FightBox

FightBox is a game show that aired on BBC Three from 13 October to 10 November 2003 and is hosted by Lisa Snowdon and Trevor Nelson with Paul Dickenson as commentator.

For the international television channel, see FightBox (TV channel).

FightBox
GenreGame show
Presented byTrevor Nelson
Lisa Snowdon
Voices ofPaul Dickenson
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes20
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production companyRicochet
Release
Original networkBBC Three
Original release13 October (2003-10-13) –
10 November 2003 (2003-11-10)

Format

Contestants design their fighters and submit them to the BBC. Out of hundreds of submissions, only sixty were chosen to appear on the programme.

As well as battling each other, the fighters would face one of six "Sentients", warriors who had won previous (unseen) tournaments and achieved this honour. The Sentients were Banshi, Big George, Kodiak, Nail, Pearl and Vesuvius. Although immortal, they did have certain weaknesses which a fighter could use against them. After winning the first series, competitor warrior Kill Frenzy, created by Usman Arshad, achieved sentience and joined the current six. These seven Sentients featured in the video game mentioned below.

Six Games were played during the show these were: Conquest, Demolition, Duel, Helix, Panic and Revolution. Another game was Showdown, a straight one on one battle to determine the winner of each tournament.

Production

FightBox was shot using ten cameras in front of an audience of around 200 people. The show used "FreeD" virtual camera technology, which allowed the creation of realtime composite images.[1]

Several video game companies were considered for the development of the show's game engine, including Kuju and Warthog Games. Runecraft was eventually chosen for the job.[2] During the airing of the show, Runecraft was shut down and to keep the show alive, BBC acquired the company and renamed it to Gamezlab, where it became part of BBC Multimedia.[2] Gamezlab developed the video game adaptation for the PlayStation 2, PC and Game Boy Advance.[2][3]

Reception

After three weeks, the show had an average audience of 22,000 viewers.[4]

Video Game
FightBox
Developer(s)Gamezlab
Publisher(s)BBC Multimedia
Platform(s)
Release
  • UK: 6 February 2004
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player

Following the TV show's conclusion, a video game adaptation for PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Advance was released in the United Kingdom on 6 February 2004.

References
  1. "Goggle box gets 'Fightbox'". Edge. No. 124. Future Publishing. June 2003. pp. 6–7.
  2. Yarwood, Jack (22 March 2023). "Remembering FightBox, BBC's Big-Budget Video Game Failure". Time Extension. Hookshot Media. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  3. Calvert, Justin (7 January 2004). "BBC announces FightBox game". GameSpot. Fandom. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  4. "BBC3's Fightbox on the ropes". The Guardian. 5 November 2003. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
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