UFC President Eases Off on EA Sports MMA Threat

[Andy Chalk]

UFC President Eases Off on EA Sports MMA Threat

UFC President Dana White has backed away from his threat to blacklist fighters who sign up for EA Sports MMA [http://mma.easports.com/home.action] but said that anyone who buys the game is "fucking nuts."

THQ's swore a lot [http://www.amazon.com/UFC-2009-Undisputed-Xbox-360/dp/B001D7T2XA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278950004&sr=1-1] and promised that any fighter who appeared in it would never fight in the UFC.

But heads have cooled a bit in the intervening months and White has stepped back from that threat. "Nah, some people have crossed over," he told Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5505558/ufc-chief-backs-off-threat-to-ban-fighters-still-loathes-ea], "But believe me, this is still going to continue to be a battle... They're the me-toos. The UFC game is the original game."

White isn't quite ready to kiss and make up, however. "[EA's] earnings reports just came out and they suck. This company that used to control the whole videogame world and were these big fucking giants, we'll see where they are in the next two years," he continued. "And as as far as the MMA space goes, we'll kick the living shit out of them."

"If there's anybody out there who is a UFC fan, you're fucking nuts if you buy the EA game," he added.

No, go ahead, Dana. Tell us what you really think. UFC Undisputed 2010 is scheduled for release in May on the PS3 [http://www.amazon.com/UFC-Undisputed-2010-Xbox-360/dp/B0030CV356/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278950044&sr=1-1].


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[RoboMohawk]

The new updates to UFC 2010 look great but I really look forward to EA's engine, I really loved FNR4. I will probably just end up buying both Undisputed and EA MMA, which I think most people will probably do.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

How Fanboyish. Thats like me saying Cycling isn't a real sport because you don't move sticks or press buttons.

Calumon: Silly man. He needs to learn to play, not talk, because he isn't nice when he talks.

 

[Brotherofwill]

Hahah. UFC is turning into the new Wrestling, eh?

I like the UFC game, but supposedly EA's game is running on the better than excellent Fight Night ROund 4 engine, so it'll probably kick more ass.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

IT seems Dana White is a graduate of the Peter Molyneux school of hype.

 

[tkioz]

I don't blame him at all for being a bit pissy if EA wouldn't even give him the time of day and then after he managed to get a rival of theirs to put out a good selling game they were suddenly all over it.

EA is bloody horrible when it comes to sports games, locking out any competition from using real named (i.e what people play those games for) players, it's about bloody time they got a bit of their own back.

 

[Jared]

IT seems Dana White is a graduate of the Peter Molyneux school of hype.

yeah and seems he got same qualifications. He needs to get over himself just a tad...

 

[sukotsuto]

If you're a UFC fan, you'd buy the UFC game. But if you're an MMA fan, you'd get the EA MMA game (to those who doesn't know, 'UFC' is the organization name and is most popular MMA organization in North America, while 'MMA' is "Mixed Martial Arts", which is the sport. They are not synonymous with each other). BUT if you're a hardcore MMA fan (like me), you'd get both.

Although seriously, I'm actually sick of current fighting games and their unrealistically ridiculous combos and juggles, and thus, I'm glad fighting games that actually realistically depict martial arts like UFC Undisputed 2009 is coming out. It's not yet as realistic as it's supposed to be yet (as it can be very complex to emulate real life Mixed Martial Arts), but it's still a very good start for things to come.

Now that THQ and EA are competing against each other, trying to outdo one another, I can only see good things coming for the realistic fighting game genre. The genre is not monopolized like how EA monopolized the (American) football market with their barely improved Madden games.

Dana White spouts a lot of BS, although there's sometimes a bit of truth behind those, so I can't really dismiss them. Heck I'd get the EA MMA game just so that I can play as Fedor, the best MMA fighter in the world that UFC couldn't sign (which keeps the UFC from monopolizing the MMA world).

