It is generally expected that first-party videogame titles will remain safely hoarded within a single platform’s ecosystem. There are the occasional exceptions, a number which has now been incremented by one with the announcement by Vive Studios that its newly launched title, Knockout League will be going multi-platform.
Knockout League is a light-hearted boxing simulator that aims to give players a workout whilst pitting them against a variety of opponents, including some ludicrous ones such as an oversized octopus with a moustache. Players must learn to duck, weave, jab and uppercut in order to put their opponents down on to the mat.
Developed by Vive Studios in conjunction with Grab Games, Knockout League will be made available on Htc Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, making it the first Vive Studios title to be released on the PlayStation VR. According to the Vive Blog post announcing the release: “Our goal is to support the developer ecosystem and push them to generate revenue and build a community around their game. This will be Vive Studios’ first title available for PlayStation VR and with PSVR’s enthusiastic and engaged community, we knew Knockout League would be a perfect fit.”
The arcade-style gameplay of Knockout League is designed for a single player, which pits the user up against nine competitors in a style reminiscent of Nintendo classic Punch Out! With each win, players can progress on to tougher opponents who all have their own styles and tactics. It’s also possible to face stronger versions of competitors you have already faced in Grudge Match mode.
Despite the comedic stylings of Knockout League, Vive Studios and Grab Games aimed to create a title that encourages fitness, even including a special fitness mode which includes a calories tracker. The developers note that over 3.5 million calories were burned during the title’s Early Access period.
Knockout League is now available on Viveport, PlayStation Store, Steam and Oculus Store, priced at $29.99 (USD).
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