Summary
Felt That: Boxingis an upcoming boxing game with an artstyle reminiscent of a gritty take on Jim Henson’s Muppets. Described by one of the lead developers as a title where “some weird furry puppets had an emotional baby withPunch-Out!!,” its reveal is yet another exciting announcement from theSummer Game Fest 2025.
Ever since Nintendo’s classicboxing seriesPunch-Out!!went on hiatusafter the release of the 2009 Wii installment, many games have tried to emulate its style. The independent scene in particular has made multiple attempts to create a spiritual successor with the same focus on lightning-quick reflexes, speedrunning tactics, and highly distinct characters. Now, indie titles such asThunder Rayand the upcomingBig Boy Boxingare joined by a new challenger.
Audiences got their first look atFelt That: Boxingin a trailer which premiered during the Summer Game Fest. The video introduced protagonist Ezra “Fuzz-E” Wright, a “flimsy puppet” who must become a boxing champion in order to save his old orphanage from getting demolished.
Felt That: Boxing Features Slapstick Puppet Gameplay
In the gameplay portion of the trailer, Fuzz-E takes on a colorful cast of opponents in the boxing ring. Fans ofPunch-Out!!will already be familiar with the third-person camera angle, which emphasizes the size difference between the two boxers while also giving the player more visibility. Aside from the main matches,Felt Thatfeatures a variety of minigames that help Fuzz-E hone his skills. Training activities include plunging toilets, dodging flying slices of toast, and punching slabs of frozen meat à laRocky Balboa.
With its slapstick physics, irreverent humor, and campy story,Felt Thatcombines many different aesthetics. The game will stick out to many fans, however, as a technical achievement. While introducing the game, Geoff Keighley confirmed that all of the footage used in the trailer was captured in-engine in Unreal 5. It’s not surprising that the game boastsa photorealistic artstyleconsidering the pedigree of the team behind it. Co-developers Sans Strings Studio and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios are known for pushing the technological boundaries of the animation medium. Sébastien Deguy, one of the founders of Sans Strings, has won an Emmy and an Oscar for his innovation in the field of computer graphics.
The Summer Game Fest was home to many other game reveals as well. In the AAA space, audiences were surprised bythe announcement of the next mainlineResident Evilgame,Requiem. There were many offbeat indie games in a similar spirit toFelt That, however. These include the stop-motion co-op platformerOut of Wordsand the Game-Boy-esque action titleMina the Hollower.
