The Pressure Is On: Steel City Interactive's Long Road to a Complete Boxing Video Game

Steel City Interactive (SCI) is in the hot seat. Nearly five years into the development of Undisputed, their highly anticipated boxing video game, the game still feels incomplete. Fans who have been waiting for a truly realistic boxing sim are growing restless, and the pressure is mounting for SCI to deliver a polished, feature-rich experience.

Meanwhile, history paints a different picture. Electronic Arts (EA) once developed five boxing video games in just five years when they entered the genre. Between Knockout Kings 99 (1998) and Fight Night Round 2 (2005), EA built a smooth development process that churned out game after game, each iteration improving upon the last. Given that precedent, it begs the question: Why is it taking SCI so long?

The Weight of Expectations

SCI set out with an ambitious goal: to create the most realistic boxing video game ever. Their early promotional materials showcased Undisputed (then known as eSports Boxing Club) as a game that would redefine the genre. The problem is, five years later, the game still lacks key components necessary for a true simulation experience.

Some of the biggest concerns from the community include:

• Lack of career mode – Despite promises of a deep, immersive experience, a true career mode still hasn’t materialized.
• Incomplete roster – While Undisputed boasts an impressive list of licensed fighters, the number of boxers still doesn’t feel sufficient for a game marketed as the definitive boxing experience.
• Unfinished mechanics – Features like punch animations, footwork fluidity, and defensive mechanics still need refinement. Many fans argue the gameplay took a step back from its earlier iterations.
• Missing offline content – Career mode isn’t the only thing absent; other offline modes, like a full-fledged tournament system, promoter mode, and a robust training system, are either missing or not fully fleshed out.

For a game that has been in development for this long, these missing features only add to the frustration.

EA Set the Blueprint—So Why the Delay?

Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, EA had a rapid development cycle that saw Knockout Kings and Fight Night titles released in quick succession. Each new game built on the previous one, refining mechanics, adding boxers, and implementing new features without missing a beat. By Fight Night Round 2, EA had already introduced advanced mechanics like impact punches and deeper career modes.

SCI, on the other hand, has been developing Undisputed for nearly the same amount of time it took EA to release five full boxing games. With modern technology, game engines, and developer tools more advanced than ever, many wonder why the development process for Undisputed has been so slow.

Some speculate that SCI may be struggling with resources or mismanaging development priorities. Others believe they may have underestimated the complexity of making a boxing simulation. Either way, the result is a game that still doesn’t feel complete, leaving boxing fans with an experience that is far from the definitive simulation they were promised.

The Clock is Ticking

SCI can’t afford to keep dragging their feet. The boxing gaming community has been starving for a high-quality title for over a decade. With Undisputed still in early access and many features still absent, the patience of fans is wearing thin. If SCI doesn’t deliver soon, they risk losing the trust of their audience, and their opportunity to become the gold standard in boxing games could slip away.

The pressure is on, and the clock is ticking. Can SCI finally complete the game they've been working on for nearly five years, or will Undisputed go down as a project that never lived up to its potential? Time will tell, but boxing fans are hoping for a knockout finish rather than another round of delays.