When Casual CEOs, Publishers, and Investors Control Boxing Videogames

Introduction: The Casual Fan Lens

One of the most overlooked issues in the development of boxing videogames is who actually holds the power. Too often, the decision-makers—the CEOs, publishers, and investors—are not lifelong boxing people. They are casual fans at best, business opportunists at worst. This distinction matters. Their shallow relationship with the sport directly shapes the direction of games, stripping away authenticity in favor of marketability.

1. Casual Fans in Executive Seats

Casual fans see boxing as:

Knockouts and highlight reels.
Big names like Tyson, Ali, and Canelo.
Ring walks, belts, and spectacle.

What they don’t see is the grind of amateur boxing, the subtle rhythm of footwork, the technical chess match inside the ropes, or the importance of a referee’s presence in shaping a fight. Without that deeper understanding, their creative decisions often lead to:

Tier systems instead of nuanced rating systems.
Universal movement mechanics (everyone dancing like Ali) instead of distinct boxer styles.
Arcade-style shortcuts that ignore tendencies, stamina, or fatigue dynamics.

2. The Profit-Over-Authenticity Approach

When investors and publishers approach boxing, their priority is usually:

Fast returns – stripping down systems to push an early release.
Wide appeal – building for casual players who will buy on hype.
Safe marketing – leaning on content creators to repeat PR messages, instead of highlighting authentic boxing voices.

This is why companies partner with brands like CompuBox or BoxRec but fail to use them properly. They want the logos, not the systems. They want the look of authenticity, not the responsibility of building it into the gameplay.

3. The Cost of Ignoring Representation

Alienating Core Fans

Hardcore fans, lifelong boxers, trainers, and historians are the heartbeat of the sport. When a game fails to reflect reality, these fans feel disrespected. They are silenced in favor of casuals who may not even stick around.

Boxers Are Customers Too

Amateur and pro boxers represent hundreds of thousands of potential customers worldwide. A realistic game could draw them in, much like NBA 2K became a standard in basketball culture. But when executives ignore representation, they close the door on this massive, loyal audience.

Short-Term Casual Base

Casual players tend to move on quickly after hype fades. If the game isn’t built with authentic systems and depth, there’s no foundation for long-term replayability or sequels. That leaves the sport misrepresented and the fanbase fractured.

4. Why Representation Matters in Boxing Games

Representation in a boxing game doesn’t just mean putting a famous name on a character model. It means:

Accurate ratings that separate boxers beyond just overall numbers.
Tendency systems that let AI move and fight like real boxers.
Referees and clinching systems to mirror real rules.
Amateur circuits and gyms to show the grassroots path every boxer takes.
Commentary, branding, and arenas that feel true to the sport.

Without these, the game becomes a hollow arcade shell. With them, it becomes a living, breathing representation of boxing.

5. The Solution: Put Boxing People in the Room

To counteract the casual lens, developers must:

Hire ex-boxers, trainers, and historians as consultants.
Build dedicated roles for ratings, tendencies, and authenticity oversight.
Allow hardcore boxing fans to beta-test and provide feedback that goes beyond “fun factor.”
Respect boxers not just as characters in the game, but as part of the customer base.

This is how NBA 2K became a cultural touchstone for basketball. They leaned into representation, player tendencies, branding authenticity, and community involvement. Boxing deserves the same.

Conclusion: Authenticity Is Long-Term Currency

When CEOs, publishers, and investors treat boxing as a quick product for casuals, they harm the sport and its fanbase. Casuals may provide the hype, but authenticity provides the staying power. Without true representation, a boxing game fades into irrelevance, just another arcade experiment. With authenticity, it can capture the spirit of the sport and finally give boxing the videogame it deserves.

✅ This kind of deep dive makes the issue clear: the problem isn’t just the developers—it’s the casual leadership culture steering decisions away from realism.

Perfect — here’s the follow-up deep dive companion piece, this time comparing boxing’s situation to NBA 2K, Madden, and MLB The Show:

Lessons from 2K, Madden, and MLB The Show: Why Boxing Videogames Fail Without Representation

Introduction: Two Different Roads

In sports gaming, two paths are clear. On one side, games like NBA 2K, Madden NFL, and MLB The Show have built entire ecosystems of authenticity and representation. On the other, boxing videogames continue to struggle—caught in the tug-of-war between realism and arcade, between casual hype and long-term depth. The key difference? Representation.

1. How NBA 2K Built a Blueprint of Representation

NBA 2K is more than a videogame—it’s a cultural hub for basketball. Its success didn’t come from marketing gimmicks; it came from embedding authenticity at every level:

Tendencies and ratings: Every player, even benchwarmers, has unique tendencies. This makes LeBron, Curry, or Jokic feel different from one another.
Era modes and MyNBA: Fans can experience basketball across generations with accurate rules, presentation, and player likenesses.
Brand integration: Real shoes, gear, arenas, and broadcast crews give the game a lived-in authenticity.
Community respect: 2K understood that basketball players and fans are customers too. They leaned into representing the sport for those who live it, not just watch it casually.

2. Madden NFL and the Power of Rules & Structure

Madden may have its share of critics, but it never abandoned football’s rules and structures:

Penalties, referees, formations, and playbooks mirror the real sport.
Ratings are broken down into dozens of categories, allowing linemen, quarterbacks, and wide receivers to all feel different.
NFL branding is used authentically, with real play-calling terminology and commentary that feels at home in Sunday broadcasts.

Even when fans critique Madden, the criticism is never about “does this represent football?”—because that baseline is already built in.

3. MLB The Show: Depth and Loyalty Through Authenticity

Baseball’s most successful videogame shows how authenticity can be commercial gold:

Pitcher vs. batter tendencies drive every at-bat, not just overall numbers.
Franchise modes and scouting systems mirror the grind of the sport.
Realistic stadiums, commentary, and league structures keep the immersion unbroken.
The game doesn’t water down baseball to chase casuals—it leans into realism and earns loyalty.

The Show proves that even “niche” sports can thrive with authentic representation.

4. Boxing’s Struggle: The Casual Investor’s Roadblock

In boxing videogames, CEOs, publishers, and investors often:

Strip away referee systems and clinching for “simplicity.”
Use tier systems instead of robust ratings.
Market through content creators while ignoring hardcore fans.
Treat partnerships with BoxRec or CompuBox as logos, not gameplay systems.

This isn’t how 2K, Madden, or The Show operate. Those franchises embrace representation, and it’s why they dominate year after year. Boxing games are failing not because the sport is “niche,” but because leadership chooses the shallow casual route.

5. The Blueprint for Boxing to Succeed

If a boxing game wants to match NBA 2K’s success, it must:

Build tendency and rating systems that differentiate every boxer.
Integrate era modes, gyms, amateur circuits, and governing bodies to reflect the sport’s structure.
Use branding (CompuBox, BoxRec, sanctioning bodies) in authentic, gameplay-driven ways.
Hire boxing experts to lead development—not just casual business voices.

Representation is not optional. It is the foundation for immersion, longevity, and respect.

Conclusion: Authenticity Is the Winning Formula

NBA 2K, Madden, and MLB The Show prove that authentic representation builds loyalty, cultural relevance, and profit. Boxing videogames, under casual leadership, continue to choose the opposite: quick hype, stripped-down mechanics, and shallow authenticity. That path leads to short-term sales but long-term failure.

For boxing to finally get its true flagship videogame, it must follow the proven blueprint: respect the sport, represent its depth, and build for the fans who live boxing—not just those who watch highlights.

✅ This companion piece puts boxing’s struggle in direct contrast with other sports games.

Poe’s Think Tank

Saturday, September 20, 2025