First Official Kickboxer Game by Ex-Call of Duty Devs: Will Jean-Claude Van Damme Star?

Exciting news for fans of martial arts and video games: former Call of Duty developers are now channeling their expertise into the first-ever video game based on the iconic Kickboxer martial arts film franchise. Los Angeles-based Force Multiplier Studios is teaming up with filmmakers Dimitri Logothetis and Rob Hickman, who spearheaded the recent rebooted Kickboxer trilogy, to bring this thrilling project to life.

The Kickboxer franchise kicked off with the 1989 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, which was successful enough to spawn multiple sequels. Van Damme, who did not return for Kickboxer 2 but starred in 1991's Double Impact, made a comeback with the 2016 reboot, Kickboxer: Vengeance, alongside Dave Bautista. He continued with the 2018 sequel, Kickboxer: Retaliation, and the third installment, Kickboxer: Armageddon, is slated to begin filming this spring.

As for the video game, it's currently in its early stages of development. Force Multiplier Studios promises a game that "will combine the rich narrative of Kickboxer with kinetic martial arts action to deliver an intense, high-octane brawler, and feature iconic characters and locations from the franchise originally starring martial arts icon Jean-Claude Van Damme.”

When asked about Van Damme's involvement, Force Multiplier Studios remained non-committal. Brent Friedman, Chief Creative Officer at the studio, shared, "We're all massive fans of the Kickboxer movies, and we have the licenses to many characters and likenesses from the Kickboxer universe that we're very excited about. We'll have much more to share later in the year."

Force Multiplier Studios is a fresh venture founded by Jeremy Breslau, Brent Friedman, and Charnjit Bansi, who have previously led narrative and design on major titles like Call of Duty, Borderlands, Halo, Tomb Raider, and Mortal Kombat.

Dimitri Logothetis, writer and director of Kickboxer: Armageddon, emphasized the cultural significance of the franchise, stating, "Kickboxer is more than just a film; it's a cultural phenomenon that has inspired generations of fans and martial artists alike. I'm thrilled to collaborate with the incredible team at Force Multiplier Studios. We're going to create a gaming experience that pays tribute to the original film while introducing exciting new gameplay elements."

Force Multiplier Studios' first venture, Karnivus, a combat shooter, was released within Fortnite. However, the Kickboxer game appears to be a significant step up for the team. Jeremy Breslau, CEO of Force Multiplier Studios, shared their vision, saying, "Our passion is innovation, and just as we're innovating on Fortnite Creative with our own environmental combat shooter experience Karnivus, we can’t wait to innovate the fighting genre with a dynamic brawler that will empower players to be the best kickboxers in the world, traveling to exotic locales and introducing new environmental combat mechanics to deliver a martial arts experience like never before."

Currently, there are no screenshots or trailers available for the Kickboxer video game. Fans can look forward to more information later this year, as the development progresses.