EA Sports President Peter Moore suggests Boxing is the Past

by Blackout612 on Mar 15, 2009 7:00 PM EDT Comment 6 comments

In a report by IGN from EA's Sports' Season Opener event, EA's Peter Moore is asked about his desire to create an MMA title:

"We keep a very close eye on where things like Mixed Martial Arts are going. Obviously we've got Fight Night -- we're incredibly excited about Fight Night -- but boxing, for me, sadly feels like it's the past of fighting and Mixed Martial Arts feels like it's the future of fighting. So when we look at where people's attention is going, that's something we keep a very close eye on."

So in one fell swoop, an individual with very calculated knowledge about sports trends and the President of the largest sports video game publisher in the world, suggests that MMA is the future of combat sports and that EA is interested in creating an MMA title. One could perceive that this is a full confirmation, as Peter Moore is unlikely to be so publicly enthusiastic about MMA without a title in the development pipeline (considering he has a boxing title, Fight Night Round 4, in development).

Furthermore, IGN alludes to the possibility that EA could be making a play for the UFC license. This could be an indication that the terms of the UFC's agreement with THQ are less binding than previously suggested, or conjecture based on THQ's escalating financial woes. No matter, more news about EA's prospective MMA project should emerge by the time the Electronic Entertainment Expo rolls around on June 2nd.

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Comments

Nice find.

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by Chris Nelson on Mar 15, 2009 7:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I like what he has to say. He doesn’t have a pro-MMA or anti-boxing agenda or anything, he’s just calling it the way he sees it.

Yeah, who got the final Death Blow? 'Cause I thought that Hawaiian guy had it comin' to him. - C. K.

by monkeyfightclub! on Mar 15, 2009 7:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

MMA eclipsing boxing to an extent might be what it takes for boxing to reorganize and produce a product that more people enjoy.

by Cannon Jacques on Mar 15, 2009 7:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We’ve seen some great fights in the last year or two haven’t we? I think its already happening, to an extent

by smoogy on Mar 15, 2009 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

EA will simply buy out THQ if their value drops any lower and absorb their titles.

by Benicio on Mar 16, 2009 7:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Also possible

But EA would only do so at a reasonable cost. They’re also facing some hard economic times and are still engaged in a (potentially) hostile takeover of 2K games. Swooping in and stealing properties like the UFC while THQ is on life support seems much more likely.

"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry

by Blackout612 on Mar 16, 2009 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs