View source for FightBox

{{For|the international [[television channel]]|FightBox (TV channel)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image        =
| genre        = [[Game show]]
| presenter    = [[Trevor Nelson]]<br>[[Lisa Snowdon]]
| voices       = [[Paul Dickenson]]
| country      = United Kingdom
| language     = English
| num_series   = 1
| num_episodes = 20
| runtime      = 30 minutes
| company      = FightBox Ltd.
| network      = [[BBC Three]]
| first_aired  = {{start date|2003|10|13|df=y}}
| last_aired   = {{end date|2003|11|10|df=y}} 
}}

'''''FightBox''''' is a [[game show]] that aired on [[BBC Three]] from 13 October to 10 November 2003 and is hosted by [[Lisa Snowdon]] and [[Trevor Nelson]] with [[Paul Dickenson]] as commentator.

==Format==
Contestants design their fighters and submit them to the BBC. Out of hundreds of submissions, only sixty were chosen to appear on the programme.

As well as battling each other, the fighters would face one of six "Sentients", warriors who had won previous (unseen) tournaments and achieved this honour. The Sentients were Banshi, Big George, Kodiak, Nail, Pearl and Vesuvius. Although [[immortality|immortal]], they did have certain weaknesses which a fighter could use against them. After winning the first series, competitor warrior Kill Frenzy, created by Usman Arshad, achieved sentience and joined the current six. These seven Sentients featured in the video game mentioned below.

Six Games were played during the show these were: Conquest, Demolition, Duel, Helix, Panic and Revolution. Another game was Showdown, a straight one on one battle to determine the winner of each tournament.

==Production==
''FightBox'' was shot using ten cameras in front of an audience of around 200 people. The show used "FreeD" virtual camera technology, which allowed the creation of realtime composite images.<ref name="edge">{{cite magazine |title=Goggle box gets 'Fightbox' |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |date=June 2003 |issue=124 |pages=6–7 |publisher=[[Future Publishing]]}}</ref>

Several video game companies were considered for the development of the show's [[game engine]], including [[Kuju (company)|Kuju]] and [[Warthog Games]]. [[Runecraft (company)|Runecraft]] was eventually chosen for the job.<ref name="TimeExtension">{{cite web |last1=Yarwood |first1=Jack |title=Remembering FightBox, BBC's Big-Budget Video Game Failure |url=https://www.timeextension.com/features/remembering-fightbox-bbcrs-big-budget-video-game-failure |website=Time Extension |publisher=Hookshot Media |access-date=23 March 2023 |date=22 March 2023}}</ref> During the airing of the show, Runecraft was shut down and to keep the show alive, BBC acquired the company and renamed it to Gamezlab, where it became part of [[BBC Multimedia]].<ref name="TimeExtension"/> Gamezlab developed the video game adaptation for the [[PlayStation 2]], PC and [[Game Boy Advance]].<ref name="TimeExtension"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Calvert |first1=Justin |title=BBC announces FightBox game |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bbc-announces-fightbox-game/1100-6086171/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[Fandom]] |access-date=23 March 2023 |date=7 January 2004}}</ref>

==Reception==
After three weeks, the show had an average audience of 22,000 viewers.<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC3's Fightbox on the ropes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/nov/05/bbc.broadcasting |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=23 March 2023 |date=5 November 2003}}</ref>

==Video Game==
{{Infobox VG
| title = FightBox
| image =
| developer =[[Gamezlab]]
| publisher = [[BBC Multimedia]]
| platforms = {{ubl|[[Game Boy Advance]]|[[Microsoft Windows]]|[[PlayStation 2]]}}
| released = {{vgrelease|UK|6 February 2004}}
| genre = [[Action video game|Action]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
}}
Following the TV show's conclusion, a video game adaptation for [[PlayStation 2]], [[Microsoft Windows]], and [[Game Boy Advance]] was released in the United Kingdom on 6 February 2004.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20030618051342/http://www.bbc.co.uk/fightbox/}} (archived)
*{{UKGameshow|FightBox}}

[[Category:2003 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2003 British television series endings]]
[[Category:BBC television game shows]]
[[Category:2000s British game shows]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Sports entertainment]]