[Another Take on Ash's Authenticity Usage]
Ash Habib Keeps Saying “Authenticity.” The Bigger Question Is Why.
After watching Ash Habib repeatedly use the words “authentic” and “authenticity” across four videos, I no longer think boxing fans should treat this as casual vocabulary.
The repetition matters.
At some point, when the same carefully marketable word appears again and again, the question is no longer simply:
What does Ash mean by authenticity?
The bigger question becomes:
Why does he keep choosing that word instead of telling us directly what kind of boxing game Steel City Interactive is making?
Because there are several much clearer words available.
Realistic.
Realistic/sim.
Hybrid.
Arcade.
Those words tell players something about the actual gameplay philosophy.
“Authenticity” does not.
And that may be exactly why the word is so useful.
Authenticity Lets Everybody Hear Something Different
A hardcore boxing fan hears:
“We want to create an authentic boxing experience.”
And that fan may naturally think about:
authentic boxer behavior
realistic movement
individualized fighting styles
footwork
clinching
inside fighting
stamina
defensive tendencies
realistic reactions
ring positioning
tactical adaptation
judging
referees
corners
rankings
career structures
boxing strategy
In other words, the fan hears the sport itself.
But listen closely to many of the areas where the word authenticity gets applied.
Belts.
Arenas.
Organizations.
Licensing.
Brands.
Equipment.
Atmosphere.
Presentation.
Fighter appearances.
Those things absolutely can be authentic.
I want them to be authentic.
But an authentic belt is not the same thing as authentic boxing.
An authentic arena is not the same thing as authentic boxer behavior.
An authentic glove does not make the gameplay realistic.
That distinction is becoming increasingly important.
The Word Is Broad Enough to Avoid Classification
This is where I think the terminology becomes especially useful.
You can describe a realistic/sim game as authentic.
You can describe a hybrid game as authentic.
You can describe an arcade game as authentic.
You can describe a belt as authentic.
You can describe an arena as authentic.
You can describe a fighter scan as authentic.
You can describe a television presentation package as authentic.
That means the word does not force SCI to clearly define its gameplay direction.
If Ash says:
“This will be a realistic/sim boxing game,”
players can immediately test the game against simulation standards.
How realistic is the stamina?
How realistic is movement?
How deep are boxer tendencies?
How does clinching work?
How does inside fighting work?
Does fatigue change technique?
Do fighters cut off the ring intelligently?
Does damage affect performance realistically?
Do individual styles create meaningful tactical differences?
Now there is a measurable standard.
If SCI says:
“This is a hybrid boxing game,”
then players understand that compromises between realism, responsiveness, accessibility, and competitive balance are intentional.
If SCI says:
“This is an arcade boxing game,”
then nobody should expect a deep simulation of boxing.
But if the company says:
“We are focused on authenticity,”
what exactly has been promised?
That could mean almost anything.
And that is the problem.
Why Not Just Tell Us the Gameplay Philosophy?
This is what I want answered.
Is the game supposed to be:
Realistic/Sim?
Hybrid?
Arcade?
Or does SCI intend to support all three through presets, options, and sliders?
That question matters more to me than hearing the word authenticity another twenty times.
Because the classification affects almost every system underneath the game.
Movement.
Punching.
Defense.
Damage.
Stamina.
Footwork.
AI.
Boxer individuality.
Inside fighting.
Clinching.
Career structure.
Competitive balancing.
Physics.
Recovery.
Judging.
Everything.
Yet “authenticity” allows all of those questions to remain unresolved.
I Do Not Think the Word Choice Is Accidental
I cannot prove what is being said behind closed doors.
I cannot prove that somebody has specifically handed Ash Habib a list saying:
Do not say simulation.
Do not say arcade.
Do not say hybrid.
That would require evidence I do not have.
But I do believe it is reasonable to suspect that certain terminology is being deliberately avoided.
When the same executive repeatedly appears in company communications and consistently returns to the same broad language, fans have every right to analyze the communication strategy.
Corporate messaging is rarely meaningless.
Executives are not normally sent in front of cameras with absolutely no consideration for positioning, investor expectations, publisher relationships, public relations, marketing, and consumer perception.
Certain words create obligations.
Certain words create expectations.
Certain words create headlines.
And certain words preserve flexibility.
Authenticity preserves flexibility.
That is why I am paying attention to it.
The Audience Is Being Allowed to Fill in the Blank
This is where some fans will use a stronger word.
Deceptive.
I understand why.
I am not saying every use of “authenticity” is automatically a lie.
That would be too simplistic.
The issue is more subtle.
A statement can technically be true while still allowing an audience to walk away with a much broader impression.