EDIT: And unlike Peter Molyneux, at least Dana made a huge difference in the MMA world, helped making it popular to the masses, regardless on how controversial he is

 

[PapaJupe]

MMA can not be translated well to videogames. It just doesn't work well.
And Dana White should STFU about games and EA's future. He doesn't know wtf he is talking about.
And of course he is taking back the whole "appear in the EA game, get blacklisted in the UFC" BS. You really think if Fedor came knocking on the UFC's door tomorrow White would turn him away because he was in this game?
White needs to focus on getting the UFC back up to its former glory and not on what EA Sports is doing, because right now there are more than 1 other promotion consitently putting on better cards and shows than the UFC.
Seriously, when you have a scrub like Hardy, talking a ton of smack, getting a title shot and then doing absolutely nothing in the fight that would actually make you think he was anything more than a sparring dummy, you need to re-evaluate your fighter roster and the cards you are asking your fans to pony $50 a pop for.

 

[sukotsuto]

MMA can not be translated well to videogames. It just doesn't work well.
And Dana White should STFU about games and EA's future. He doesn't know wtf he is talking about.
And of course he is taking back the whole "appear in the EA game, get blacklisted in the UFC" BS. You really think if Fedor came knocking on the UFC's door tomorrow White would turn him away because he was in this game?
White needs to focus on getting the UFC back up to its former glory and not on what EA Sports is doing, because right now there are more than 1 other promotion consitently putting on better cards and shows than the UFC.
Seriously, when you have a scrub like Hardy, talking a ton of smack, getting a title shot and then doing absolutely nothing in the fight that would actually make you think he was anything more than a sparring dummy, you need to re-evaluate your fighter roster and the cards you are asking your fans to pony $50 a pop for.

lol Strikeforce ftw. At least EA MMA not only features MMA organizations like Strikeforce (USA), but also Dream (Japan) and M-1 Global (Europe), which makes it even more of a worldwide game than UFC, down to the sweet-looking arenas (from SF's cage to Dream's cage to M-1 Global's ring, as seen in that one trailer).

Still, MMA couldn't translate well (yet...maybe), but I still like to see them trying. Someone might finally simulate it well (not exactly, but well enough) after a few or so years have transpired, since technology is evolving in a fast pace. At the very least, a few realistic fighters out there to contrast the ridiculousness of typical fighting games is a welcome change.

Oh yeah at least Hardy has a decent showing in resisting those submissions, but I felt that GSP made elementary mistakes on those submissions (ie not squeezing with the knees on that armbar and not using the opponent's wrist on the kimura attempt). I feel that Nick Diaz from Strikeforce is the person to kick GSP's ass, not Hardy

 

[PapaJupe]

lol Strikeforce ftw. At least EA MMA not only features MMA organizations like Strikeforce (USA), but also Dream (Japan) and M-1 Global (Europe), which makes it even more of a worldwide game than UFC, down to the sweet-looking arenas (from SF's cage to Dream's cage to M-1 Global's ring, as seen in that one trailer).

Still, MMA couldn't translate well (yet...maybe), but I still like to see them trying. Someone might finally simulate it well (not exactly, but well enough) after a few or so years have transpired, since technology is evolving in a fast pace. At the very least, a few realistic fighters out there to contrast the ridiculousness of typical fighting games is a welcome change.

Oh yeah at least Hardy has a decent showing in resisting those submissions, but I felt that GSP made elementary mistakes on those submissions (ie not squeezing with the knees on that armbar and not using the opponent's wrist on the kimura attempt). I feel that Nick Diaz from Strikeforce is the person to kick GSP's ass, not Hardy

Haha....I like the way you think. i agree with pretty much everything you have said.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Screw this MMA stuff. It's not a real fight until somebody goes through a table.

 

[AMX58]

Wow Dana eased up wow thats all I have to say beacuse he was on them bad but hey what can I say that dude has the bank for wat he wants to do

 

[Mr. Grey]

I'm a little excited at what EA might be making out of this. They actually have some strong competition and it'd be nice to see them work out something that can actually go toe-to-toe with the competitor's.

Only good things should come of this.

Screw this MMA stuff. It's not a real fight until somebody goes through a table.

Or thrown off the cell.

 

[MrFarquar]

Dana should know that a little comp' is good for business UFC wouldn't be where it is if it wasn't for pride and now Strike Force is stepping up and having a go.. its always funny when the people running the sports slag off other games not of their brand, its not like every time a new developer makes a footy game EA and Konami CEO's slag them off and call the people who by their games names. If that was the case EA would spend more time slagging everyone else off and less time churning out the same old crap..