Ahead of the promotions UFC 251 PPV event on Saturday night, EA Sports has revealed the upcoming launch of UFC 4.
Releasing August 14, the game will be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with a beta to come ahead of launch. There was no mention on if versions of the game will be available for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 when those platforms launch later this year.
The game will feature superstars Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya on the cover, marking it the third time two fighters were on the game’s cover. The only game without two fighters was UFC 3 that had Conor McGregor on the cover.
Though the reveal trailer didn’t give too much information away on the game’s features, but it did unveil two new environments — in addition to the UFC Apex and Action Avenue — where fights can occur:
BACKYARD: Some of the most brutal strikers in history began with a raw past that paved the way for their professional future. In the backyard environment, you better finish the fight because out here the judge’s scorecard is the last thing anyone wants to see.
KUMITE: A venue that pays homage to the old lore of MMA. People come to this underground temple for one reason only, to impose the dominance of their fighting discipline on any challengers.
The trailer also revealed that two of boxing’s greatest modern day fighters will be coming to the game as pre-order bonuses: Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Outside of the trailer, EA Sports revealed a new mode coming to the game called Blitz Battles. This online mode has players compete in a “round-based rapid-fire tournament” with a constant rotation of rulesets. Another mode is Online World Championships, allowing players to comepete with each other to become the undisputed world champion in the division of their choosing.
As far as gameplay is considered, UFC 4 features three new elements.
The first is a new Fluid Clinch Control mechanic thanks to the game’s introduction of the Real Player Motion Technology system found in the EA Sports NHL series. The new clinch control, according to EA, will be driven by positioning and physical context.
Also coming to the game is an overhaul of the game’s takedown system. Utilizing RPM Tech as well, takedowns will feature a number of new animations with a larger amount of outcomes that are directly driven by user control and fighter attributes.
The last new gameplay improvement comes in the form of a rewrite of the game’s ground and pound gameplay. UFC 4 will put fighters in more control of the postured-up scenarios. This addition gives fighters more tools to aim and pick their spots to hit as well as give those on defense more freedom of movement with the head as well as counter transitions.
Moving on to modes, Career Mode returns with new elements such as developing a fighter’s backstory as well as giving players a “in-depth evolution process” throughout a career.
According to EA Sports:
“The new fighter evolution feature lets players dictate a fighter’s skillset, as every punch thrown, or every takedown executed builds fighters up in that specific discipline. Relationship Building brings the impact of partnerships and rivalries into UFC 4, learning from both friend and foe to gain experience and learn vital skills. Players can pick their path, which allows them to choose the fights, weight class and rivalries they want, ensuring no two careers are alike.”
Lastly, the game will feature over 1,600 new pieces of earnable gear for fighters to allow more options for players to showcase their personality within the game.
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