Undisputed launches Oct 11 – how body scans deliver boxing authenticity

Undisputed launches October 11 on PS5, and has been in development for nearly five years, starting as the humble Esports Boxing Club and then evolving into the first major boxing game in over a decade. With over 70 of the most prestigious prizefighters on the roster, including Canelo Álvarez, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Roy Jones Jr. and Joe Frazier, it was our priority to make sure that they not only looked amazing, but that they moved in their own, unique, signature ways too.

From scan to sculpt

How do you get the longest reigning super middleweight world champion, Joe Calzaghe, to look as authentic and life-like as possible? It all starts with the scanning process. We work with a variety of scanning studios all over the world to create the most accurate reference images for us to work from. The Steel City Interactive art team then use this to sculpt the in-game models, recreating every muscle, vein, hair, and bead of sweat.

For our boxing legends, we also have a de-aging process. Players want to experience these fighters in their prime, so we try to recreate exactly what they looked like at that time.

“One of the most challenging parts of bringing characters from the past to life is the de-aging process. Lots of things usually change with age: eye shape, lip volume, cheekbones, body fat, even ear size, but my aim is to get them back to their fighting shape, recreating the look of their greatest fights. First, I collect a lot of references from every possible angle to have an overview of what I want to achieve. Then, I check the model to understand what to keep and what to change according to the pictures and footage. I then work on the tone and symmetry, removing some fat, wrinkles, and imperfections from the body and face. After this, I sculpt the main muscles and tweak the facial features. Eventually I get to a point where the boxer is recognizable both from a distance and up close. When I’m happy with the result, I proceed to fix the textures as well.”

– Francesco Primiceri, 3D character artist at Steel City Interactiver

Motion capture

We also try to get as many fighters as possible into our motion capture suits, so we can record their unique footwork, punches, slips, dodges – and even taunts! When you play as Oleksandr Usyk, we want it to feel like you are Oleksandr Usyk, so our art and animation teams spend days processing the output from the motion capture and then applying that to our detailed character models.

British and Commonwealth Super-Lightweight Champion, Dalton Smith, was one of the fighters we worked closely with to capture his boxing style. He also helped mimic some of the fighters who are no longer with us, studying their movements then performing them so we can immortalize them in Undisputed.

“I am used to boxing in the ring or the gym, but throwing punches in a motion capture suit is a whole different ball game. I got suited up and spent a few days working with the team at Steel City Interactive to capture not only my own personal in-ring moves, but those of some of the old school boxers as well. You don’t realise how intense and detailed the process is until you’re throwing the same punches and performing the same blocks over and over again until it’s captured from every angle. Seeing the results in-game is incredible – my avatar really does look like me.”

– Dalton Smith, British and Commonwealth Super-Lightweight Champion

Styles (and stats) make fights

There’s a saying in boxing that ‘styles make fights’ and we think it’s really important that those styles are backed up with real life statistics too. There’s no point in having the undefeated legend of boxing, Rocky Marciano, in the game if we don’t also give him the punching power and stamina he was known for.

That’s why we work with CompuBox to define each fighter’s ratings, statistics and behaviours. When you’re playing as a boxer with a fantastic knockout ratio, like Deontay Wilder, his ability to land KO’s in the game is boosted. And this works the same for the AI version of them too; each fighter has their own skills and abilities – taken from their real-life fight records – that will change the outcome of the fight in a meaningful way. It’s your job to figure out how to counter that!

Rule the ring

Undisputed has the most expansive and authentic licensed fighter roster of any boxing game yet, and we’re excited for you to experience that.

You can pick up the Undisputed Deluxe WBC Edition on October 8 on PS5 and play three days early. Undisputed Standard Edition launches on October 11 on PS5.