Why did EA stop producing the Fight Night Champions series of games?


The rumour mill is rife with suggestions that Fight Night may be returning soon, but why was the boxing title discontinued?

Here is everything that you need to know about the EA Sports sim.

Fight Night

The EA Sports title was one of the standout sports games on the market, with all five of the boxing titles drawing critical acclaim upon release.

But despite the overwhelming success, we haven't seen a release since 2011.

So why is this? And can we expect to see the title brought back in the Next Gen era?

Why was Fight Night Discontinued?

Now, this a question that has never been categorically confirmed, but the main reason that many believe it has been cancelled is simple. Money.

It is understood that it was the man himself - Floyd 'Money' Mayweather - who was the first big-name fighter to cause issues with EA, after he was alleged to have demanded an extortionate sum in order to appear in the title.

CHAMPION! The 2011 game was the last boxing title EA has released.
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CHAMPION! The 2011 game was the last boxing title EA has released.

It is believed that as a result of this, many other fighters also upped their demands, leaving EA with no choice but to pull the plug on the title.

UFC Franchise

As a result of the discontinuation of the Fight Night franchise, EA then opted to put their time into creating the UFC series of games.

UFC 4! The EA title has been a huge success!
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UFC 4! The EA title has been a huge success!

The benefit here is that the fighters in the UFC are licensed to the company itself, which means the company can strike a deal with EA for ALL of their fighters to appear on the game.

The contractual dilemma with the boxers has softened since the last release in 2011, so it is hoped that should the title return, there shouldn't be too many issues with regards to getting the big names - including the eager Tyson Fury - on board.

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