If you say:
“We are committed to authenticity,”
and then show authentic belts, authentic arenas, authentic brands, authentic organizations, authentic equipment, and authentic fighter likenesses, technically you may have demonstrated authenticity.
But what did the consumer think you meant?
Did the consumer think you were also talking about the boxing mechanics?
The boxer behavior?
The movement?
The styles?
The tactical systems?
The AI?
The career structure?
That is where ambiguity becomes valuable.
The company does not necessarily have to say:
“Every boxer will behave authentically.”
The player may assume it.
The company does not necessarily have to say:
“The gameplay is realistic/sim.”
The player may infer it from the constant use of “authentic.”
That is why fans need to stop filling in the blanks for companies.
You Can Be Technically Correct and Still Create the Wrong Impression
That distinction is worth emphasizing.
Marketing does not operate only through outright factual claims.
It also operates through:
implication
repetition
emphasis
omission
framing
selective terminology
imagery
association
If a company repeatedly surrounds its game with the language of authenticity while leaving the core gameplay classification vague, consumers are entitled to ask whether that ambiguity is doing commercial work.
Especially after four videos.
At this point, “authenticity” is not just appearing once in an off-the-cuff answer.
It is becoming part of the language surrounding the product.
The Missing Words Matter Too
I am increasingly interested in what Ash does not say.
If authenticity is central to the vision, then I want to hear the same enthusiasm attached to:
Authentic boxer behavior.
Authentic style differentiation.
Authentic movement.
Authentic footwork.
Authentic inside fighting.
Authentic clinching.
Authentic defensive identities.
Authentic stamina behavior.
Authentic tactical adaptation.
Authentic boxer tendencies.
Authentic judging.
Authentic refereeing.
Authentic corner behavior.
Authentic career structures.
Those are not minor details.
Those are boxing.
So if the word authenticity continues to be emphasized while the areas most directly connected to boxing behavior remain less clearly defined, fans should notice that.
Presentation Authenticity Is Easy to Market
There is another reason presentation authenticity gets so much attention.
It is easy to show.
Show the belt.
Show the arena.
Show the gloves.
Show the boxer scan.
Show the logo.
Show the partnership.
Show the venue.
Show the lighting.
Then put the word:
AUTHENTIC
on top of it.
Everybody understands the visual immediately.
Behavioral authenticity is harder to prove.
You cannot demonstrate authentic boxer intelligence with one screenshot.
You cannot prove individualized styles by showing a character model.
You have to demonstrate the systems.
Show me two fighters with similar ratings who behave completely differently because their tendencies, habits, strengths, weaknesses, defensive preferences, tactical biases, and decision-making are different.
Show me a pressure fighter intelligently closing distance.
Show me a boxer-puncher changing strategy after getting hurt.
Show me a fighter who becomes less technically sound when exhausted.
Show me a slick boxer drawing mistakes and countering them.
Show me different clinching tendencies.
Show me different reactions to pressure.
Show me different defensive philosophies.
That is actual behavioral authenticity.
And that requires much more than licensing.
A Belt Cannot Make a Boxer Authentic
This should be obvious, but it apparently needs to be said.
A belt does not throw punches.
An arena does not cut off the ring.
A sponsor logo does not manage distance.
The gloves do not decide when to counter.
The lighting does not fight on the inside.
A licensed organization does not determine whether stamina behaves realistically.
A ring announcer does not give a boxer his real-life tendencies.
The boxer does those things.
And if the boxer does not behave like himself, then the most authentic-looking championship belt in videogame history does not solve the problem.
The Boxer Should Be the Ultimate Test of Authenticity
Ask one question:
Does the fighter actually behave like that fighter?
Not:
Does his face look correct?
Not:
Does he have the right trunks?
Not:
Is his entrance recognizable?
Not:
Did you scan his tattoos?
Does he fight like himself?
Take Floyd Mayweather Jr.
If Floyd is represented authentically, his identity should exist throughout the systems.
Distance control.
Lead-hand usage.
Defensive anticipation.
Pull counters.
Shoulder-roll decisions.
Risk management.
Economical offense.
Ring positioning.
Timing.
Opponent reading.
Strategic adjustment.
Those qualities should not simply be animations.
They should influence decision-making.
Joe Frazier should not just be a generic pressure fighter with different ratings.
Mike Tyson should not simply be a powerful fighter wearing Tyson animations.
Muhammad Ali should not simply receive faster movement values.
James Toney should not defend through the same underlying defensive behavior as everybody else.
Pernell Whitaker should not merely receive a high defense statistic.
Those fighters need behavioral identities.
That is authenticity.
