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Get up close and personal with these new EA Sports UFC screens
EA Sports recently added a few names to the EA Sports UFC roster, joined by some in-game shots of fighters from the neck up. The fighters playable in the game and seen in the included gallery are former light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin, "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung, Costas Philippou, Minotauro Nogueira, Demetrious Johnson, Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen. Those fighters join the likes of co-cover athletes Jon "Bones" Jones and Alexander Gustafsson, Georges St-Pierre as well as female fighters Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate, who were confirmed for the game in September. Certainly, athletes included in the 16-person cover fighter vote that began in November will be in the game as well, such as Chris Weidman, Dominick Cruz, Junior Dos Santos and Urijah Faber. The screens are meant to show the details of each athlete's likeness, but we just can't stop staring at Griffin's puffy cauliflower ears. Don't you want to poke at them? Boy, we sure do. EA Sports UFC will head to Xbox One and PS4 this spring.
Alexander Gustafsson selected as EA Sports UFC co-cover fighter
Swedish fighter Alexander "The Mauler" Gustafsson won EA Sports' cover athlete fan vote for EA Sports UFC. As a result, the number one UFC light heavyweight contender will stand next to current reigning light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones on the cover of the game, who is also shown in two new screens for the game issued by EA this week. Gustafsson beat Georges St-Pierre in the final round of the voting process, which accumulated over 11 million votes during the entire campaign, according to EA. The cover athlete vote began in early November with 16 fighters, which included heavy favorites like Ronda Rousey and Johny Hendricks. EA Sports UFC will launch in spring 2014 on Xbox One and PS4.
EA considering free-to-play UFC game for Brazil
During a talk at the Credit Suisse Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, EA CEO Andrew Wilson noted that the publisher is leveraging opportunities to create free-to-play games for Brazil. Among the two properties Wilson said the publisher is actively considering for the region was a new game using the UFC license, as Brazil is home to a strong fanbase for mixed martial arts. Additionally, Wilson said the company has plans to launch FIFA Online World in Brazil and Russia leading up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup event slated to take place in Brazil. The free-to-play game is built on the same technology as FIFA Online 3, which EA will bring to China after having already launched it in Korea with Nexon as its publishing partner. "We are absolutely looking at [Brazil] in detail, and we think we have at least two, but likely more products that will have strong appeal there," Wilson said.
EA Sports UFC cover vote hits final round
EA Sports UFC's four-round co-cover athlete vote entered its final round today. The last two contestants left are Georges St-Pierre and Alexander Gustafsson, one of which will join reigning light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones on the cover of the PS4 and Xbox One game in 2014. The cover vote began earlier this month with 16 fighters, with heavy favorites like Ronda Rousey and Johny Hendricks exiting the fan vote in the first and second rounds, respectively. St-Pierre may be the new favorite to win a spot on the game's cover following his decision to step away from mixed martial arts for an undisclosed time after his successful welterweight championship defense against Hendricks at the UFC 167 event in Las Vegas. Coincidentally, St-Pierre's fans voted him past Hendricks in the second round of the EA Sports UFC cover athlete vote, which ends on December 1.
Jon Jones to share EA Sports UFC cover with fan-voted fighter
Falling in line with other sports games, EA Sports UFC will be embroiled in its own cover athlete contest, EA Sports announced. The winner of the four-round cover vote held on UFC's official site, which ends December 1, will share the game's box art with current light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones. The 16 candidates to share the spotlight with Jones are as follows: Demetrious Johnson, Chris Weidman, Dominick Cruz, Junior Dos Santos, Urijah Faber, Chael Sonnen, Jose Aldo, Michael Bisping, Anthony Pettis, Alex Gustafsson, Ben Henderson, Daniel Cormier, Georges St-Pierre, Ronda Rousey, Johny Hendricks and Miesha Tate. We like Rousey's odds at winning the vote as the women's bantamweight champion and the figurehead for the rising popularity of women's MMA, the representation of which is a core part of EA Sports UFC's feature set. We wouldn't be opposed to seeing a cheeky Chael Sonnen sharing the cover with the man he can't seem to overcome, however. EA Sports UFC will launch in spring 2014 on PS4 and Xbox One.
