EA MMA (game) [Archive] - SiliconKnights.net

Castrum

06-02-2009, 06:29 PM

Might not be the best section for it, but this is the Sports section and MMA is a sport last I checked, so anyways:

What do you guys think this will be like?

I assume the UFC guys won't be in it, competing product and all. Going by that assumption, who do you think will be in the game?

Do you think EA can do the sport justice?

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NOTE: I added "(game)" because the filter on this forum seems to hate my posts now (I can't have all-capitals).

Shaynard

06-02-2009, 06:36 PM

UFC guys will be in it, as well as PRIDE guys and fighters from other organizations we don't recieve coverage on.

I think EA will make a great game. I hope they approach it as they do all the rest, with realism.. The controls for the present UFC game immediatly made me want EA to make one, based on games like Skate and the NHL/NFL ect. games. (present UFC game is great as are the controls, but there is room for more realism yet.)

I am expecting the first attempt will be good with great potential they will realise in a sequel the following year or perhaps two. I hope they allow a Create-a-fighter type career mode instead of allowing us to just manage a RL fighters career. I think as far as pure controls go, EA will make something that feels real.. It's a matter of taste and preferrence if thats something one would enjoy.

I can't wait. I believe having the scope of the game MMA sized and not just a focus on UFC will add to it's value.

Castrum

06-09-2009, 12:57 AM

Looks like EA is alternating MMA with Fight Night (similar to Halo and Gears on 360):

http://kotaku.com/5283058/ea-fight-night-and-mma-will-alternate-years

AKAtheMilkman

06-09-2009, 01:13 AM

that would be pretty cool. although, i guess that means that MMA wont come out till fall '10

Shaynard

06-09-2009, 07:58 PM

Looks like I may have been wrong in assuming UFC fighter's will be in the game.. I'm hoping Dana White works something out with EA... I love THQ, but I do think the EA game will be better. Regardless, even if they are both just "different" I'd like to see UFC fighter's in both.. Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I am glad they are going to make them every other year as opposed to the template for NHL/NFL type games... That just gets annoying.

GreenDank

06-13-2009, 07:49 AM

DenyThisFlesh

06-13-2009, 04:21 PM

I'm guessing UFC will stick with one company over the other,so my guess is UFC will stay only on THQ,but who knows they might get money hungry... but if it stays as is,EA can't use UFC,WEC,or Pride since they are all owned by UFC now...

but I hope EA will get rights to UFC,i have a feeling they could make the best fighting game,EVEN BETTER...i hope they use the right analog stick for punches like Fight Night,cause UFC would have been 10x better with tha hit stick(total punch control)...

who knows,im rambling ...

No no no!. Have you played the demo for FNR4 yet? The punch control is terrible. I liked the way it worked on round 3, but this one is messed up now. Personally, I would rather have the buttons do punches and keep the right stick used for grappling.

Shaynard

06-14-2009, 03:31 PM

No no no!. Have you played the demo for FNR4 yet? The punch control is terrible. I liked the way it worked on round 3, but this one is messed up now. Personally, I would rather have the buttons do punches and keep the right stick used for grappling.

Honestly, based on the demo I am worried that their "improvements" have made it less enjoyable... I am waiting to try out the full FNR4 game before I completely form my opinion. I feel they just went overboard with the "real world physics" so much so that it seems unrealistic.

PRIDE is owned by UFC too?.. damn I really need to pay attention to the business end of the sport. I really hope EA can work something out with the UFC.. There is no reason besides greed for money that the license can't be shared..

DenyThisFlesh

06-14-2009, 08:36 PM

PRIDE is owned by UFC too?.. damn I really need to pay attention to the business end of the sport. I really hope EA can work something out with the UFC.. There is no reason besides greed for money that the license can't be shared..

Yep. That's why Rampage, Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson, and several other guys are in the UFC now. Zuffa (the company that owns the UFC) also owns the WEC. Some guys that were in their higher weight classes are in the UFC now(Chael Sonnen for example). The WEC is only doing bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight now because of their agreement with Zuffa.

Shaynard

06-15-2009, 12:57 PM

Yep. That's why Rampage, Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson, and several other guys are in the UFC now. Zuffa (the company that owns the UFC) also owns the WEC. Some guys that were in their higher weight classes are in the UFC now(Chael Sonnen for example). The WEC is only doing bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight now because of their agreement with Zuffa.

