ufc-undisputed-2010
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THQ confirms another UFC game in development before selling license
THQ confirmed the development and cancellation of another game in the UFC series in an SEC filing this morning. While not putting exact numbers to the news, the filing noted a year-over-year decrease in sales across the series since 2009. UFC Undisputed 3 failed to sell 2 million units, which was its "break even" point according to a recent report.Searches on LinkedIn found a number of former THQ San Diego employees that list "UFC 4" in their profiles, albeit unconfirmed. THQ entered into an agreement to sell the UFC license to EA Sports on June 1 for an undisclosed amount, first announced during EA's press conference at E3 last week.Updates on the closure of THQ's San Diego studio are included in the filing, saying it "could result in additional cash charges of up to $1.1 million related to severance, up to $1.3 million in cash charges related to leased facilities and non-cash charges of up to $0.5 million related to long-lived assets."
UFC Personal Trainer includes free Undisputed 2010 from Best Buy, freezing glitch everywhere
Good news and bad news about UFC Personal Trainer. The good news is that if you buy the Xbox 360 version online or in store from Best Buy, you'll get a free copy of UFC Undisputed 2010. That way, if you get tired of actually performing all those deadly combat moves with your body, you can take a break and engage in some virtual grappling, and then let Brock Lesnar's improbably overmuscled frame on the box art inspire you to get back to your workout. Now, the bad news. That copy of Personal Trainer might need to take a periodic, unscheduled break of its own -- users are reporting freezing issues with the training game, at least on Xbox. THQ is aware of the problem, which it attributes on the UFC Personal Trainer blog (currently offline) to "unforeseen server issues." The publisher is working on a fix, expected "shortly." And then you can get back to your training regimen, which is definitely guaranteed to make you as inhumanly, inconveniently beefy as Brock Lesnar. Update 9pm – THQ sent us the following statement letting us know the issue has been resolved: We have successfully resolved the hitching issue recently impacting UFC Personal Trainer, including potential interference with online and offline play. Yesterday, our third party data support center encountered a technical issue that halted all server support. This issue affected many games, including UFC Personal Trainer, as the lack of server support made the product periodically hitch and interfere with the user experience. THQ's technical support and development teams have resolved the issue by transferring data support to a new server facility. UFC Personal Trainer has been tested thoroughly, and we are currently not experiencing issues with the product or online connections. We will continue monitoring activities with the new server facility. We apologize for the inconvenience and encourage players to hit the mitts, take on the 30-day challenge and experience everything UFC Personal Trainer has to offer consumers. Good luck on your fitness journey! [Thanks, D!]
Uncharted 2 GOTY, God of War 3 and others become latest PS3 'Greatest Hits' for $30
Sony has promoted four of its favorites to PS3 "Greatest Hits," dropping the price of each to $30. The most significant addition to Sony's growing lineup of discounted bestsellers of yesteryear is the "Game of the Year" Edition of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, which includes a plethora of extra content not included in the original release. God of War 3, Heavy Rain and ModNation Racers were the three other first-party titles to be made Hits. Additionally, THQ's UFC Undisputed 2010 was recognized as one of last year's best, representing the first third-party game to become part of the PS3's 2010 hall of fame class.
THQ extends UFC rights until 2018
THQ's rights to the UFC license will remain Undisputed until 2018. The publisher announced today that it has extended its "exclusive, worldwide agreement" with Zuffa, LLC to create games based on the ultimate fighting franchise for the next eight years. The agreement grants THQ the option to create games for all consoles, PC, handhelds, mobile devices and social media. We can't wait to see someone gift us a "Punch in the Junk" on Facebook. The deal's price tag wasn't shared publicly. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter guesstimates: "[THQ] pay a percentage of sales against a minimum guarantee. My guess is that it's a 15% license, and that the guarantee is around $10 million a year." The UFC license has been good to THQ, despite the decline in sales for the franchise's second iteration. THQ's current strategy to combat potential annual fatigue is to give the series a "longer development cycle," which means the next installment is expected to arrive sometime in the second half of 2011 at earliest.