And Then We Reach the Most Frustrating Part
There is already a practical solution to much of this argument.
Options.
And:
Sliders.
I have been saying this for years.
Why are we treating realistic boxing and accessibility as though only one can exist?
They do not have to be enemies.
Give us multiple gameplay philosophies.
REALISTIC/SIM
Realistic stamina.
Realistic movement.
Greater boxer individuality.
Deeper tendency strength.
Realistic damage.
Stricter rules.
Deeper clinching.
Inside fighting.
More demanding defense.
Greater tactical consequences.
More realistic physical limitations.
HYBRID
A middle ground.
Keep significant boxing depth while increasing responsiveness and accessibility.
ARCADE
Faster action.
More forgiving stamina.
Simplified systems.
Looser restrictions.
Easier execution.
CUSTOM
Let players control the systems themselves.
Movement inertia.
Stamina drain.
Stamina recovery.
Damage.
Counter windows.
Reaction speed.
Guard effectiveness.
Block fatigue.
Clinch frequency.
Inside-fighting effectiveness.
Referee strictness.
Knockdown frequency.
Flash knockouts.
AI tendency strength.
Style differentiation.
Injury likelihood.
Recovery.
Punch accuracy.
Footwork assistance.
Give us the variables.
Options and Sliders Defuse the Entire Argument
I am not saying sliders magically solve every programming or game-design challenge.
They do not.
But they solve a huge part of the philosophical fight over what kind of boxing game players should be forced to play.
Hardcore simulation players get realistic/sim.
Hybrid players get hybrid.
Casual players get arcade.
Players who want something between those presets create their own experience.
Everybody wins.
And you can structure online play separately.
Realistic/Sim Ranked.
Hybrid Ranked.
Arcade Ranked.
Custom Unranked.
Now competitive players know what rules they are entering before the fight starts.
This should not be revolutionary thinking.
Sports videogames have used options, presets, assists, difficulty levels, sliders, and gameplay modifiers for decades.
So why is realistic boxing sometimes treated as though its existence would somehow prevent casual players from enjoying the game?
It would not.
Stop Making Hardcore and Casual Players Fight Each Other
This is another problem with the conversation.
Sometimes fans are pushed into arguing against one another when the technology does not require that conflict.
Hardcore players say:
“We want realistic boxing.”
Casual players respond:
“That would be too difficult.”
Why does that matter if both experiences can exist?
Let one player use Realistic/Sim.
Let another use Hybrid.
Let another use Arcade.
No player needs to lose.
Accessibility does not require removing simulation.
Simulation does not require banning accessibility.
Design the systems modularly.
Expose the values.
Create presets.
Let players choose.
“Ash Owns the Company. He Can Do Whatever He Wants.”
This is another argument I see far too often.
People say:
“Ash is the owner.”
“Ash is the CEO.”
“It is his company.”
“He can do whatever he wants.”
That is not how serious companies operate once publishers, investors, contracts, budgets, employees, commercial partners, and other stakeholders become involved.
Being a founder or CEO does not necessarily mean:
“Every decision is whatever I personally feel like doing today.”
A chief executive can have significant authority while still operating within a larger corporate structure.
There may be:
publisher agreements
investor expectations
board oversight
budgets
contractual obligations
revenue targets
marketing strategies
platform relationships
production schedules
legal considerations
commercial partnerships
public-relations concerns
Those factors can all affect decision-making.
That does not remove Ash's responsibility as the public face of SCI.
But it does mean fans should stop imagining that one executive necessarily operates in a vacuum.
Ash Habib the Individual and Ash Habib the CEO Are Not Always the Same Thing
When Ash appears in an official SCI video, he is not simply a boxing fan talking casually.
He is communicating publicly as the head and representative of a commercial organization.
That distinction matters.
A CEO might personally prefer one direction while company realities push toward another.
A publisher may want broader commercial appeal.
Investors may want lower risk.
Marketing may want terminology that reaches multiple audiences.
Production may have technical constraints.
Competitive design may prioritize balance.
None of us sitting outside SCI can claim to know which pressures exist internally unless evidence becomes public.
But saying:
“Ash owns the company, so he can do whatever he wants”
is simply too simplistic.
Real businesses are more complicated than that.
And this makes the repeated terminology even more interesting.
Maybe “Authenticity” Is the Perfect Corporate Word
Think about what the word accomplishes.
It appeals to hardcore boxing fans.
It sounds serious.
It sounds respectful to the sport.
It appeals to licensing partners.
It works in marketing materials.
It works when discussing venues.
It works when discussing fighter scans.
It works when discussing belts.
It works when discussing brands.
It works when discussing presentation.