THQ sues EA, UFC: EA fed inside info to UFC owner, THQ says
THQ has sued EA and UFC parent company Zuffa, claiming EA intentionally damaged THQ's relationship with Zuffa to broker a deal of its own for the UFC license. THQ claims EA used inside knowledge about its financial situation to commit "tortious interference" with its contract, and THQ is seeking to recover the value of the UFC property, the profits of the UFC franchise and at least $10 million in damages from EA. The suit also aims to disallow Zuffa's bankruptcy claims against THQ. In early December 2011, EA considered buying THQ outright and the two companies entered negotiations, according to THQ's suit filed with the Delaware district court. THQ says it provided EA with detailed financial information, including revenue and projected stats on its UFC franchise. On December 12, 2011, EA walked away from the potential buyout, and on December 30, 2011, Zuffa sent THQ a Demand Letter expressing the intent to terminate the UFC license. Though the UFC franchise was worth $20 million, THQ settled with Zuffa for $10 million. EA snagged the UFC license in 2012. EA Sports UFC is due out in 2014 for Xbox 360 and PS4. On December 19, 2012, THQ filed for bankruptcy. Looking back, THQ puts the pieces together as follows: "Prior to the Demand Letter, EA contacted Zuffa, informed Zuffa of THQ's perilous financial condition and expressed interest in acquiring the UFC franchise directly from Zuffa, causing Zuffa to threaten termination of the UFC license." An EA spokesperson tells Polygon, "We believe these claims are without merit."
Female fighters Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate announced for EA Sports UFC [Update]
EA Sports announced that female fighters Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate will be included in EA Sports UFC's roster. This is the first time the UFC series has included women, and comes just months after the women's bantamweight division was first added to the UFC's real-life arena. Rousey was the first woman to sign with the company in November 2012. EA Sports UFC will launch in Spring 2014 for Xbox One and PS4, and is in development by EA Canada's Fight Night team. The game will run on EA Sports' next-gen Ignite Engine. Update: EA tells Joystiq that "in order to remain authentic to the sport, female fighters will not be able to fight male fighters" in EA Sports UFC and that more female fighters will be announced closer to the game's launch.
Jens "Little Evil" Pulver chats about World of Warcraft
Jens "Little Evil" Pulver is no stranger to the world of fighting -- he was the first UFC lightweight champion back in 2001 and coached on The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show for Spike TV. But Jens also has a passion for World of Warcraft and gaming in general. We interviewed Jens back in 2010 for 15 Minutes of Fame, in which he discussed balancing gaming with a busy life and the history of his many, many characters. Jens pointed out he was on a light WoW schedule at the end of the interview, just because real life was ramping up to being incredibly busy. However, in the above video shot by MiddleEasy TV, it's clear that Jens is still enjoying WoW and enjoying chatting about WoW. Not only that, he's picked up Diablo III as well. While I don't know much about fighting, I do know my WoW, and it's fascinating to hear tales of the days of vanilla, of exploits that have long since been fixed, and to hear from a guy who quite simply just loves playing the game -- a guy who's been playing as long as I have. Give the interview a listen; it's a fascinating glimpse into the history of WoW and an all-around nice chat.
Fight Night team developing EA Sports UFC
The Fight Night team at EA Canada will develop EA Sports UFC, EA announced today. Since its surprise license acquisition reveal at E3 2012, EA has kept quiet on the UFC-based game's development.Brian Hayes, who led gameplay design for Fight Night Round 4 and Fight Night Champion, will act as Creative Director for the Ultimate Fighting title. Team and Action Sports GM Dean Richards joins Hayes at the front of the development team, bringing in additional experience from Fight Night, along with the NHL and SSX series.