This is what UFC Undisputed 2010 looks like on PSP
It may not sport the graphics of the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game, but the PSP version of UFC Undisputed 2010 looks mighty impressive for a handheld brawler. This new trailer shows the first Undisputed game on PSP in motion.
THQ looking at 'longer development cycle' for next UFC
"We thought based on the preorder trends that we saw and what we were hearing from retailers and consumers alike and we built our plans for growth in UFC this year," THQ CEO Brian Farrell said on an earnings call today. However, with 2.7 million units sold relative to last year's 2.9 million units in the same period, it's clear the sequel didn't show signs of "growth." (Was it Red Dead's fault?) After reaffirming it as "still a top franchise" Farrell told the call, "What we're thinking about – not to necessarily reinvigorate it because it's a great franchise – but as I said in my prepared remarks, we're considering a longer development cycle. 15-, 18-, 21-months between releases rather than annually." That increased development time will, ostensibly, increase product quality and, with fewer releases, increase consumer demand. That combined with the UFC training and fitness game (not to mention PSP ports), Farrell assures analysts that "We think there's a lot of growth to be had with the UFC franchise over the next several years." Farrell is quick to declare that there will be a UFC game in the next fiscal year. "We will have a UFC title in fiscal '12," he said directly. "The question is timing, as I said. Could it be 15-, 18-, 21-months? That depends on both the scope of the game, the window, and how we want to release that game. As I said in my prepared remarks, we thought maybe a 12-month cycle might be a little quick but it'll be somewhere around 18-months give or take a few months." If you consider this year's UFC Undisputed 2010 on a 12-month dev cycle, an 18-month cycle would put its successor somewhere around late November 2011, smack dab in the middle of the busy holiday shopping season. Might be a tough spot for a UFC game to fight its way out of.
THQ report: $30m Q1 loss, UFC Undisputed 2010 moves 2.7m units
While THQ may be rebounding in terms of brand and product quality, that doesn't mean it can simply take the express bus to Money Town. There's more to running a successful entertainment business than simply making well-received games. For its fiscal 2011 first quarter ended June 30, 2010, the publisher reported net sales of $149.4m driven primarily by UFC Undisputed 2010. While that sounds like a lot of scratch, that's compared with last year's sales for the quarter of $243.5m, driven by UFC 2009 Undisputed and Red Faction: Guerrilla. The earnings report explains, "No title comparable to Red Faction: Guerrilla was released during the first quarter of fiscal 2011." With sales down, losses are up, with a net loss of $30.1m for the quarter compared with a net income of $6.4m for the same period last year. So with all bets on UFC 2010 for the quarter, and despite a stronger Metacritic score, it managed to move just 2.7m units compared with 2.9m units for its predecessor last year. "We built our plans for growth in UFC this year," Farrell told investors. Though no new major titles are planned for the company's upcoming Q2 period, the remainder of the fiscal year holds releases for both Homefront and Red Faction: Armageddon, and THQ expects non-GAAP net sales "in the range of $845 million to $865 million" and "roughly breakeven" earnings for the year. The focus is very much on fiscal 2012, which includes major releases like Warhammer 40000: Space Marine and Darksiders 2. "We also delivered our most critically acclaimed E3 showing ever with a strong line-up of games in development, several of which are based on proven long-term franchises," Farrell says. "Our goal this fiscal year continues to be to position THQ for growth in fiscal 2012 and beyond."
Grapple on the go: UFC Undisputed 2010 coming to PSP
THQ is shrinking the giant men of the UFC down to fit into a handheld system. The publisher announced a PSP version of UFC Undisputed 2010, entering the retail Octagon on September 7. Perhaps what the game needed to hit sales targets was another version. The portable UFC includes "an unparalleled roster" of over 100 fighters, as well as the option to create your own, with customizable movesets. The PSP release also includes support for Ad-Hoc mode for local multiplayer fightin'. This will cause much less property damage than meeting your friends at Starbucks for a couple of real mixed martial arts matches. %Gallery-98900%
Amazon's FFXIII 360 bundle to include UFC 2010 and Bioshock 2 on August 2
Amazon's upping the ante to try and move more units of its recently discounted Final Fantasy XIII Xbox 360 bundle. According to the retailer's Twitter account, the $300 package will come with free copies of UFC Undisputed 2010 and BioShock 2 when purchased this coming Monday.
