2K announces Don King Presents: Prizefighter

11:20 PM on 12.09.2007   |   Nick Chester

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On Friday night during the taping of the Spike Video Game Awards, we first saw the official announcement of 2K Sports' new boxing title. Don King sashayed onto the stage, accompanied by two ring girls that held signs bearing the game's name, Don King Presents: Prizefighter. 

"Tiny purple American flag peanut skillets," said Don King as he chomped on a cigar. "Frog donkey don't fear cranberry handshakes!"

At least that's what I thought he said. What he was actually doing was presenting an award and promoting the new game, a "documentary-style" boxing title coming to the Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS next spring. The game will not only focus on in-ring action, but will also dip into all of the stuff that goes on outside of the ring -- training, promotion, and "avoiding temptation." Whatever that means. 

Could we have a good boxing title on our hands to contend with Electronic Arts' Fight Night? The game is being developed by Venom Games, the same studio responsible for Rocky and Rocky Legends. Based on that information alone, the answer to that question would probably be "No," but I'm willing to get them the benefit of the doubt if the training portions of the game involved pounding slabs of raw meat.

2K Sports Announces Don King Presents: Prizefighter

Don King Presents: Prizefighter brings an innovative feature set and story line to set the standard in boxing video games

2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced the spring 2008 release of Don King Presents: Prizefighter, the most realistic boxing video game simulation, for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii™ home video game console and Nintendo’s DS™ portable system. This in-depth, documentary-style title will provide the deepest, most authentic and entertaining experience ever seen in a boxing video game.

“The combination of real-life fight scenarios, story-driven gameplay and photo-realistic graphics will set this title apart from the competition,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “Our goal has always been to deliver the most engaging and realistic titles, and Don King Presents: Prizefighter will exceed these expectations. Based on the game’s innovative features and high-profile fighters, this title will be a ‘must have’ for any sports gamer.”

"In all my years working in professional boxing, I have never seen anything come as close to recreating the thrill, the intensity, the courage and the spectacle of the sport," said legendary boxing promoter Don King. "Don King Presents: Prizefighter is more than a game -- it is a glimpse at what life is like in and out of the ring for these incredible athletes."

Developed by Venom Games, the 2K studio that brought Rocky and Rocky Legends to the Xbox and PlayStation 2, Don King Presents: Prizefighter will bring the realism of live action match-ups and the true tactics of the sweet science together for the first time. More than just a night at the fights - players will be responsible for building a career by overcoming adversity, avoiding temptation, and balancing their commitments to train and promote, all while focusing on the goal of ultimately winning and defending the title belt. The story will be told by a revolutionary sports documentary-style narrative never before seen in a video game.

Don King Presents: Prizefighter will be available in spring 2008 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo’s Wii™ home video game console and Nintendo’s DS portable system, leveraging the unique hardware features of each platform.