Fight Night Round 4 DLC announced, will add button controls

9:00 PM on 07.07.2009   |   Samit Sarkar

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You clamored for it, and EA listened. We previously heard that EA was considering adding to Fight Night Round 4 the face button punching controls that were present in Fight Night Round 3, and now that has been confirmed through a press release that was sent out earlier today (check it out after the jump). It details the first two pieces of downloadable content for the well-received boxing game, both of which will be released at the low, low price of free.

The first DLC pack is set to come out in early August. It will add a new training venue, a bunch of new equipment, and additional gameplay sliders. (According to this Inside EA Sports Q&A with Producer Mike Mahar, you’ll be able to mess with the Counter Punch Window, Boxer Stamina, and Punch Accuracy; new clothing will comprise All American Gloves, All American Shoes, and Jordan Brand Trunks). The content will be available for PS3 and 360 users, but in addition to it, 360 gamers alone will get an “alternate version” of Sugar Ray Leonard on Pizza Hut’s dime. (I guess that’s why he was delivering pizzas at E3.)

In early September, the second batch of content -- which sounds like a patch rather than DLC per se -- will bring back FNR3’s face button controls for regular punches as well as hooks, uppercuts, and even haymakers. It does sound like it’s being done somewhat begrudgingly: Senior Producer Dean Richards says in the press release, “We strongly believe that the refined Total Punch Control is the most intuitive way to throw punches in Fight Night Round 4, but we also want fans of the franchise to have an option.”

Keep your eyes peeled for our video review of Fight Night Round 4, which will hit this week.

EA REVEALS FIRST DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT PLANS FOR FIGHT NIGHT ROUND 4

Free New Game Content Coming by Early August; Button Controls Included In Additional Summer Update

July 7, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today its initial Downloadable Content (DLC) plan for Fight Night Round 4. Recently named the Game Critic Awards “Best Sports Game of E3 2009”, Fight Night Round 4 has been winning over reviewers since its release on June 23rd.

The first DLC pack, which will be available for free to both Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 users by early August, will include a new training gym, new gameplay sliders, as well as a host of new equipment that can be used for outfitting boxers. Xbox 360 users will also receive an exclusive alternate version of Sugar Ray Leonard in their first DLC pack, courtesy of Pizza Hut.

EA SPORTS™ will also be releasing a free downloadable game update by early September that will allow gamers to use face buttons on the Xbox 360 and PS3 game controllers to throw punches, hooks, uppercuts and haymakers.

“The depth and variety of new content we have planned this summer is going to make one of the most critically acclaimed games on the market even better,” said senior producer, Dean Richards. “Among the new content in development, our new button control scheme will give fans a choice for how they want to throw punches in the game. We strongly believe that the refined Total Punch Control is the most intuitive way to throw punches in Fight Night Round 4, but we also want fans of the franchise to have an option.”

Fight Night Round 4 is currently available for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft. This game has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and 16+ by PEGI. For more information, log onto http://fightnight.easports.com.