THQ blames Red Dead Redemption for lower UFC 2010 sales
Last month, THQ reported some not-so-awesome sales figures for its second annual entry into the UFC Undisputed franchise -- to the tune of an almost 50 percent decline from sales for last year's first stab at game-ifying the sport. In a recent discussion with the print version of MCV (via CVG), Jon Rooke, the company's UK marketing director, provided one possible explanation for the decrease: "That's largely down to Red Dead Redemption," Rooke explained. Though Undisputed 2010 has managed to ship a sizable 2.6 million units, Rooke stated that the title hasn't "delivered the broader sales yet." He added, "Rockstar have probably taken a fair amount of our market share. They shipped 5m units, taking a lot of consumer dollars." We know exactly what he's talking about: We picked up Red Dead Redemption instead of UFC because we heard the former had really great wrasslin' -- but we were unfortunately greeted with hours of rustlin' instead.
THQ revises financial outlook, UFC 2010 disappoints
THQ today updated its guidance for its first fiscal quarter in 2010, which ends June 30, as well as its entire fiscal 2010, ending March 30, 2011. Previously, the company had predicted non-GAAP first quarter net sales to be between $190 and $200 million. THQ has now lowered its first quarter guidance to between $155 and $165 million. The corresponding outlook for fiscal 2010 has been lowered from between $905 and $920 million to between $845 and $865 million. The culprit for the guidance shift? "Lower-than-anticipated sales of UFC Undisputed 2010, and the strengthening dollar," according to THQ president and CEO Brian Farrell. Even though pre-orders were 50 percent higher than the 2009 iteration, noted Farrell, sell through of the 2.6 million shipped units has been "below [THQ's] expectations, and prior-year results." Farrell sated that THQ has "a strong pipeline scheduled for release over the next three years" and asked that "everyone" try out its offerings on the E3 show floor. You can bet we'll be doing just that in the days ahead.
Red Dead Redemption tops UK charts again; Blur loses out to Split/Second
Rockstar's western opus, Red Dead Redemption, has saddled up and rode for first once again in the GFK Chart-Track derby. Even though it's suffered a 40% drop in sales -- likely a byproduct of those shortages -- it was enough to best UFC Undisputed 2010, which debuted at second place. Also of note is the debut of Blur at the 14th spot -- well below Black Rock Studio's previously released arcade racing rival Split/Second (6th) and United Front Games' ModNation Racers (12th). Source - Top 40 Entertainment Software, Week Ending May 29 2010 Source - Red Dead Redemption Still Riding High at No. 1
Fight the crowds at GameStop's UFC Undisputed 2010 midnight launch parties
Before you enter an octagon full of belligerent fighters in UFC Undisputed 2010, why not prepare by visiting a strip mall full of sleepy nerds? GameStop is holding midnight launch events for the mixed martial arts title in 3,100 of its stores on the night of May 24. There, you'll be able to commune with your fellow UFC fans and pick up a new copy of the game at the earliest possible opportunity -- and you do want to buy it new. Check here to find out if any GameStops near you are participating. If you pre-order the game before then, you'll get access to four unlockable fighters from the Ultimate Fighter TV series. If you pre-order the PS3 version, you'll get three more fighters, as well as a Blu-ray disc with footage of five classic UFC fights. That is indisputably a lot of bonuses.
THQ introduces its own 'Online Pass' in UFC 2010
EA isn't the only company to hit on the idea of a one-time-use code for online play of sports games. THQ is penalizing used sales of UFC Undisputed 2010 in exactly the same way -- and, since Undisputed will be in stores next week, THQ is even beating EA to it. Pastapadre discovered that copies of Undisputed will include a code on the back page of the instruction manual, required for online play. THQ confirmed the existence of the codes in a statement to Destructoid, adding that "Codes for accessing the content will be available for second-time buyers for an additional $5." So, right now, THQ is winning the price war in terms of online play privileges. Well, not counting all those companies that let even second-hand buyers play games online without additional chrages (for now).