What seems odd to me is all the hype about getting Fedor to fight in the UFC... If PRIDE is owned by Zuffa it shouldn't be such an issue.. The issue created must be pure marketing.. Also it seems very "fake" of them to have made such a big deal of those PRIDE guys coming to the UFC at all.. I feel so ripped off.. :D.. WEC made total sense when I read that because of what you said regarding the weight classes.

DenyThisFlesh

06-15-2009, 03:02 PM

What seems odd to me is all the hype about getting Fedor to fight in the UFC... If PRIDE is owned by Zuffa it shouldn't be such an issue.. The issue created must be pure marketing.. Also it seems very "fake" of them to have made such a big deal of those PRIDE guys coming to the UFC at all.. I feel so ripped off.. :D.. WEC made total sense when I read that because of what you said regarding the weight classes.

Apparently, Fedor has stayed away from signing with the UFC, because their contracts don't allow fighters to fight anywhere but the UFC. That makes sense to me, but I can see why it has it's drawbacks. He hasn't ruled out coming to the UFC though, and I think he will sooner or later.

Shaynard

06-15-2009, 03:20 PM

Apparently, Fedor has stayed away from signing with the UFC, because their contracts don't allow fighters to fight anywhere but the UFC. That makes sense to me, but I can see why it has it's drawbacks. He hasn't ruled out coming to the UFC though, and I think he will sooner or later.

Understood... Perhaps I'm just of the opinion that he should have by now.. If you want to call yourself the best, you have to beat the best.. It has been too long since Fedor was properly challenged. This is why I don't have a high opinion of him. Not that he hasn't beat anyone good, he has, but those fights havn't been often enough for me to believe he is truly great.

Maawdawg

07-13-2009, 10:00 AM

Dana White hates EA. A LOT.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/15490/ufc-president-dana-white-says-ea-sports-responsible-for-current-mma-video-game-war.mma

Castrum

07-13-2009, 10:28 AM

A guy named Dana?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...

:-P

But seriously, this guy has an ego the size of the Sun.

Maawdawg

07-13-2009, 10:37 AM

Considering he effectively shaped modern day MMA and dragged it back from the brink of its demise I think he is justified in a lot of what he said. He has a big chip on his shoulder for people saying MMA is terrible and barbaric then turning around and trying to make a buck on it.

One thing I will never doubt is his passion for the sport. He is super aggressive in defense of the UFC though and overall he is a very smart businessman. He sure isn't afraid to let people hear his frank and blunt opinions on just about any topic, which I find refreshing from a company executive.

I like Dana White a lot, he took a sport on its deathbed that was being crucified by the public, by mass media, and even by the bodies that sanction fights and built it into a mainstream sport that is at least as recognizable as some of the other "major" sports in the US.

Castrum

07-13-2009, 10:45 AM

He sure isn't afraid to let people hear his frank and blunt opinions on just about any topic, which I find refreshing from a company executive.

While I like to hear someone speak bluntly about an issue, the threat of kicking people out of the UFC for simply being in EA's game is ridiculously-poor judgment on his part as a businessman. He can make more money by simply allowing EA to use the UFC fighters in their game, and also increase exposure for the sport and for the fighters themselves, not to mention his own league.

As I said, he has an ego the size of the Sun if he honestly thinks this is a good business move.

Maawdawg

07-13-2009, 11:05 AM

It is bad for his business in if EA puts out a game that ends up better (or at least competitive) than their own game using "his guys". The UFC makes direct profit from their game and diluting the market with another game in the same genre will make those profits suffer. They may see indirect/secondary profit from publicity of his fighters and the sport in general from EAs game but having no competition to suck up sales that would go directly to him will be better for his brand most likely. Even without his fighters if people play the EA game and like MMA the most accessible form of it is UFC so he will gain fans. I don't think many people who don't like MMA in the first place will randomly pick up the EA game and start watching from it, so growing the sport through a competitor's game probably isn't a big concern.