EA has big plans for its UFC game
It's an exciting time at EA Sports for executive VP Andrew Wilson. He's pretty stoked about acquiring the UFC license, the result of the dire financial situation going on at THQ right now, the previous UFC license holder. "Yes, yes it is," Wilson tells me when I say it must be a good time to be in the sports game, uh, game.But how did EA get the license? Who approached who? How did it all go down? How much did EA really pay for the license? While Wilson couldn't go into the specificity I would've liked regarding some of those subjects, he did at least give me some background on how this new deal came together – and just what it means for MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) gaming fans looking forward to the future.
Must See HDTV (November 7th - 13th)
It'll be hard to find a sports matchup that equals last weekend's 'Bama/LSU showdown, but Fox will try as it dives into the octagon with some MMA this weekend. There's also a few family-friendly Blu-ray 3D titles on deck, and the final edition of some series called Harry Potter hitting stores on Friday (pick up Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim while you're there, you'll thank us later). Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 The king is back. The Modern Warfare series has reigned over the console shooter pile for the last few years and it's no secret why. A combination of fast-paced action and precise controls make it the online game of choice for many (some prefer the Battlefield games, it's a matter of taste). This year's edition once again hails from the offices of Infinity Ward, birthplace of the best this series has to offer so this one is a must-buy. The only thing giving us pause? A new "Elite" feature, which adds online stat tracking and more for hardcore players, but comes at a hefty price of $49 a year. (Update: A peek at the official list reveals most of the features, including stat-tracking are free, and that $50 does buy all the DLC for a year so it may come in handy, check out more info from our friends at Joystiq here. Thanks @ejalcantera!) (November 8th, $56.99 on Amazon) UFC on Fox CBS tried bringing MMA fighting to network TV a couple of years ago but hasn't had any bouts in a while, opening the door for this weekend's heavyweight match on Fox. Cain Velasquez is one of the scariest human beings alive, but he appears to have a worthy competitor coming for his title in Junior Dos Santos. We've been fans of UFC for a little while, if expensive PPV matches and reality TV-styled The Ultimate Fighter have been the only thing keeping you on the outside, this could be the one that makes you a fan -- or disgusts you beyond words. Check out a trailer embedded after the break. (November 12th, Fox, 9PM) Death Valley Looking for a a zombie alternative to The Walking Dead (which actually improved this weekend -- apparently someone finally told the writers that less is more)? You've found it. MTV's Cops-style mockumentary follows officers around an alternate reality Los Angeles populated by werewolves, vampires and more otherworldly creatures with a campy sense of humor throughout. Beware however, here anyone can become a meal for the people they're pursuing, including members of the camera crew. (November 7th, MTV, 11PM)
MetroPCS lays the TapouT smackdown on Huawei's Ascend... gently
Is it really, truly possible to market a Froyo-based smartphone -- let alone one from 2010 -- to a demographic obsessed with Cauliflower ear? MetroPCS seems to think so, and its version of the Huawei Ascend just so happens to be "sanctioned" by TapouT. Hailed as the first brand to represent MMA, TapouT's roots are plastered all about the innards of the phone, with this Special Edition handset shipping with ten virtual training center videos, a dozen static wallpapers, six live wallpapers and a host of presumably violent Android applications. You'll also get a pair of interchangeable backs, a 2GB microSD card and support for the company's contract-free $50 / $60 smartphone plans. As for the cost of the phone itself? Free after a suplex + sleeper hold combo on the dude working the desk.
UFC on Versus 3 will be in 3D March 3
MMA should get its first 3D broadcast this week, as SportsBusinessDaily reports the UFC on Versus 3 event will be available in 3D. It seems fair to assume availability should match other Versus 3D events like the outdoor hockey game and Cal/Oregon college football so check your provider to see if it's on the schedule (Comcast, Cox, Verizon, Massillon Cable, Blue Ridge and Armstrong are confirmed so far) for March 3. As far as the quality, we're interested to see how the camera placement may be affected and if there's any difference in the out of the ring shots since there's a cage between the viewers and the fighters. Watching the HD broadcast? Versus has announced it will continue its technique of running some between-round ads in a PiP box while the broadcast of fighters coming to the ring continues on the rest of the screen.
