UFC Games License Goes to EA

[No More Sorrow]

THQ is done, and EA Sports now will be the makers of UFC videogames.

EA Sports officials announced a deal at today's E3 event in Los Angeles, and UFC president Dana White later tweeted confirmation.


A timetable for the first installment of the game and a potential title were not disclosed, though it was announced as a "multi-year, multi-product" deal.


EA Sports acquired the license from THQ, which produced three award-winning and best-selling versions of "UFC Undisputed." The first installment of "UFC Undisputed" debuted in May 2009 and the second in May 2010. The most adventurist MMA title to date, "Undisputed" had sold millions of copies, earned very positive reviews, and won an array of industry awards.


EA Sports, one of the industry's heavyweights, now takes over.


"We're thrilled to begin a long-term partnership that will bring fans incredibly authentic and deeply connected UFC videogames," Andrew Wilson, EVP and Head of EA Sports, stated. "UFC has become a global powerhouse because they have the world's best fighters, competing in the world's best mixed martial arts events. We share UFC's passion for the sport, and we look forward to capturing all of the intensity and excitement of the action with unique new game experiences across a range of platforms."


A THQ spokesman said the split was amicable.


"We've relished our relationship with UFC over the last several years and believe that the UFC gaming brand is in great shape," THQ CEO Brian Farrell stated. "THQ's more focused strategy moving forward meant that transferring the license to EA made sense to all parties. We'd like to thank the UFC for their great support and partnership and wish EA all the best moving forward."


EA Sports previously created its own MMA title, "EA Sports MMA." But with a roster of fighters from second-tier organizations, it made a minimal impact among MMA fans.


EA Sports holds the publishing rights for several of the market's most successful sports-related video games, including the Madden NFL, FIFA, NASCAR and Tiger Woods PGA series. Back in 2009, White said the UFC had hoped to join the ranks of those titles, but the California-based EA Sports declined to discuss the possibility.


As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported, White dished out heavy criticism and vowed he'd sign no non-UFC fighters who were part of the project.


"It's easy to sit on the other side of the table and judge me on how I react to stuff like this," White said back in 2009. "But let me tell you what – I've been in the trenches for almost 10 years, and I've been dealing with all these businesses, and EA was one of them."


"EA Sports told us, 'You're not a real sport. We wouldn't touch this thing. We want nothing to do with this.'"


White then vowed war against the company.


"I'm not tap-dancing around this thing or whatever," White said. "I'm telling you straight up: I'm at war with them right now. That's how I look at it."


Apparently, though, in light of today's announcement, those fences have been mended.

Wasn't a fan of EA Sports MMA game that was released a few years back, hopefully they don't ruin UFC's video game for me.

 

[SAIYANS]

Yes kill off a series like you slowly did Live, EA. Hell they are skating by with Madden every year

 

[Heisenberg]

Eh, not going to knock them til I see how they do with it but their sports games in the past aren't that great.

 

[Deezy]

Better put more effort into this game then they di that terrible, terrible terrible MMa game they made, that shit was the biggest piece of shit not named Tapout 2.

THQ made near perfect MMA games, I don't see why they split.

Someone explain this to me.

 

[Ryan]

I don't really think EA does a good job with sports games. In general, their games in general are just alright, but their sports games are their worst by far.

 

[Deezy]

The only franchise EA can do right is hockey, everything else falls flat.

 

[Slim]

The only thing I liked about EA MMA over Undisputed is that it felt to move a bit more smoothly. Just the movement. Other than that Undisputed blows it way way out of the water.

EA better step up their game big time cause all of their games pretty much are just generic with a couple upgrades done. THQ did Undisputed right. They did the first one... a year later they did the second one... then they waited. They waited like 2 years before releasing 3 and 3 was such a vast improvement it was just mind blowing. EA is one of those that wants to release a game every year which means... things have potential to just be bad.

 

[We Are Legion]

Well this is a humongous load of shit. I was just starting to get really good at UFC 3.

EA is officially the Evil Empire of sports games. They better not screw the UFC games up or I will be majorly pissed.

 

[TheOneKnownAsFetter]

I personally enjoyed EA MMA the whole way through, and in career mode. The submission and everything was smooth and the transitions were clean.

Anyways don't expect to play the new UFC game online with your friends or against people around the world cause EA's servers are usually shit.