It is the same reasoning as to why EA Madden locked up the rights of the players with the NFLPA, so noone else can make a game to compete with them. Dana is doing the same things that EA does to everyone else. It certainly isn't a dumb business decision. Look how much EA pays for the NFL rights for exclusivity. Dana doesn't even have to pay that to have his exclusivity, he has his guys under contract already and runs the premier MMA organization that fighters pretty much have to go to/through now if they want to make huge money or build a name enough to sell ticket on their own in another brand. He can effectively cut the legs out from under EA by taking away the talent, which is exactly what they did to NFL2K and everyone else when they locked up the players from the NFL.

For us as gamers it won't get a better product on the market through competition. It will definitely secure his profits though. Madden is an unchallenged beast now because they put down their competition when it was starting to actually make headway and put out games that were at (or above) madden's level for actual gameplay. It isn't the best thing for gamers, but Dana is using EAs model on sports games against them. They proved it works to lock up the best profits from a sports genre and now someone else holds the power over a specific sport and they will pay the price for it just like their competition did with the NFL games.

Castrum

07-13-2009, 11:19 AM

I don't see how they're making "direct profit" from having their guys in a game made by THQ. If they had EA make a game with their guys instead, it would likely be the same situation, profit-wise. This extrapolates into the idea of competition between two developers/publishers' games, where if he makes a deal with both, he makes twice as much money, no matter who wins out in the end.

Maawdawg

07-13-2009, 11:37 AM

His company's name is on the product and they are using all fighters under contract with his organization. I would be simply astonished if the UFC wasn't making direct money off of every copy that went out of a store in royalties. It isn't like THQ independently made the game and put a UFC sticker on it from what I understand, both sides had a stake in the development from when THQ agreed to make the game with them initially from the sound of it. It really depends on to what level THQ and UFC invested together to create this game.

If they hadn't invested in the partnership with THQ initially to get the game made then being a separate body that just sells their fighter rights to any company interested in making a game would work (like the NBA does). It would make sense but it seems they are beyond that point with how deep they got into the partnership with THQ to get an MMA game made initially and the fact that they probably tried to do that with AE in the first place isn't sitting well with him. If he really wanted to end the whole pissing contest he could just sign an exclusivity contract with THQ for the right to the UFC name and all fighters likenesses under contract with them effectively barring them from being in the EA game. They would have to compensate the fighters sligthly to add it to their contracts after they signed them but I am sure they could work it out. The fighters don't have a lot of options for other places to fight. The UFC really holds all the cards when it comes to leverage over its fighters.

Castrum

07-13-2009, 12:46 PM

I would be simply astonished if the UFC wasn't making direct money off of every copy that went out of a store in royalties.

The concept of "direct money", to me, implies that they get 100% of the take, with no outside party dipping their fingers into the pot. The deal with THQ makes this an impossibility.

They would be getting the same measure of royalties with EA (as far as I know), were Dana (hahahahahahahaha...) not a self-righteous egotist (and if EA wasn't arrogant, for that matter). If they've made a deal with THQ that specifies that the UFC gets a majority of the proceeds from game sales, then yes, I agree that he made the better choice; otherwise, he's just being stubborn.

You already said yourself that showing off the game's UFC roots is pointless, as any fan (or potential fan) of MMA only really has the UFC to go to for their interests, so the idea of having a game with "UFC" on the cover is fairly redundant: as long as it's MMA, 99% of fans will likely relate it to UFC anyways.

EDIT:

As far as EA's initial stance, while arrogant, it's quite logical. The other sports games they make have huge fanbases around the world, and those few things they've tried before that were more niche sports (cricket, rugby) have ended up selling poorly. What I imagine EA told him was that MMA wasn't a large enough market in their opinion to merit EA making an MMA game, and Mr. UFC there went off on a tirade and stormed out of the building.

Of course EA making an MMA game now is convenient and fairly insulting to the dude, but the reality is that he (apparently) is wholly-responsible for dragging MMA out of an early grave, and so he should be ecstatic that those who doubted him before are now begging to license his guys. If anything, he should be willing to work with EA as well, but charging them twice as much to license them. IMHO, that would show EA they were wrong moreso than simply going "RAGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" and screwing himself and his league out of more money/exposure/etc.

Maawdawg

07-13-2009, 01:22 PM

I see your point Castrum. I see both sides but I tend to understand and relate to the UFC side of the argument much more than the EA side. I don't see a reason to improve the product of your competition when you will get little to no compensation for it.

