Game over? EA Sports MMA 'appears to be more or less DOA at retail' stores
by Jesse Holland on Oct 25, 2010 1:03 PM EDT
Email
Print
"EA Sports MMA," the debut entry into the world of mixed martial arts video games from gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA), dropped for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 back on Oct. 19, 2010, featuring the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion as the official "Premiere League."
The general consensus from Online reviews was that EA Sports MMA was a good, but not great, video game.
And apparently "good" just isn't "good enough," according to Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz (via CVG.com):
"EA is likely to back out of the mixed martial arts genre after its debut offering, EA Sports MMA, made a poor start at retail ... EA's recently released 'MMA' appears to be more or less DOA at retail, while UFC recently announced an extension of its license with THQ, likely putting an end to EA's efforts to expand into the mixed martial arts genre," the analyst said in a research note this morning."
That has to give UFC President Dana White a certain sense of satisfaction based on his history with EA.
White had a very public war of words back in 2009 after he accused the gaming giant of turning down his offer for a video game partnership only to then create one of their own after the massive success of THQ's "UFC Undisputed 2009."
Not coincidentally, THQ recently extended its agreement with the UFC through 2018.
That's not to suggest that it's all wine and roses after renewing their vows. Sales of UFC Undisputed 2010, while strong, haven't been able to meet the lofty expectations that THQ set heading into the fiscal year.
That may change if they have no competition to worry about moving forward.
Does the Zuffa monopoly continue? Or is it just a question of EA failing to deliver a game that can match or exceed the standards of "UFC Undisputed?"
What's your take, Maniacs?
71 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Wait, where are all the people calling us “UFC Zombies” and “UFC nuthuggers” because we said this game sucks? Polesmokers.
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
Get off Dana's nuts.....lol
jk pal, that game looked like some hot garbage. Though i would have loved it if some of the characters were on undisputed.
Big Nog for Life
Inventor/supporter of "Gleison Tibau to Featherweight" movement.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Oct 25, 2010 1:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I should have listened to you this weekend man
I changed my Cain Lesnar pick like 5 times and settled with Lesnar. Dammit. You had such convincing arguments that I just completely ignored!
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
Actually i heard the game was pretty good from reviews. Most of the people who are trashing it haven’t even played it I think. Anyway, i think the main reason it’s doing badly is because there are several other big titles coming out this season.
I think they chose a horrible time to release it. Tons of games came out this month that were huge names. Plus they don’t have the UFC name on it.
Agreed
The game had no chance going up against Fallout and Vanquished on release day nevermind Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, Medal of Honour and Fable 3. Stupid time to release a new franchise and it’s no surprise the game flopped.
"Stay classy San Diego"
Jon "Bones" Jones, MMAs best young fighter and the next LHW champion
by David W-S on Oct 25, 2010 2:25 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
No such thing as a UFC nut hugger!
If you’re an MMA fan then you know that UFC is the biggest company, there’s just no way around that! If you’re an MMA fan and you try to say it’s not then you’re just a “UFC hater” which means you’re retarded for hating the top league that has most of the top guys… not all but most!
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
Everyone knows the UFC is number one but UFC nut huggers are people who automatically hate on anything non-UFC.
Yes but...
people are coming of with weak excuses as to why things outside the UFC don’t do well and blame fans for something they should probably blame EA for… like mouthing off about MMA not being a sport to Dana which declined them the UFC license or str8 up making a game that has good physics but that being about it. Everybody strikes the exact same way, they just add or subtract certain strikes like a superman punch or flying knee but everyone hooks and jabs the same which is very generic. I could pull out other things but you get the point I’m sure.
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
Why would someone trash a game they haven't played?
This doesn’t make any sense to me, like, at all.
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
most people played the demo and then said it was shit
most people said it would be shit just from looking at video months ago. I hated the demo but ive played the full game and its not that terrible but it kind opf a dumb game
The Red Wings will come back stronger
RESTORE THE ROAR 2010 Detroit Lions
The demo plays just like the game so...
that’s all people need. Yes they have more in the full game of course but it still plays the same.
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
The demo was poor
I’ll probabaly get it when its reduced (as well as FIFA and PES) but there are much better video games coming out as well as other things that I want to spend my money on rather than an MMA game that I played and got bored of very quickly.
