Published in Gaming

EA MMA future now in doubt

by on17 March 2011
ea

Strikeforce sale to UFC could be an issue
As details of UFC parent company Zuffa’s purchase of the Strikeforce MMA promotion continue to filter out, it is still unclear what effect the deal will have on Electronic Arts and their MMA title long-term. EA partnered with Strikeforce, which was really the only real competitor to UFC in the release of their first MMA title. With UFC already engaged in a long-term deal with THQ, it is hard to know exactly where EA stands going forward.

According to the whispers we have heard, at least for the time being Strikeforce will continue to operate as it has, with CEO Scott Coker running the show, and we assume reporting to Dana White. While it has not been confirmed, EA apparently had a deal with Strikeforce that covered the use of the MMA promotion within their title for multiple years, but it is unclear if this is accurate.

While the EA MMA title struggled at the sales counter, it was a big hit with reviewers and those who actually played the game. The big draw was a better control scheme that seemed to work better than what the UFC 2010 title offered. With the slow sales, the future of the franchise was a bit in doubt, but it was later confirmed that EA planned another release in the series to build upon what they were able to do first time out.

It is currently unknown if the Strikeforce deal with UFC changes anything or not. It seems, at least for the time being, that no one is talking. EA, despite confirming that an MMA sequel was in the works, did not commit to a timetable on when it could be expected to be released.


Rate this item
(3 votes)

Read more about: