Steel City Interactive confirmed the removal of Ryan Garcia from their upcoming boxing game, Undisputed. The news has sparked controversy within the gaming community. The official launch of Undisputed is scheduled for October 11, 2024, with early access for players on the Steam gaming store and platform starting on October 8.
The decision to remove Garcia follows a stance taken by the World Boxing Council (WBC). The boxer was expelled from the WBC earlier this year due to racist comments made on social media. Steel City Interactive, in solidarity with the WBC’s decision, announced Garcia’s removal from the roster of fighters in the game.
In an official Discord message, the Undisputed team explained that Ryan Garcia will no longer be available in various game modes:
“As part of the full launch update of Undisputed on October 8th, and following the lead of the World Boxing Council (WBC), Ryan Garcia’s character will no longer be playable in local, online, and prize fight game modes, and players won’t be able to create new career mode saves with the character”.
Starting October 8, players will no longer be able to use him in local, online, or prize fight modes. Players who have started career mode games with Garcia will be able to continue using him until December, when a final update will remove him.
The gaming community has not taken this decision well. Many users on Reddit and other platforms are criticizing Steel City Interactive for getting involved in issues unrelated to game development. Despite the criticism, the game’s development team stands by their decision.
Undisputed has generated significant anticipation among boxing and gaming fans. The title, which launched in early access in January 2023, will officially release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 11. It will be the first major boxing game since Fight Night Champion, released in 2010. The game has also been praised for its realism and gameplay.
Despite the controversy, the game continues to receive mostly positive reviews on Steam. With a roster that includes legends like Tyson Fury, Canelo Álvarez, and Muhammad Ali, Undisputed promises to deliver an authentic and immersive boxing experience. However, Ryan Garcia’s removal leaves the game with one less fighter at launch, sparking debate over the implications of such decisions in video game development.
Ryan Garcia canned from Undisputed boxing 😬 pic.twitter.com/GoUxF6kNzn
— MartialMind 🇳🇬🇺🇲 (@MartialMind1) October 2, 2024
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