"Stay classy San Diego"
Jon "Bones" Jones, MMAs best young fighter and the next LHW champion
i spend to much money on games
just got fable a week after fallout lol my friend bought ea mma and i just trade games with him sumtimes
The Red Wings will come back stronger
RESTORE THE ROAR 2010 Detroit Lions
Same here
I just pre-ordered the collectors editions of Fable 3 and WWE (games are released on Fridays in the UK instead of Tuesdays) and I’ll be buying Assassins Creed next month as well. I’ll tempted to get Fallout at some point as well.
Good idea trading games with friends, you get so little credit for trading in games at shops it’s hardly worth it. I’d do the same if my friends were into the same games as me (I prefer RPGs to FPS and sports sims).
"Stay classy San Diego"
Jon "Bones" Jones, MMAs best young fighter and the next LHW champion
I told you man.....the key points i got clowned on for
All my predictions 1)brock will bullrush out of the gate, 2) Cain will stuff his very first takedown, 3) Brock can only work a double leg TD 4)Cain will get takedowns of his own, 5)It’s easier to ride Herring for three rounds than clinch fight – all muscles need oxygen and finally it will be brutal when Brock’s mind folds again.
Big Nog for Life
Inventor/supporter of "Gleison Tibau to Featherweight" movement.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Oct 25, 2010 3:53 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
you nailed it for sure
You seem to know more about wrassling than most on here. I am paying attention NNR.
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
I listened and agreed
Too many people focused on Brock’s size and strength and ignored Cain’s superior all round technique.
"Stay classy San Diego"
Jon "Bones" Jones, MMAs best young fighter and the next LHW champion
What a horrible game!
If this was the ONLY MMA game out there I would probably play it because it has a few fun moments but the UFC games are much better. With that said I like there ideas for going for submission being like a little mini game instead of just rotating the joystick. Competition is a good thing and I hope the UFC implements some of these ideas and get a better career mode.
by Edgecrusher71 on Oct 25, 2010 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions
The game is pretty cool, some of the moves you have is pretty bad ass (Like Wandy's rape choke)
But it lacked the technical aspect that Undisputed had, of course I only played it a couple of times
Drink to remember, drink to forget.
by doonerthesooner on Oct 25, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions
i played the demo & it was shit
i suppose making a good MMA game is a very difficult thing to get right i don’t think THQ have got it right yet & EA was way off the mark
The Demo says it all.
This game is garbage…. hands down. The game play is terrible, the graphics mediocre, and the price outrageous for what it is. I’m glad I got the demo and not the actual game….
The Demo says it all.
This game is garbage…. hands down. The game play is terrible, the graphics mediocre, and the price outrageous for what it is. I’m glad I got the demo and not the actual game….
I will tell you what ruined it for me......
THE DEMO SUCKS!!! No way I would waste 60$ on this hunk of garbage………
You're a wasted rock ranger, you live a life of danger, sing this song and follow it til the end, and when you reach number 1, HEY!! We'll all overdose for fun and go hang out with Jimmy and his friends...........
and if the game is that much better than the demo
someone should lose their job. If I am giving out shitty examples of free samples of my product, shame on me.
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
Yeah I agree with Dragon. I didn’t think the game was terrible but based on the demo it was not worth $60. I might get it from Gamefly but that is about it.
Same here.
I played the demo trying to give it a chance but it just sucked bad!
Facebook is for gays!
yupp.
I failed to learn my lesson, once again ignoring the advice of David W-S and making myself look foolish. Clearly he knows a lot more than me, he wins 2-1.
I like the game?
Wow i must be one of the only people here that finds some value to this game? I know some people might jump all over me here, but hear me out. I appreciate the game because i find its easier to pick up and play with other people than the UFC games. I have buddies who watch MMA, yet dont play many video games. Or vice versa; friends who play videogames, that don’t watch UFC. I just find it a much less frustrating time for them, which always helps. The game is much more ‘arcade’ structured, personally i enjoy that for what it is. For the record im also a huge undisputed fan, dont get me wrong.
I am here to educate you about the single biggest threat to our planet and the existence of the human race. It is a creature which roams the Earth alone. It is half man, half bear, and half pig... I'm cereal!
Proud supporter of Al Gore's search for the Man-bear-pig. EXCELSIOR!
it is a glorified Mortal Kombat
Which is fine if that is what you want- but personally, I would not spend $60 on it.
This isn’t directed at you Mr. Gore- but it is really funny to me that people seem to think that you are a nuthugger for liking undisputed. What does liking one promotion more than the other have to do with a friggin video game? Anyone? Honestly?
