Monday, July 21, 2025

The Blatant Disrespect from SCI Toward the Boxing Creation Suite Community



 The Blatant Disrespect from SCI Toward the Boxing Creation Suite Community


 A Broken Promise to the Lifeblood of Sports Games

When Steel City Interactive (SCI) first promised a boxing simulation game that would be the "NBA 2K of boxing," fans envisioned more than just a ring, punches, and licensed boxers. They envisioned a fully realized creation suite—a space where creativity could thrive, the history of boxing could be revived, and the community could breathe life into the game beyond the official roster.

But what happened instead? Silence. Backpedaling. Excuses. And now, the community creation mode—the same feature that was once listed on the roadmap—has seemingly been scrapped or indefinitely shelved. The message? "It would take away from the main objective right now." In other words: Your voice doesn't matter anymore.


Why the Creation Suite Matters More Than SCI Understands

1. It's the Foundation of Longevity

  • NBA 2K, WWE 2K, and even old games like Fight Night Round 3 thrive years after release because of user-generated content.

  • When official support fades, the creation community sustains interest and relevance.

  • A creation suite can provide thousands of boxers from all eras, including fantasy matchups and local legends—no extra licensing required.

2. It Empowers the Fans

  • The boxing community is passionate, knowledgeable, and driven. They don’t just want to play the game—they want to enhance it.

  • Community creators recreate iconic trunks, venues, commentary styles, classic stances, and even full fictional leagues.

  • SCI’s refusal to support this sends a clear signal: "We want your money, not your ideas."

3. It Makes Up for Licensing Gaps

  • SCI can’t and won’t sign every legend or active fighter. But a good creation suite bridges that gap.

  • Fans could create a fully fleshed-out roster of real-life boxers SCI doesn’t have rights to.

  • It helps avoid repetitiveness and deepens the game’s ecosystem with endless matchups.


The Community Was Sold a Dream, Then Ghosted

SCI heavily implied early on that customization and creation would be part of the future of Undisputed. Content creators hyped it up. Fans waited patiently. The roadmap even referenced customization features. And yet, when fans now ask, they’re told it’s “too much work.”

That’s unacceptable for a game in development since at least 2019. Especially when indie developers and modders can build full creation suites with far fewer resources. SCI has investors. They have a publishing partner. They’ve sold over a million copies. They are no longer a scrappy, resource-starved team—they’re just making choices.

And one of those choices was disrespecting the very community that made their game viral in the first place.


What SCI Should Have Done (and Still Can Do)

Be Transparent

  • If the creation suite is delayed, say it. If it’s canceled, say it. Don’t gaslight the community with vague statements.

Open It Up to Modders

  • Allow community access and PC modding tools like 2K and Bethesda do. Let the community carry the torch.

Hire Dedicated Creators

  • Bring in UI/UX designers and community managers who specialize in content creation tools.

  • There's a laid-off talent pool in the industry—hire them.

Launch It in Phases

  • Release a basic version first (trunks, gloves, tattoos), then layer in stances, entrances, venues, etc.

  • Iterative development is better than complete abandonment.


Final Thoughts: This Isn’t Just About a Feature—It’s About Respect

The boxing creation suite community isn’t just asking for fun tools. They're demanding the right to keep boxing's rich history alive, to immortalize legends SCI didn’t license, and to create the stories the game developers won’t.

SCI has turned its back on that dream. But it’s not too late to course correct. The blueprint exists. The community is still here. And the message is loud and clear:

If you won't give us the tools, we'll give our money and time to someone who will.

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