Launched on October 27th, 2023, UFC 5 by EA Sports, was quick to arouse the interests and aspirations of the game aficionados for future additions to the franchise. This version signified substantial progression from UFC 4 and was the pioneer to be integrated with the renowned Frostbite motor adopted in the Battlefield series and other EA titles. It has received favorable reviews from expert critics, achieving ratings of 8/10 and 9/10 from established analysts like Game Informer and IGN, respectively. Still, players have voiced several areas for improvement to make subsequent versions, such as UFC 6, even more engaging and immersive.
The character impersonation of Coach Davis in the Career Mode has not hit the right chords with game followers. Players express dissatisfaction over the annoying depiction and repetitive conversations during training sessions. This does not reflect poorly on Scott Manuel Johnson’s acting skills, who gave life to Coach Davis, but the redundancy of the voice lines have drawn criticism from players. It’s become somewhat of a community joke, with fans sharing their distaste for the character and his dialogue. Consequently, EA may want to rethink the character or work on enhancing the dialogue and roles in potential improvements.
A key concern among the players has been regarding the clinch mechanism in the game. There has been feedback of it being overly basic, with fans desiring a more refined rendition. Drawing from the ground grappling mechanism could make clinch scenes less dull and shed its current reputation as a method of provoking other players. In reality, clinch maneuvers are a crucial and thrilling part of Ultimate Fighting, and bringing this perspective into gaming would significantly enhance the gameplay experience.
The Career Mode in its current form would greatly benefit from a dose of realism. Players often find themselves competing against the same characters repeatedly, which can be wearisome and lacking in authenticity. The portrayal of fighters still active at an advanced age, and their unchanged physical appearance, further divorces the gameplay from reality. Incorporating aspects like retiring characters at a logical age and increasing the frequency and variety of cutscenes could make the game far more captivating.
Taking a leaf from WWE 2K’s book, UFC games could incorporate modes that allow players to simulate running the UFC for a year or more. Accounting for factors like win-loss statistics, champions, injuries, plus handling budgets for arenas and contracts, would give players an engaging managerial perspective. Broadening the scope to an open-end sandbox style game would additionally score high on player enjoyment.
The return of the Ultimate Team mode – a component included in earlier versions of UFC as well as FIFA – could elevate player excitement. The exhilaration of spending in-game or real funds opening card packs has a strong appeal among many players. Although the mode didn’t make it to UFC 5, incorporating it could yield high returns both in terms of player count and revenue.
Improving the striking and fighting animations to better represent real-life fighters could make the gameplay far more enthralling. older UFC games developed by Yuke’s and THQ have received commendation for representing fighters’ unique stances and movements. EA could step up their game by ensuring every character doesn’t feel like a clone, which can potentially make the sport and the games more dynamic and enjoyable.
Introducing cross platform play would not only drastically swell the player base, but also keep the servers populated long after release. Modern games have normalized crossplay, and it seems like an unnecessary effort to ask for this feature in a 2024 release. Yet, the reality dictates otherwise. Ensuring PlayStation users can compete with Xbox or PC gamers could ensure the game’s longevity and popularity.
An untapped market that EA could explore for their UFC franchise is PC gamers. With titles like EA FC 24 and 25 already exploiting the substantial PC gamer base, there’s no reason why UFC should not follow suit. Other sports titles have successfully ventured onto this platform, and including the UFC title could elevate its appeal and reach.
A feature that could induce player loyalty is the ability for them to share creations through a dedicated hub, similar to what WWE 2K has implemented. Whether these are duplicates of real-life fighters or out-and-out inventions, sharing and viewing would foster a sense of community among players. Additionally, it also opens up potential revenue streams for EA, by cashing in on the desire of players to shape and share their creations.
Augmenting the creation suite is another course of action that could enhance players’ gameplay experience. As noted with WWE 2K and other titles, the quality and depth of personal customization have greatly advanced. The creations in UFC, however, still appear more cartoon than real. EA could potentially capitalize on their current resources like EA FC sporting commendable character design, and past successes with NBA Live to deliver a more lifelike and satisfying customization experience.
Going beyond character design, a creation suite should offer the ability to design championships, arenas and customize fighter’s gear. The potential to upload logos from the internet and incorporate it in the game design would truly make the game a creative canvas for its players. Although subsequent versions have not featured these elements yet, including them could enhance the depth, scope, and satisfaction of gameplay, making the game a vibrant platform for player creativity.