Kickboxer Game by Ex-CoD Devs: Van Damme Included?

Ex-Call of Duty developers are bringing the iconic Kickboxer martial arts film franchise to life in an exciting new video game. Force Multiplier Studios, based in Los Angeles, is collaborating with filmmakers Dimitri Logothetis and Rob Hickman, the creative minds behind the recent Kickboxer trilogy reboot, to develop this much-anticipated game.

The original Kickboxer film, released in 1989, starred martial arts legend Jean-Claude Van Damme and was such a hit that it led to numerous sequels. Although Van Damme did not return for Kickboxer 2, opting instead for the 1991 film Double Impact, he did reprise his role in the 2016 reboot, Kickboxer: Vengeance, alongside Dave Bautista, and again in its 2018 sequel, Kickboxer: Retaliation. The third installment, Kickboxer: Armageddon, is scheduled to begin filming this spring.

This logo is all we have for now on the Kickboxer video game. The game is still in its early stages of development, but according to Force Multiplier Studios, it "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 by IGN whether Jean-Claude Van Damme would star in the video game, Force Multiplier Studios remained coy. "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,” said Brent Friedman, Chief Creative Officer at Force Multiplier Studios. “We'll have much more to share later in the year."

Force Multiplier Studios is a new development studio co-founded by Jeremy Breslau, Brent Friedman, and Charnjit Bansi, who have previously led narrative and design efforts on major titles such as Call of Duty, Borderlands, Halo, Tomb Raider, and Mortal Kombat.

"Kickboxer is more than just a film; it's a cultural phenomenon that has inspired generations of fans and martial artists alike," said Dimitri Logothetis, writer and director of Kickboxer: Armageddon. “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 game was a combat shooter called Karnivus, released within Fortnite. The Kickboxer game represents a significant step up for the team. “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,” added Jeremy Breslau, CEO of Force Multiplier Studios.

While we don’t have any screenshots or a trailer yet, more information is expected to be released later this year.