And most importantly:
It does not require the company to promise simulation.
That does not prove deceptive intent.
But it absolutely explains why consumers should scrutinize the terminology instead of simply accepting it.
Authenticity Is Starting to Function Like a Shield
“Realistic” invites comparison against reality.
“Simulation” invites comparison against the sport being simulated.
“Arcade” clearly establishes a different expectation.
“Hybrid” openly acknowledges compromise.
“Authentic” can absorb almost anything.
That makes it extraordinarily difficult to challenge.
If somebody criticizes the realism, the company can point to authentic belts.
If somebody questions simulation depth, the company can point to an authentic venue.
If somebody asks about boxer individuality, the discussion can shift toward partnerships, presentation, fighter scans, or atmosphere.
That is why I do not want the word to become a substitute for discussing actual game design.
Fans Need to Ask a Different Question Now
Every time Ash says “authenticity,” I think the response should be:
Authenticity of what?
Do not complete the sentence for them.
Make SCI define it.
Is it:
Visual authenticity?
Presentation authenticity?
Historical authenticity?
Boxer authenticity?
Behavioral authenticity?
Mechanical authenticity?
Strategic authenticity?
Systemic authenticity?
Those are not the same thing.
A game can score extremely high in one category and poorly in another.
My Question for Ash Habib Is Very Simple
Ash, after four videos and numerous uses of “authenticity,” tell the community exactly what kind of boxing game SCI intends to make.
Is it:
Realistic/Sim?
Hybrid?
Arcade?
Or:
All three through presets, options, and sliders?
Then tell us where the authenticity exists.
Are the belts authentic?
Fine.
Are the arenas authentic?
Good.
Are the brands authentic?
Great.
Now answer the harder questions.
How authentic are the boxers?
How authentic are their tendencies?
How authentic are their styles?
How authentic is their movement?
How authentic is their footwork?
How authentic is clinching?
How authentic is inside fighting?
How authentic is defensive behavior?
How authentic is fatigue?
How authentic are the physics?
How authentic are reactions?
How authentic is AI decision-making?
How authentic are the rules?
How authentic is career mode?
How authentic is the boxing ecosystem?
Those answers would tell us far more than another general statement about authenticity.
Because the Obvious Solution Is Sitting Right There
If SCI is worried that a realistic/sim boxing game might alienate casual players, give casual players Hybrid and Arcade.
If SCI is worried realistic stamina is too punishing, provide a slider.
If SCI believes certain players want faster movement, provide the option.
If competitive players need standardized settings, create separate ranked rulesets.
If hardcore boxing fans want strong fighter individuality, allow maximum tendency strength.
There does not need to be one setting forced on everybody.
That is why I keep coming back to options and sliders.
They remove most of the excuse for forcing one philosophy across the entire audience.
Stop Telling Us What the Curtains Look Like
The house analogy still applies.
The boxing mechanics are the foundation.
Boxer behavior, styles, AI, tactics, defense, inside fighting, clinching, stamina, and physics are the structure.
Career, creation, rankings, ecosystem systems, modes, and customization are the rooms.
Belts, arenas, sponsors, brands, equipment, presentation, lighting, and licenses are the furnishings and decoration.
I want the entire house.
But do not show me beautiful curtains and expect me to stop asking whether the foundation is concrete.
And do not repeatedly use the word “authenticity” as though authenticity in one part of the house automatically proves authenticity everywhere else.
It does not.
“Authentic” Cannot Be the Final Answer
I am no longer satisfied with:
“We want an authentic boxing experience.”
That should be the beginning of the conversation.
Not the end.
Tell us what is authentic.
Tell us what gameplay philosophy you are pursuing.
Tell us whether the boxing itself is intended to be realistic.
And if the concern is that different audiences want different things, stop treating that as an unsolvable problem.
Give us:
Realistic/Sim.
Hybrid.
Arcade.
Custom.
Give us the sliders.
Give us the options.
Let the player choose.
Because a boxing game can have the most authentic belt ever created, the most authentic arena ever scanned, the most authentic gloves ever modeled, and the most authentic presentation package ever produced...
...and still have boxing mechanics that lean hybrid or arcade.
Those statements can all be true at the same time.
That is precisely why the terminology matters.
So the next time Ash Habib says “authenticity,” boxing fans should not automatically assume they know what he means.
Ask him.
Authenticity of what?
Then ask the question that matters even more:
Is the boxing itself going to be realistic?
This version makes the repeated terminology itself the subject, while connecting it directly to corporate messaging, gameplay classification, investor/publisher realities, and the Realistic/Sim-Hybrid-Arcade-Custom solution.