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
the good part about this
Is that the price will drop quickly…it’ll be in the bargain bin in less than a year
Activia; now with bullshitifus ridicularus
by salamagogo on Oct 25, 2010 1:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I liked the game, felt the next one with some time/effort could have been very good
oh well…I still think everyone loses when an MMA game fails…bummer.
Team Pioli/Haley. Decade of the Chiefs.
Team Colquitt
It's too arcadeish
I don’t understadn EA who makes great sim sports games making this, the way they did? I like the undisputed it still has some problems but it’s still the best sim MMA game out there.
As it turns out StrikerDave was right all along and I was horribly wrong, and now I am crying like a little schoolgirl. After all my loudmouthing Brock Lesnar has no chin, no striking, no practical wrestling, no TDD, no heart, and no valid excuse for being this terrible, I just was too blind/stupid to see it.
PS Thanks for the 2 line sig that we bet on Striker
At first i was very vey disapointed wit the game. However, i went back and played it for a couple more days. got more into it and got used to it. suvsare still to easy but its all gravy i guess.
My friends and i started playing striclty by K-1 rules. No takedowns, no submissions. and the game got waaaay more intersting.
Shogun will have the longest championship reign in the UFC
Yeah the stand up is pretty good but as far as a MMA games go it needs a lot of work
Undisputed needs some work as well but their base for a game is much better overall.
As it turns out StrikerDave was right all along and I was horribly wrong, and now I am crying like a little schoolgirl. After all my loudmouthing Brock Lesnar has no chin, no striking, no practical wrestling, no TDD, no heart, and no valid excuse for being this terrible, I just was too blind/stupid to see it.
PS Thanks for the 2 line sig that we bet on Striker
what!?
The standup looks like shit, especially the kicks and the movement.
UFC needs a lot of work to keep the game interesting like the story mode wich is really frustrating.
And doesnt Zuffa has the right to PRIDE they should do more with that.
''You dont call retarded people retards, it's bad taste, you call your friends retards when they are acting retarded'' - Michael Gary Scott.
by robinhorobson on Oct 25, 2010 2:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Game is alright
UFC 2010 till just now was broken lol. Just keep flipping your left stick to reverse it was very dumb. At least in EA MMA if you keep doing this the stamina drained. I wish EA didn’t tell UFC MMA wasn’t a sport and maybe we would have a good title. As it is THQ didn’t do such a great job they just had a great name and roster to work with. The population in EA MMA is so dead lol it’s kinda sad. Seen they are a little over 5000 users and maybe 80 were on saturday night. Got to the point “couldn’t find player to fight” or fighting the same poor guy over and over… Game will most likely be 20 or 30 bucks in the used bin but keep in mind you gotta purchase the online play code which is most likely going to be a ghost town by then.
Good!
When you employ amateurs like “Fighter Exchange” which the fat slob who owns the site admitted on the radio nobody even watched, and the supposed visionary/greedy Paul Heyman “Looking For Larry” productions who produced terrible videos in hopes of going viral but only ended up beign a new mutated virus in the MMA gene pool. Really glad to hear it. I downloaded it the day before, played all the heavyweight matches I wanted to see for about an hour, turned it off, and now it sits collecting dust until the end of time. They have a better submission system, but both MMA offerings suck and are the equivalent to junior fight night toughman style.
EA MMA is a great game!
This game is actually very good & really fun to play. Way better than UFC 2010. The main thin with this game is that it takes tome to appreciate. Most people including myself hated the game at first. After time & many matches you realize how good this game is. Sadly, most people will only play it shortly & stop playing. That are just form an opinion off the demo which is just plain stupid. I hope the idiots out there & the ones that post here take the time to actually see how good this game is because you all are missing out. There’s to much to MMA to make the perfect game & no game will ever be perfect, bit EA did a great job. Especially for their first try.
by Volatol on Oct 25, 2010 3:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
trying to boost some sales?
Why else would you even care whether we all give it another chance?
We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.
Yes!
Of course I want people to give it another chance. This game really is a great and fun to play. Me plus many others would love this to be an annual game. It would be a huge shame to see the series end because people didn’t give it another shot and find out how great it really is.
Almost forgot
There still is some obvious problems with this game & some updates that are needed. But based on the communication & what EA has alreadydone for this game I truly expect a patch to come soon that will address these problems. It won’t be like THQ who took months & months to release a patch.
by Volatol on Oct 25, 2010 3:33 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Still is not a better game than Undisputed no matter what they do or how fast they do it.
it might be better if you like arcade type games but for a sim not.
