I’ve tried several VR boxing games, and none are better than The Thrill of the Fight. I could use some more variety in the AI opponents’ fighting styles, but it feels much more like actual boxing (a hobby of mine) than any of the other games I tried, and I really like the passthrough option, which lets me see the room I’m in so I’m not worried about weaving into my filing cabinet.
It’s my favorite VR game in general (I still haven’t finished Half-Life: Alyx, I admit), or at least the one I’ve gotten the most enjoyment and exercise out of. Good news for me, then: There’s a sequel in development, and it’s coming to early access in November.
Unlike the first game, The Thrill of the Fight 2 will have multiplayer support. I’m a little disappointed that the early access release will only feature multiplayer, but it will get a singleplayer mode later. After the early access launch, creator Ian Fitz—who’s working with Fruit Ninja developer Halfbrick Studios on the sequel—says the dev team plans to start work on “an AI that has more capabilities and combat smarts” than the first game’s.
The Thrill of the Fight 2 will launch initially only on Meta Quest 2 and 3, but a version for PC-tethered VR headsets is “very likely,” says Fitz. I’ve played the first game both tethered and untethered, and although it is a better experience with no cable (it’s not a graphically-intensive game), I managed to get a lot out of it even with the back of my head attached to my PC. Some realism might be sacrificed, but unless you make an effort to circle your opponent, it does a good job of keeping them on one side of the ring to avoid wrapping you up.
That of course won’t necessarily remain true when your opponent is human, so perhaps the Quest headsets are the best choice here.
Aside from introducing multiplayer, The Thrill of the Fight 2 will launch with “a new combat system with improved physics and damage calculations meant to mimic real boxing” as closely as possible, says Fitz. It will include skill-based matchmaking as well as private matches.
The Thrill of the Fight 2 will be available in early access on November 21 from the Meta Quest store. You can find a few more details in a recent Q&A with Fitz.