How to Design Boxing in VR

Ian Fitz discusses everything from the challenges of solo development, to mastering the mechanics of the virtual punch

With a large amount of fitness-focused games on the Oculus Quest, it’s hard to stand out on the headset’s growing library. However, The Thrill of the Fight is by far the best fitness game I’ve ever played and best boxing game I’ve ever played in or out of VR. Whats more amazing is that the entire game was created by one sole developer.

At a time when fitness centers around the world are temporarily closed due to COVID-19, I found it hard to keep in shape while staying indoors, especially in my Tokyo apartment that has only around 25 square meters of floor space (and yes you read that correctly, 25 square meters). Therefore, buying an Oculus Quest and discovering The Thrill of the Fight couldn’t have come at a better time. With varying settings and difficulty levels, the game can be adjusted for anyone. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better VR workout than the heart-pounding rounds of simulated boxing provided in The Thrill of the Fight.

I sat down with Ian Fitz, the sole developer of The Thrill of the Fight to find out more about the amazing mechanics that make this game tick and how he managed to create it all on his own.