Reviewing the First Undisputed Content Update and Gameplay Patch

Kevin Groves

Published: Mar 9, 2023 10:00 am

The first DLC for Undisputed launched at the very end of February, and it added three new fighters, some new venues, and addressed some gameplay issues. Let’s review how this first Undisputed DLC has changed the game.

New Fighters

Along with the new venues (more on this later), three new fighters make their way into Undisputed courtesy of this free DLC:

Lee McGregor (Bantamweight)
Robin Reid (Middleweight)
Sergio Martinez (Middleweight & Welterweight)

Three new fighters, but only two of them (Robin & Sergio) are able to be used online due to the division restrictions implemented by Steel City to help with faster matchmaking. Of the three, my personal favorite to use has been Sergio Martinez. One of the best fighters of the 2000s, Sergio is a southpaw with good power and a solid chin. It’s a shame knee injuries slowed his career in real life, but for the purposes of Undisputed, we get him at his peak.

New Venues

In addition to the three new fighters, there are two brand new venues with a third offering a different option:

Grand Theatre
Technicolor Gym
Nighttime version of Coldwell Gym

One of the unexpectedly strong areas in Undisputed has been the venues. There’s a little something here for every fan, from the local gym vibe to the lights, camera, and action of some top venues. Each venue offers its own little flair with some incorporating walkouts now to help add a little more realism to the entrances, even if online players frantically skip through them

ICYMI, in yesterday's update we added each fighter's teams to the ringwalks! #BecomeUndisputed 🥊 pic.twitter.com/Lpkws2QLmR

— Undisputed (@PlayUndisputed) March 1, 2023

Cheaters

No matter what the game, there are always those players who care more about wins and losses than they do having a fun boxing experience. Steel City has done a lot to address these cheaters who were abusing the same punch with arm fatigue, and it’s really improved the experience. Unfortunately, there are those out there who have already modded the game to favor their boxers when it comes to attributes like stamina and damage. Thankfully, Steel City is dropping a haymaker on these losers:

This is one of the top issues in the game right now for online players. We know it’s incredibly frustrating to run into cheaters in online matches, and with this update we’re taking action against a number of players who have been hurting the online experience for everyone else. These bans are a first step toward a larger initiative to ensure fair play online. We’re continuing to work toward improved cheat detection and will deploy additional updates over time.

While it’s hard to actually prove someone has been cheating when you’re in the moment, there are some signs that make you feel like you’re being hard done by, particularly when you’re landing shot after shot for multiple rounds and your opponent hasn’t even been dazed. Many times the stats post-fight will back this up. This also ignores the folks who either disconnect or surrender after you knock them down and/or they see they’re outmatched. I take great enjoyment beating those types of players.

Online Stability

Without a true offline mode apart from exhibition bouts, it’s imperative for Undisputed to have a strong online presence, and it’s been hit or miss for the greater community. While I personally haven’t had any instances where I was forced to surrender, I have chalked up a few wins over the past few weeks due to disconnects by my opponent.

Like most people, I enjoy coming out on top, and having a few more wins under my belt would be nice, but it’s not that serious. A loss in a good competitive fight is more enjoyable than winning by disconnect. The occasional frame skip is understandable when playing on the highest graphical settings, and I’ve been fortunate enough to not have to much input delay and lag. This might not hold true for all, but online stability has been improving since I first got my hands on Undisputed.

Bottom Line

First and foremost, this update was free and that is never a bad thing. Is there enough content in this DLC for Steel City to feel as if they could have charged us? Probably not, but we do have access to new fighters and arenas all-the-while reaping the benefits of a few gameplay tweaks. Considering the size of the development studio and the sheer magnitude of the project, Steel City and Undisputed are far exceeding expectations, setting a very high bar for newcomers to any sports genre. The pace and frequency at which we’ve received updates to this game is also commendable. This DLC is hopefully just a taste of things to come.