Republic Records Unveils ‘OnlyHands’ the Music Powered Mobile Fighting Game

Republic Records is not just dropping albums anymore. Now it is dropping gamers straight into a virtual fight arena. The label is teaming up with developer Nothing Projects Interactive to create OnlyHands, a real time mobile fighting game that mixes music, combat, and pop culture into one wild experience. It is slated for release in late 2025, and the hype is already building.

OnlyHands will feature fighters modeled after Republic artists, with each battle powered by the stars own songs. The label has not confirmed who is in the first wave of characters, but with a roster that includes Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi, Ariana Grande, Lorde, and Taylor Swift, the possibilities look huge.

Avery Lipman, Founder of Republic Records and Vice Chairman and COO of Republic Collective, said the new project lines up with the label’s mission to push culture forward. “They’ve created a new paradigm with OnlyHands,” Lipman said. “It’s a seamless platform for the integration of gaming, music, and culture.”

Nothing Projects Interactive describes OnlyHands as a “music first” ecosystem that changes as quickly as the internet does. The studio says the game is built on four pillars. These include combat-driven streaming where winning a match triggers real music streams, artist avatars with moves inspired by their songs and personas, instant content injections that let artists drop new tracks or flashy moves at any moment, and a live fan economy built around streams, item drops, and purchases.

According to Complex, CEO Zane Comer said they are not blending two industries. They are creating something entirely new. “Gaming and music were never truly separate—they just hadn’t found their native form...What we’re building isn’t a crossover, it’s a new medium.”

OnlyHands arrives as Republic and its parent company, Universal Music Group, expand deeper into gaming and virtual spaces. They have already launched projects like the Roblox music hub Beat Galaxy, the metaverse fan experience for TWICE, and a partnership with HEAT that allows developers to fold the music of artists like Lil Wayne directly into games.

Rapper Sauce Walka, who shows up in early trailers and says he is part of the development team, boosted excitement on Instagram with a burst of pure gamer energy.

“Proud to announce the future/present of hip-hop gaming," he wrote. "We have been begging for a video game like this since #DefJamVendetta & #DefjamFightforNy… now it’s finally here… ‘OnlyHands’ is the elite hip-hop (open world) fighting game featuring the industry’s top artist & most influentially cultured figures in the RAPGAME‼️ Real hands will be THROWN 👊🏾👊🏽👊🏼‼️ Available 1st quarter 2026 on PC & all Mobile platforms.”

With music powering punches and artists stepping into the virtual ring, Republic Records latest venture suggests that the future of fan engagement might be a lot more action-packed.