As it turns out StrikerDave was right all along and I was horribly wrong, and now I am crying like a little schoolgirl. After all my loudmouthing Brock Lesnar has no chin, no striking, no practical wrestling, no TDD, no heart, and no valid excuse for being this terrible, I just was too blind/stupid to see it.
PS Thanks for the 2 line sig that we bet on Striker
To each his own
They each have the +’s and their -‘s. When weighed out I feel EA MMA is better, but not everyone is the same. All I’m asking is that everyone give the game another shot. Play it for a few hours and I promise the game gets better and better. Online is better, spectating capability, etc, and it’s more competitively balanced like UFC 2009 was.
Problem is not everyone has the money to buy games that they're not sure that they'll enjoy
It’d be a waste of money if the game ended up being as bad as they felt the demo was.
"Stay classy San Diego"
Jon "Bones" Jones, MMAs best young fighter and the next LHW champion
personally, I love this game. Udisputed had way too many flash knockouts for me and the career mode is addicting on EA MMA
both games have its flaws
by 49erEmpire on Oct 25, 2010 3:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Wow, buy the game if you have a 360 or ps3. help mma grow not just ufc.
brock lesnar is the Biggest Bitch On The Planet
Hunting down one zuffazombie at a time.
Yeah those Zuffa Zombies
''You dont call retarded people retards, it's bad taste, you call your friends retards when they are acting retarded'' - Michael Gary Scott.
by robinhorobson on Oct 25, 2010 3:59 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
the game totally blows.
Atleast ufc has some potential.
Sonnen and Bisping = Pillow hands. The KO power of a paraplegic.
Jake Shields is the abortion of MMA. GSP would murder that clown.
--I did a lot of talking, but Brock Lesnar didn't back it up for me.--
by D-MoB on Oct 25, 2010 4:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Both EA and UFC game.........
SUCKS. Both are horrible. Neither delivers anything
Obviously THAT isn't true but...
hopefully they’ll learn from each other and make em better cause they both have good ideas.
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
reviews were ok
GamePro Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
EA Sports MMA isn’t perfect, the lack of UFC fighters is a huge gaping hole that is impossible to ignore and the number of special moves available are fairly slim. Those problems are overshadowed by smooth animations, intuitive controls, and incredibly dynamic online features. By not being limited to the UFC brand EA has used the resulting freedom to present more of a worldwide MMA experience, such as the inclusion of alternate rule sets or the ability to fight in the cage or ring. Despite lacking the dominant brand in MMA [and according to Dana White, president of UFC, having the audacity to claim it wasn’t even a real sport—Ed.], EA has made a compelling and fun game and has raised the bar for what gamers should expect of their MMA games in the future. (GamePro)
GameInformer Rating: 8.5/10
EA’s first attack on the mixed martial arts scene heads back to its corner looking pretty strong, but there are still a few holes in its defense, one of which is the game’s roster. There are some great fighters in this game – such as Fedor Emelianenko, Satoru Kitaoka, and Randy Couture – but without the UFC license and many of its most potent combatants, there is a large hole in the game’s roster. The game’s presentation also lacks a bit of the spectacle and style found in real broadcasts. I’d also like to see some refinement to the submission system as the minigames you use to put the hurt on your opponents feel a little gimmicky. Despite these issues, EA Sports MMA is still a powerful brawler, and another year or two in the gym should turn it into a true monster. (GameInformer)
GameShark Rating: 9.1 (A-)
EA Sports MMA is a strong first entry that is only slightly held back by the lack of more common fighters from the UFC, but the inclusion of big names like Randy Couture, Fedor Emelianenko, Bob Sapp and Tim Sylvia ease the blow. It’s great to see some real competition for THQ in this genre and MMA fans shouldn’t hesitate to pick this one up. (GameShark)
Joystiq Rating: 4/5 Stars
Comparisons between MMA and THQ’s UFC Undisputed franchise are inevitable, but the two games offer up very different experiences that are, for the most part, complementary. MMA is a fuller game that celebrates the broadest scope of the sport with a loving precision, while UFC brings out a roster of more recognizable fighters for a more casual, beer-and-buddies experience.
