Blood & Canvas: Bareknuckle Boxing Coming to PC on November 4

Thiefcatcher Games has revealed Blood & Canvas: Bareknuckle Boxing, a single-player combat sports game set in the underground fighting scene of the late 1990s. Built in Unreal Engine 5 by a six-person team of former AAA developers, it launches November 4 on PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store and Itch.io for $24.99 with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions planned for 2027.

Blood & Canvas takes some inspiration from classic boxing games with fast-paced striking that puts plenty of emphasis on picking shots, managing stamina and limiting damage. Head shots chip away at health while body punches drain stamina, and there are no judges or decisions waiting at the end, so every fight continues until someone hits the canvas.

Players start out training in a rundown gym before working through three underground circuits, including an industrial warehouse, tavern basement and a 3 AM diner parking lot. Surviving that climb eventually opens the door to the professional ranks and the 20-fighter Bareknuckle Violence Organization, where the goal shifts toward working up the rankings and chasing the championship.

Getting there won’t simply be a matter of winning fights, since damage is permanent and builds throughout a career. Cuts, head trauma and other injuries carry from one bout to the next, and once a fighter takes enough punishment to end their career, there’s no bringing them back. Fight purses can be spent on Strength, Dexterity and Vitality upgrades, while both the fighter and gym visually change as progress is made.

There are six handcrafted venues in all, ranging from rough underground locations and converted strip clubs to the Pale Horizon arena and a 1930s-style European ballroom. A playable Steam demo featuring one underground venue and two fighters is planned ahead of release with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S following sometime in 2027.