UFC Undisputed's Chuck Liddell tells us what it takes
Admittedly, Chuck Liddell is our second favorite "Iceman" -- Bobby Drake's mutant powers and frosty quips make him slightly more endearing to video game nerds like us. But the UFC fighter has his charms as well. Not only is he the winning coach on this season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show, but here he is in a promo video for the upcoming UFC Undisputed 2010 game, schooling all of us pushovers on what it takes to win in the Octagon. [Spoiler: You have to get real angry and beat up that seemingly no-good Ortiz character.]
UFC Undisputed 2010 early access demo expected this week
THQ announced earlier this year that it planned to release a UFC Undisputed 2010 demo a few months prior to the game's May 25 launch. Now, according to the game's community website, it looks like certain UFC fans will be getting an early crack at the demo. The community site relaunched last week, announcing some new perks for registered members, including early access to the demo. According to a recent post, the demo is expected late this week, so you'd best get registered if you want in on the big, sweaty man-fight action. To register, just viciously punch your mouse button on this link. [Via Eurogamer]
UFC Undisputed 2010 video explores career mode
If the above video is any indication, UFC Undisputed 2010 is really looking to provide a comprehensive career experience akin to what you see fighters go through in those MMA reality shows, sans the camera confessionals. In THQ's sequel, you'll get to follow your virtual brawler through almost every facet of the sport -- from weigh-ins to training and even the WFA, to eventual UFC stardom -- picking up a rivalry or two along the way. We'll see if UFC Undisputed 2010 can pull off this ambitious career simulation when it hits the retail mat on May 25.
UFC Undisputed 2010 video focuses on fighting techniques
One of the most exciting aspects of MMA is the sheer variety of fighting styles you'll see in a single event. The original's repertoire was rather extensive: boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, judo, Brazilian jujitsu, and freestyle wrestling. UFC Undisputed 2010 adds three more fighting techniques into the mix: sambo, karate and Greco-Roman wrestling. This developer video goes into more detail about the three new styles added to the game, emphasizing the differences between karate and muay thai, for example. With the ability to "combo anything together" in 2010, the added move list should provide a number of interesting and painful combinations to explore.
UFC Undisputed 2010 demo's fighters and modes detailed
Man, THQ sure knows how to make a hard sell with its playable demos. The company which set a new industry standard for demo length with its trial version of Darksiders has wisely chosen to include four brilliantly named fighters in its demo for UFC Undisputed 2010: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida, Rashad "Sugar" Evans and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. With literally zero knowledge of the sport of Ultimate Fighting, we're placing our bets on Mr. Sugar to take home the ... the belt, we guess? The title? The pennant? The demo, which will feature an Exhibition mode and a local multiplayer Tournament mode, hasn't received a release date, though the game's community blog claims "we'd like to release the demo a full month before Undisputed 2010 hits store shelves on both PSN and Xbox Live." The game's due out on May 25 -- feel free to extrapolate from there. [Via CVG]
Sway into this new UFC Undisputed 2010 trailer
One of the main things an annualized franchise must do is convince its fans that the tweaks made to each successive sequel are really worth getting hyped about. After an impressive debut with last year's UFC Undisputed 2009, Yuke's and THQ have a lot to prove with 2010. This video highlights some of the key improvements made to the gameplay engine, notably the addition of "sways," dodges that allow fighters to quickly counter-attack. Other improvements to the combat engine involve utilizing the cage in both offensive and defensive maneuvers. The submission system has also been improved, with a more dynamic camera that focuses on the limbs that are being worked on. It's meant to be more "visceral," a trait that's pretty important in a game all about dudes beating each other up. For UFC fans, we wonder if these improvements are worth another purchase this year?