I meant "direct profit" in my previous posts as a per sale profit directly to the UFC brand. No one entity for any sale makes 100% of something's profit ever with distributors, retail, developers, licenses, and many other areas all taking a share. The UFC must get direct compensation for use of the fighters under their contracts and the company name. Either in a flat rate paid already or in a per game sold basis.

The UFC would get no direct funds from the sales of the EA game even though it wants to use its fighters. EA is attempting going about making their game by directly signing the UFC talent without going through the UFC itself, and isn't going to use the UFC name at all. The contract the UFC has its fighters sign gives them crazy control over what these fighters do in the public eye and professionally outside the ring, aside from the fact that they hold direct control of the biggest part of the fighting circuit and handle the majority the big money matches. For fighters to go against their wishes and/or break contracts with them is close to career suicide.

Basically EA had their chance to make the UFC game and turned it down. Now that they can see it is profitable they are trying to make a similar game, which is understandable. They are trying to do it by using talent that is under contract to the person they blew off in the first place which isn't going to go over well though.

Say you went to a major company with an product idea and they blew it off. Then after you got it off the ground and made it work with someone else after a couple years of work they turned around and bit off your idea. Besides that they used your contracted talent to improve their product which is in direct competition to yours wouldn't you be angry?

Castrum

07-13-2009, 01:38 PM

If he wants to get a royalty rate going for every copy of EA MMA sold, why not make that part of the deal? It's not like EA can choose to not have UFC fighters in their game, hence their interest in signing them.

EA trying to go around the contracts the fighters have signed is underhanded and potentially illegal, granted, but I think instead of threatening to fire everyone, I think he should be putting his time in an interview to better use by saying "EA, if you want my guys, you have to come through me. There's no way around it." Sure, he might end up firing a guy based on the stipulations of his contract, but in this instance it makes him sound less like he's saying "if you even think about EA MMA, I'll bury you and your family".

In response to your last paragraph, yes, I would be angry. But I would also not be acting like a 5-year old in front of my league's fans and stockholders by proclaiming "war with EA". Any good businessman knows that becoming emotional in business talks is detrimental to the success of whatever you're selling (albeit, aside from suckering in the public for sales, ex. Bible-thumping politicians).

Shaynard

07-13-2009, 01:45 PM

Tha has been everywhere. It was in our papers and news.. So in the end, White's "war with EA" is going to benefit both of them with free publicity. White just left-handedly uped the interest in EA MMA, which is pretty funny actually.

What Dana is doing doesn't surprise me and personally I am impressed with how that man stands behind his decidsions (much like regarding Kimbo in the vid's I posted before)

That said I would like to see all fighers in the EA game. I think it will be a good game, and different enough from the more arcade like fighter that is THQ's game, that it will be worth having both. (to me personally)

Castrum

07-14-2009, 09:47 AM

EA responds (Peter Moore):

I know there has been some recent discussion about EA SPORTS (http://kotaku.com/tag/ea-sports/) bringing a challenger to this sport. I love mixed martial arts, and we've been working on a game concept since I came to (sic) two years ago. I have great respect for the organizations and individuals that have invested in the sport's growth over the past decade – so this is one that is near and dear to me and I'm excited to see such good progress to date. I trace my MMA video game roots back to my support of Crave's UFC title on the Dreamcast in 2000, and have been a fan ever since. Our title will bring both innovation and further authenticity to mixed martial arts, not to mention a strong global publishing network that will help spread the sport's popularity around the world.

http://kotaku.com/5314049/peter-moore-responds-to-ufc-over-mma-game

Maawdawg

07-14-2009, 09:52 AM

EA definitely won that round of the war of words, no doubt in that. Nice find.

Castrum

07-29-2009, 10:59 PM

EA signs Fedor for EA MMA, as well as Gegard Mousasi and Renato Sobral:

http://kotaku.com/5325854/ea-signs-fedor-emelianenko-for-ea-sports-mma

Apparently there's more.

EDIT:

Interestingly, the LA Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/07/fedor-emelianenko-ufc-finalizing-deal.html) is reporting today that Emelianenko is close to signing a deal with the UFC.

