Boxing legend Mike Tyson is the farthest person from being a gamer. But Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, is adamant about bringing him into the fold. The duo crossed paths during Saturday night’s Mike Tyson Invitational amateur boxing event in Las Vegas. And Walsh had something to ask Tyson! 

“Are we gonna play Fortnite together?” Walsh asked. 

“I don’t know what the f**k Fortnite is,” Tyson responded, confused. 

“What about Elden Ring?” Walsh followed up. 

“I don’t know …,” Tyson said. 

Walsh shared the clip of the exchange on Instagram with a request to the North Carolina-based game developer, Epic Games. 

“@fortnite We need a Mike Tyson skin so we can run,” he captioned the post. 

In case you didn’t know, Fortnite is a free-to-play online multiplayer game available to play on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. The game blew up in popularity in 2017 and 2018, as it made it across borders and into people’s homes and TV screens. While it might not be as popular as it once was, it still maintains a healthy player base thanks to its constantly evolving battle pass and partnerships.

On the other hand, Elden Ring is a critically acclaimed open-world Action Role-Playing Game (Action RPG), widely known as the ultimate ‘Soulslike’ game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco. Shortly after its release in February 2022, people fell in love with the game. It’s notably directed by respected video game director Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding by George R.R. Martin.

In June 2024, the game released its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, which attracted even more praise. Despite the popularity of the games, however, Mike Tyson remains a stranger to both titles. While a partnership with Elden Ring might not be in the books, Tyson could partner with Epic Games to release a new in–game skin, as Walsh urged the game developer to do. 

However, whether it ultimately happens is yet to be seen. But if it does, this won’t be the first time Mike Tyson has appeared in a video game. 

Every time Mike Tyson appeared in a video game

For every boxing fan who wanted to be like Mike Tyson, there are plenty of games delivering that experience. One of his earliest appearances came in Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!, released by Nintendo in 1987. Tyson served as the final boss, and defeating him became one of gaming’s toughest challenges.

He later returned to gaming with Mike Tyson Boxing on the PlayStation in 2000, followed by Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing on the PlayStation 2. These titles allowed players to control Tyson and experience intense boxing gameplay.

Tyson also appeared in Fight Night Round 4 and Fight Night Champion by Electronic Arts. Later, he showed up in WWE ’13 and even stepped into the MMA world in EA Sports UFC 2, further cementing his legacy in gaming. Despite these features, a deal with Epic Games would be the biggest of his career if it happens. 

That being said, it appears Nico Ali Walsh may have unintentionally introduced a new source of income for Mike Tyson. All that is left is for Epic Games to respond. Would you want a Mike Tyson skin in Fortnite?