lag -- in fact, there probably was -- but just that it wasn't easily discernible in the heat of the battle. I didn't find myself making a punching motion and then waiting for a second to see if the game would recognize it as a punch or anything like that. On the contrary, the game seemed pretty good about moving my on-screen fighter's arm almost immediately when I moved my own.
Fight Night Champion to pummel PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011
EA has just revealed the next round in its Fight Night boxing series: Fight Night Champion. IGN has the first details on the game, which offers a new focus on single-player content and claims to be more accessible to new players. EA Sports stresses that the game isn't an expansion to the fourth round Fight Night game from last year, with gameplay producer Brian Hayes suggesting that Champion will be "The full meal deal with desert and a toy. The whole enchilada. All that and a bag..." Somewhere between 60 and 65 pugilists (we had to fit that word in here somewhere) will grace Champion's rings, though only Manny Pacquaio can be parsed from the two shots revealed thus far. We'll jab EA for more details well before the title debuts in 2011.
Fight Night Round 4 DLC pulled due to freezing issues
Boxing fans who were hoping to enhance their sweet, sweet scientific exploits in Fight Night Round 4 for the Xbox 360 were recently stricken with disappointment -- the game's latest DLC, the "Champions Pack 2," hit the Xbox Live Marketplace with a fairly problematic issue which caused the system to freeze up while downloading the content. This is doubly troubling, because as we understand it, downloading is actually a pretty important step in the DLC process. EA Sports commented on the error on its official forums, stating that the DLC has been pulled from the Marketplace until a non-glitched version can be rolled out, hopefully "before the Christmas holidays." People who managed to download the DLC without freezing can still play the game, but won't be able to access the pack's locked content until the revised DLC is released. People who managed to download half of the DLC pack before freezing can play as Evander Holyfield's torso.
Fight Night Round 4 gets 'Rivalries' DLC this week, you get a new trailer right now
For those of you wishing to recreate the ear-biting banality that is a boxing match between Mike Tyson (please don't hurt us!) and Evander Holyfield (the poor guy!), EA Sports is enabling just such a possibility with this week's DLC for Fight Night Round 4. Titled "Rivalries," it'll be adding three new fighters as well as some new game modes. The DLC's trailer (found after the break) details all the new additions, as well as giving us our first in-action look at the new fighters. We'll be re-imagining Holyfield's fateful fight with Tyson getting pummeled into the ground when the DLC arrives on December 3 – call it virtual retribution. %Gallery-78856%
