NEWS
Blood & Canvas: Bareknuckle Boxing revealed
Independent studio Thiefcatcher Games today revealed Blood & Canvas: Bareknuckle Boxing, an uncompromising, single-player combat sports game set in the dark underbelly of late-1990s illegal fighting. Developed by a six-person team of former AAA industry veterans, the studio brings blockbuster-level polish to a gritty, gameplay-first indie experience. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the game launches November 4, 2026, for PC on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Itch.io at $24.99 USD, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S releases planned for 2027.
Blood & Canvas revives beloved traditional gameplay popularized by classic boxing titles to deliver high-intensity, close-quarters violence. Players start off as a hungry brawler training out of a dilapidated gym, fighting through parking lots, tavern basements, and illicit fight circuits on a brutal pugilist journey toward bare-knuckle gold.
Key Features:
• Career Permadeath: Damage is permanent and cumulative. Facial lacerations and concussive trauma persist across every bout. When a fighter's body finally breaks down, their career is over permanently. No recovery, no rematch, no rebuilding a broken fighter.
• The Fight Ladder: Battle through three underground circuits, including an illegal industrial warehouse, a gritty tavern basement, and an infamous 3 AM diner parking lot brawl. Players work up to a promotion into the 20-fighter Bareknuckle Violence Organization (BKVO) pro rankings.
• Responsive, Pure Striking: Fast-paced, tactical combat with dedicated hit locations. Head strikes deplete health while body shots crush stamina.
• Dynamic Gym and Fighter Progression: Fight purses fund vital upgrades across Strength, Dexterity, and Vitality. Dynamic character visuals show the fighter transform from an unmarked rookie to a battle hardened veteran, while the gym expands from a grimy backroom into a state-of-the-art training compound.
• Atmospheric Arenas: Experience 6 hand-crafted venues, scaling from desperate converted strip clubs to the historic Pale Horizon arena and a grand 1930s European-style ballroom.
A playable PC demo featuring an underground venue and two combatants will arrive on Steam ahead of launch on November 4, 2026.
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