Back in the early-to-mid 2000s, the Def Jam series was one of the most well-received fighting games available. Built on the AKI Engine of old wrestling games, the Def Jam games featured playable rappers like Ice-T, DMX, Ludacris, Ghostface Killah, and Busta Rhymes as fighters with various move sets, abilities, and more.
It’s a series that fans have wanted to see revived since the last game, Def Jam: Icon, released in 2007. Unfortunately, it’s been 17 years and it doesn’t look like a revival, or even a remake, is on the horizon.
In a recent post on Twitter, Ice-T commented about the series never being brought back for newer consoles.
“So many people ask me why this game hasn’t been brought back for the newer consoles,” he said. “Maybe because they’d have to pay for voice and music rights again. Maybe?”
In a follow-up, Ice-T then said that he wasn’t paid for being in Def Jam: Fight for NY, and didn’t recall any of the other licensed hip-hop artists being paid, either.
“Here’s the BIG problem,” he said. “I don’t think they paid ANY of us ANYTHING to be in that original game.
“I know I didn’t get any type of substantial money. It was a situation where you didn’t want to be left OUT of the game. Well….. Yesterday’s price is not Today’s price..!”
What did you think of the Def Jam series from the mid-2000s? For more Insider Gaming, read who has been cast to play Abby in HBO’s The Last of Us.
Didn’t he try to get a new one made? Snoop too? We need a new one EA or whoever needs to make it happen already
Ok this time make sure people get paid just give us a new game with modern rappers! What is taking EA so long if it’s Def Jam you don’t need to use that name use something else!
They could easily bring it back just call it Versuz instead of Def Jam and use modern rappers no boomer rappers. Especially with younger talent it’s way easier to license them I mean COD got Nicki somehow who’s GOATED and then a younger name like 21 Savage. Then there’s a ton of independent artists they could use that would be way easy and influencers like Kai and Adin not to mention Teanna Trump. The problem my guess is that it doesn’t align with their Silicon Valley politics because the culture is too real for these people and they don’t get it I mean look how they talk about Ye, Tory Lanez, Young Thug, EST Gee, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi, Yeat, Lil Wayne, Von, X, Keef, Durk, Pump, DaBaby, Trippie Redd, Kodak, YoungBoy, and others hell they even treat MGK like trash and he’s white. They show no understanding that’s why and it doesn’t line up with their politics despite it being a million dollar game just imagine DLC that also would help cover costs it’s clear it’s typical liberal privilege and narcissism.
Instead of WuTang Xbox should be making a successor to this
Yeah they have the money they could make a game like this and it’s what they need something mainstream that could have a long life span with long term content releases and online.
Bring this game back already! But no old heads and no preach rap or corny dudes so no eminem, kendrick, drake, cole, logic, lucas, nf, harlow, post, ez mil, hopsin, dax, cordae, none of them!
They don’t seem to have that problem for NFS or UFC I mean tons of people are in UFC and ASAP was in the last NFS
It’s not a money problem it’s a culture problem these people cancel rappers left and right they show no understanding of the culture only of their bubble
The problem is these developers don’t listen to most rap only mainstream trash like Eminem or hipster stuff like Kendrick or 80’s/90’s rap. They listen to it but show no real understanding of the environment or the modern community. The guy who made the first 2 games works on Dead By Daylight now so just push that company to make a new one because he might understand the current era.
Activision should make it they got Snoop, Nicki, and 21 Savage in COD they could make it happen and they’re owned by Microsoft now. They even got Lil Wayne in Pro Skater and paid for the music in the remake.
They need to do this now the roster should have all the modern people and sure make some DLC Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, DaBaby, Lil Durk, Chief Keef, 69, Teanna Trump, Gucci, Waka Flocka, NLE, NBA Youngboy, Pop Smoke, ASAP, Tyler, Lil Baby, Game, YG, MGK, Yeat, Trippie, Dex, Thug, Tory, Sexyy Red, Cardi, Offset, Takeoff, Quavo, Juice, Saweetie, Playboi Carti, Uzi, XXX, Peep, Itsoktocry, Darkie, Scarlxrd, EST, Gotti, Glorilla, Ice, Coi, Von, Nippsey, Soulja Boy, Xan, Iggy, Kodak, Meek, Benny, BLP, YNW, Future, Kay Flock, Pump, Smoke, Blocboi, Tecca, Meagan, Mabu, Fivio, Grizzley, Honey Cocaine, Ty$, Tinashe, Ciara, Lil B, Lil Skies, Roddy, Rich, Nardo, Ski, Polo, Travis, and all the fashion brands for customization
Don’t forget BLP
We need Def Jam back all these fighting games are made by racist bigots Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Street Fighter, and the list goes on. It’s past time this wrong is righted. Fight Night would be another good choice but Def Jam is missed a lot more.
They want Frostbite engine to be popular then make a new Def Jam with the AKI gameplay in Frostbite engine.
We need a new one with all the new names Kay Flock, Wayne, Fivio Foriegn, Mabu, Durk, Sosa, Migos, Kodak, Trip, MGK, Grizzley, EST, Gotti, Glo, Saweetie, Coi, Meg, Cardi, Nicki, Reese, Smoke, Purp, Pump, YNW, Thug, Gucci, Soulja, Benny, Chainz, Spice, Rubi, Kevin Gates, NLE, YB, Carti, Yeat, Uzi, Gwen, Baby, Dababy, Meek, Ross, Tyler, Flacko, Travis, Iggy, Asian, Bloc, Von, X, Juice, PNB, 21, Westside, Action Bronson, Base God, Nardo, Polo, Roddy, Juicy J, Yelawolf, Upchurch, Lola, Mexican OT, DDG, YN Jay, Doja, YG, Nippsey, TY$, August, Chris Brown, Future, Ace Hood, Quan, Rae, Swae, French, Sexyy, Darkie, Scar, and more
BLP Kosher
Microsoft should buy EA next and bring Def Jam back among other games
Bring this game back already! If EA or Microsoft or Sony whoever it is wants to make money bring this game back!