Shaynard

07-30-2009, 10:28 AM

EDIT:

Interestingly, the LA Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/07/fedor-emelianenko-ufc-finalizing-deal.html) is reporting today that Emelianenko is close to signing a deal with the UFC.

Which now seems weird to me.. he is signed to PRIDE.. which is owned by Zuffa?.. Which owns UFC.. So why so hard to get him in the UFC?... I bet I know... Fedor's scared he's gonna get beat on.. :D

Maawdawg

07-30-2009, 12:22 PM

The first UFC guy has said he is going to be in the EA game, Tim Kennedy. I have never really heard of him or recall seeing him fight at all. He seems woefully uninformed about the situation or just plain doesn't care that for $5000 in game rights from EA he could have just flushed his career.

http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/07/30/920891

Shaynard

07-30-2009, 12:35 PM

Uninformed or careless.. His comment about Dana alone will probably make his upcomming negotiations difficult for him... :rolleyes:

Castrum

07-30-2009, 12:41 PM

"He would say that because he's the big bully of the MMA world."

*stands and applauds*

Castrum

08-10-2009, 10:31 PM

THQ not envying EA's situation: http://kotaku.com/5334404/thq-happy-not-to-be-in-eas-mma-position-thank-you

Maawdawg

08-17-2009, 11:51 AM

Randy Couture signed to be in the EA game now. That is by far their biggest name. It is hardly surprising given his disdain for Dana White and quarrels with the UFC about his contract that he would do this. He wanted out of his contract and is 46 anyway, maybe he figures this will be the final straw that will make UFC let him go. If I remember correctly, he retired from the UFC a while back and tried to arrange fights with other brands but he has an exclusive deal with UFC and Dana White held him to it.

This will be interesting to see how it plays out.

http://kotaku.com/5338562/ea-sports-mma-grabs-randy-couture

Shaynard

08-17-2009, 01:47 PM

Not to argue but thats not what I have heard regarding Couture's return..

Most of what went around after Randy was embarrassed by Lesnar was that the UFC wanted Randy to retire, and Randy didn't want to go out without a win... and was trying to sign another fight (with any brand), and the UFC signed him..

When Randy retired before, he came back to the UFC and told Dana the Heavy weight division was so weak he could win the title... and he did.. (thats a loose quote from the UFC All Access)

Couture is constantly busy promoting the UFC and I have never heard him say anything negative regarding Dana or the UFC...

Did I miss something?.. It wouldn't be the first time.

I will admit I was never a Randy fan.. I actually just started looking back through his career the past few weeks after I heard he signed to fight Minataro.. But based on all the interviews and video's where he's talking about how much he loves the UFC and how hard he works outside the ring to help promote it, this comes as a surprise.

The most confusing part of this is.. Zuffa owns everything anyways.. If PRIDE gets advertising through a video game, that helps Zuffa.. Why all the fuss?.. any opinions?

Maawdawg

08-17-2009, 02:50 PM

here is a bit of background. Couture and Dana White had a big war of the words a while back about his contract and his retirement.

http://www.wrestlingnewsdesk.com/WND/the_news/mixed_martial_arts/randy_couture_-_ufc_legal_situation_20071018300.htm

Shaynard

08-17-2009, 03:05 PM

another article posted a couple days before that paints a different picture with quotes from Randy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-couture101107&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

I am so confused.. Fedor is signed to PRIDE.. PRIDE is owned by Zuffa.. Why the difficulty getting Fedor in the UFC?.. I really don't understand...

To say Couture meant to resign makes no sense when he said in the ring after the fights he planned to retire...

We'll get to the bottom of this yet.. lol

So you know I am not trying to dispute you at all Maaw.. you have my absolute respect.. so I hope you don't take it that way.. I want to figure it out for myself..

Maawdawg

08-17-2009, 03:16 PM

No offense taken. I don't know a whole lot about the situation. I just remembered reading a bunch of stuff about his "retirement" and a big contract dispute with Dana White barring him from fighting elsewhere then the war of words that followed. I also kind of remember something about him going to Africa for a while, which I can't seem to find anywhere but for some reason I remember seeing it.

I am sure there are two sides to the story anyway and as always the truth will be somehwere in the middle-ground.