UFC Trainer grappling with delays, launching in June
According to THQ's Fiscal 2011 third quarter report, the forthcoming motion-centric title UFC Personal Trainer has been moved out of the company's "March quarter" launch window and "into fiscal 2012" (starting April 1, 2011). A press release noted that the company's new financial projections, as mentioned in the report, are a reflection of "the move of UFC Personal Trainer into fiscal 2012." During a financial call directly after the release, company prez and CEO Brian Farrell pins the game for a June release. Plenty of time to build that octagon in your living room!
Golden Axe gets Bluetooth multiplayer, EA titles on sale
Sega sent us a note that Golden Axe for the iPhone has been updated -- the game now offers co-op over Bluetooth, so you and a friend can grab a weapon and get to killing goblins and ogres. And I think the game has finally gotten down to a US 99 cent usual price rather than a special sale, but a buck (or two bucks as the case may be, for two players) is cheap for a few good co-op games of Golden Axe. Additionally, EA has dropped prices on a few of its App Store titles, including Reckless Racing, EA Sports MMA, and our recent Daily App choice Heroes Lore III. The dev has deals going on its games all month long, so stay tuned for more to come. Oh, and one more tip: Gameloft is apparently giving away one game every single day over on its Twitter account in a promotion it's calling the Gameloft Advent calendar. There have been some good deals over there already, and will probably be more as the month goes on.
EA Sports MMA 2 'definitely' happening
EA Sports associate producer Jeff Ecker is totally confident that EA Sports MMA 2 will become a reality at some point. Speaking with Figure Four, Ecker didn't even spend a second beating around the bush and directly stated, "There is definitely going to be an EA Sports MMA 2." Ecker even characterized the sequel's launch not as an "if" but a "when." EA Sports MMA reportedly only moved 45K units in its first month at US retailers. EA Sports' Fight Night: Champion is already set for a 2011 launch, so you'll be able to beat up friends relentlessly via EA Sports, even if the company doesn't return to the octagonal mat quite so soon.
EA Sports MMA review: Coming out swinging
Repeat after me: This is a sport simulation. This is a sport simulation. This is a sport simulation. If you come to EA Sports MMA for a button-mashing brawl, you're sure to be disappointed. However, if you want to test your fighting skills in a surprisingly deep and precise recreation of the sport of mixed martial arts, you're in for a treat. %Gallery-102264%
EA Sports MMA demo now on XBL, hits PSN tonight
Here's some (bone) breaking news: The demo for EA Sports MMA is now available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace (Gold members only), and makes its entrance on PS3 with tonight's PSN store update. The full game hits retail October 19. Keep reading for a trailer and handy 360 download link.
EA Sports MMA takes TGS to the mat
EA Sports MMA enters the TGS ring with new screens and a trailer showing off the Japanese box art, as well as several new Asian fighters who look like they've been known to mess up a dude or two.
Preview: EA Sports MMA
The first mixed martial arts game, simply Ultimate Fighting Championship, was released way back in 2000, but it took nine years (including a five-year hiatus) for the sport to emerge as a successful video game sub-genre. THQ's UFC Undisputed series has enjoyed two years of positive critical and commercial reception. Now, EA is reaching for its own slice of the pie, introducing its UFC competitor, EA Sports MMA. In the back of EA's E3 booth, I spent some time with MMA -- I even fought a few random show floor attendees, mostly in the game -- and discovered that while EA Sports' offering is still a ways away from being a lifelike recreation of the sport, from a gameplay standpoint, it's a pretty decent game. %Gallery-80427%