It remains to be seen if there is enough interest to support both franchises, but with the series’ first outing, EA Sports MMA provides not only a must-play experience for fans, but a compelling argument for a two-MMA-game world. (JoyStiq)
IGN Rating: 8/10 (Impressive)
EA Sports MMA wrestles away the belt from the reigning champ with its stellar combat that feels much closer to the genuine article than what we’ve seen elsewhere. While its modes don’t span the same breadth of other sports titles, it gets things like the international flavor of MMA and the raw nature of the sport down perfectly. Now if they can just refine the AI a bit and add some meat to the scope of the career mode, this one will transcend MMA games and could contend for a spot as one of the best sports games of the year. (IGN)
But I still bought New Vegas.
Yes vats mode still fucking freezes up! Wtf
On the mobile front, EA Mobile also released EA Sports MMA for the iPhone, which is also compatible with the iPod and iPad Apple mobile devices. So far, it appears to be a success with the Apple customers who have downloaded the game, getting very positive reviews and a Customer Rating of 4.5/5 stars. The game currently ranks in the top 35 most popular paid apps and ranks as the 12th most grossing app for Apple, selling for $4.99 a unit.
Anyone dare give a review of the iphone version here?
"That little fucker hit me with a Hadukan or something" – Nick Diaz on Gomi
"You should study Pokemon to get stronger." - Sakuraba
"A champion is someone who sweats to exhaustion, even when no one else is watching." -Bas Rutten
ive only seen a few glitches in new vegas...so far
One is enemies stuck in the ground yp to their necks..last night it was a gecko, I was crouched waiting for it to come after me and it never did, so I walked over and low and behold, it was stuck in a piece of earth!
Activia; now with bullshitifus ridicularus
by salamagogo on Oct 26, 2010 6:56 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Good reviews, good games
I wouldn’t surprised if all the haters were UFC plants. Really. This game is a very solid shot at getting MMA onto the console. Its fun, the training mode is especially good, and career mode is also enjoyable. the DEMO which so many people here hated on, is nothing like the actual game. I’d recommend trying the full version before you spit fire at it.
If you’re an MMA fan and you play video games on a regular basis, I’d say read the reviews and THEN decide if you think its worth buying. I did, and I’m having a lot of fun with it. Don’t just listen to these idiots.
agree
don’t make your decision based on the demo, the demo sucks
if you’re a true MMA fan and play video games then you’ll love this game. people talk about the roster, it’s not like it has a whole bunch of nobodies in the game who doesn’t know Fedor, Couture, Nick Diaz, Hendo, Shamrock bros., Cung Le, the list goes on
I love this game
by 49erEmpire on Oct 25, 2010 5:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
they have a good roster
the ground game sucks ass tho. subs are cool tho i suppose but the joint locks can be pretty dumb sometimes
The Red Wings will come back stronger
RESTORE THE ROAR 2010 Detroit Lions
That is what I was talking about...
While the game isn’t bad there is still plenty of faults and it has nothing to do with UFC fans looking for things to hate on… that’s a cop-out excuse from EA fanboys more so.
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
That's EAs fault for providing a terrible demo
That was their chance to show how good their game is and they blew it, no amount of good reviews can make up for a horrible first impression. And I don’t know about everyone else but I don’t have £40 to spare on a game that I did not enjoy playing for free just in case it turns out better.
"Stay classy San Diego"
Jon "Bones" Jones, MMAs best young fighter and the next LHW champion
I don’t about you ppl but I think that UFC: Sudden Impact on PS2 was alot funner to play than all the newer mma games.
No it wasn't! lol
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
Seems like everyone who dislikes this game has only played the demo.
The full game is a lot better than the demo. Most notably, the AI doesn’t try to take you down every 5 seconds in the full game. Career mode is good fun, especially fighting vale tudo rules in the Brazilian league. EA Sports MMA isn’t perfect, but neither are the UFC games. I hope this isn’t the end for MMA games from EA, but maybe they should have done a little better promoting the game and not release an absolutely terrible demo.
Not true...
but the full game plays the same so it’s justified for people who are doing so… if anything they might be more harsh on the full game cause the CAF sucks with no sliders for the faces and the lack of game modes. Online is pretty good though.
An injured Anderson Silva managed to finish a cheating Sonnen who failed his drug test but GSP can't finish a natural WW who isn't a dinosaur and won't take a fight at an above weight class. Let's not kid ourselves about who the real P4P king is!
played it/enjoyed it/ not buying it tho
played it for awhile via gamefly, and really liked it. the career mode seems way better than the ufc version, the variation on rules and locales is cool too. unfortunately it came out at a rough time for me to drop $60 on it. whenever it drops to $20 or so i’m in
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on MMAmania.com
Related FanShots on MMAmania.com
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
