Anyone that thought Facebreaker would be the only boxing title coming out of the warehouse at EA was wrong, as it has today been announced that Fight Night Round 4 will be returning at some point in 2009, being worked on by EA Canada.

This is certainly not going to be a rushed enhancement of FNR3, as EA make it very clear that the fourth game in the series will be very different, not least because of the characters involved.

Returning to the virtual ring for the first time in nearly ten years, Mike Tyson will be a playable character, with Muhammad Ali also bolstering the line up. Both will be the younger versions of the two heavyweights when they were in their prime and means that the two heavyweights can go head to head on the brand new, re-written game engine.

EA also promise that no fight will be the same thanks to an all-new physics-based animation system, which promises to recreate the full spectrum of true-to-life punch impacts, meaning that punches will feel all the more satisfying. The new physics system also allows for missed punches, glancing punches, knockout blows and for the first time ever, rough and tumble inside fighting. For those who like realism to be spot on, fatigue, adrenaline, footwork and timing are all crucial now.

Said Kevin Wilkinson, Executive Producer, EA Sports:

“The EA SPORTS Fight Night franchise has always been synonymous with quality and innovation that raised the bar for the sports videogame genre. EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 3 was a platform defining game as the industry transitioned to next generation consoles. EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 will change how boxing games are played and measured in the future.”

EA refused to comment on whether ear-biting would be a move in Fight Night Round 4

2009 is quite a wait for a game that will likely prove to be very popular, capitalising on the success of the FNR3. Stay tuned for more, as EA will no doubt start shouting about the game very soon.