EA Sports UFC is a mixed martial arts fighting video game developed by Electronic Arts for
the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
It is based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand and was released on June 17, 2014.
A playable demo was released on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Marketplace on June 3, 2014,
with Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson as playable fighters.
It is the first UFC game since THQ sold the license to Electronic Arts.
Gameplay The game's artificial intelligence accommodates
for changes in player strategies mid-game to make the gaming experience more realistic
than in previous UFC games.
The game also simulates "full body deformation" to connect players with their player-character.
It was revealed that The Ultimate Fighter will be included as the start of Career Mode.
Also included will be perks unlocked throughout career to boost gameplans.
Online will feature Championship fights as well.
Development Conflict originally arose between UFC president
Dana White and Electronic Arts, when the UFC approached EA Sports to develop a UFC video
game and EA refused.
The UFC then turned to developer THQ to develop UFC titles.
THQ's UFC 2009 Undisputed shipped approximately 2 million copies.
With the success of the series, THQ quickly began working on a sequel, UFC Undisputed
2010, and followed this release with UFC Undisputed 3 in 2012.
Coincidentally, with the growing popularity of MMA, other organizations, and THQ's success,
Electronic Arts began working on EA Sports MMA, based on the UFC's then promotional rival,
Strikeforce.
It was at this time that Dana White declared himself "at war" with Electronic Arts.
According to White, "EA Sports told us, 'You're not a real sport.
We wouldn't touch this thing.
We want nothing to do with this.'.
We put our asses on the line, THQ and the UFC, to make a video-game deal in the worst
economy in the world.
We go out there and do this thing, and it's successful, and now God-damn EA Sports wants
to do a video game.
You told us you’d never be in business with us.
They wouldn't even take a meeting because mixed martial arts disgusted them.
This wasn't a "real" sport.
Boy, they got over that real quick, didn't they?".
White even went as far to warn fighters who intended to be included in EA Sports MMA,
"If you do business with EA, you won't be in the UFC".
Jon Fitch was an example as such, when he was released for 24 hours until he agreed
to sign a contract that allowed the promotion to use his face and likeness in future UFC
video games by THQ.
After the closing of THQ, Electronic Arts announced a "multi-year, multi-product" partnership
with the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012.
THQ, reported that the publishing rights were purchased by EA Sports for an "undisclosed
cash payment".
The first gameplay for the game was shown at the Xbox One reveal event in a trailer
by EA Sports.
The game will be one of the first to run Electronic Arts's Ignite engine.
Electronic Arts put its Fight Night boxing franchise on hold while developing EA Sports
UFC.
The company said that the decision was based primarily on the UFC's greater international
prominence, although the boxing series could potentially return.
The Fight Night team became the UFC team.
Venues Roster
The roster was gradually revealed by EA Sports in batches.
The final roster consists of 97 UFC fighters.
UFC legend Royce Gracie and late martial arts icon Bruce Lee are both featured in the game
as bonus unlockable fighters.
Gracie is playable in the Middleweight division, and Lee is playable in the Bantamweight, Featherweight,
Lightweight and Welterweight divisions, and his style is considered Mixed Martial Artist.
Soundtrack
Reception EA Sports UFC received mixed to positive reviews.
Aggregating scores Metacritic and GameRankings gave the Xbox One version a 71/100 and 71.00%
respectively, and the PS4 version 69/100 and 69.23%.
References
See also
EA Sports MMA ·