Electronic Arts has today revealed EA SPORTS UFC 4, featuring UFC middleweight champion Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya and UFC welterweight contender Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal as the game’s official cover athletes. The game releases on August 14 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and featured tons of new features that put the created fighter at the heart of the action. UFC 4 will feature an all-new unified progression system, overhauled takedown and ground mechanics, more fluid clinch-to-strike combinations, and the chance to experience the origins in all-new environments.
Not only are there set to be plenty of improvements and features, players who pre-order will be able to play out one of the most anticipated fights in combat sports history with world heavyweight boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury on day one.
“Fighting is what I have dedicated myself to. No matter the stage or opponent, I’ll always back myself,” said two time unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua “My character in UFC 4 will be no different. I’m looking forward to picking up the controller and dominating UFC 4.”
“I have a lot of respect for the UFC fighters but I’m the greatest fighter in the world,” said WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury. “It’s going to be exciting to watch players use my boxing skills to outshine the most talented MMA fighters in UFC 4.”
UFC 4 will see fighters shaped by their fight style, achievements, and personality. Through the unified progression system, players can develop and customise themselves and go from an unknown amateur to UFC superstar in the new Career Mode. There’re four new environments coming to the game, including The Kumite, The Backyard, UFC Apex, and Action Avenue, and you’ll also be able to challenge the world in new Blitz Battles or Online World Championships. Players will be defined by weight class and one of five MMA disciplines such as Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, and wrestling, with over 1,600 pieces of earnable gear and 120 emotes.
“EA SPORTS UFC 4 is the best fighting game ever made,” said UFC President Dana White. “Fans can play in the top arenas, as well as in Backyard and Kumite environments. This game allows you to play with the top athletes in UFC history*, plus legends like Bruce Lee and boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. It’s crazy how good this game is.”
“UFC 4 is the most authentic MMA game ever,” said Brian Hayes, Creative Director of EA SPORTS UFC. “We’ve created a visceral fighting experience that allows players to create their own UFC legacy with Create a Fighter, explore the origins of MMA through our new fighting grounds and be in full control of every strike and takedown with our overhauled core gameplay mechanics.”
Clinch-to-strike combinations are more fluid, authentic, and responsive. Clinch crontrols now bring RPM into the art of the clinch, adding a key element of strategy to the striking system. RPM Tech also drives a takedown overhaul, with a slew of new takedown animations which are driven by player contro and fight attributes. A new submission system offers a simplified player experience, with more ways to transition into submission attempts, accelerate a finish, or deploy high-impact slams to escape them.
The new Career Mode introduces a brand-new way to develop fighter’s backstories and offers an in-depth evolution process for the duration of the fighter’s career. The new fighter evolution feature will dictate a fighter’s skillset, meaning every punch, throw, or takedown builds a fighter up in that discipline. Relationship Building brings the impact of partnerships and rivalries into UFC 4, learning both friend and foe to gain experience and learn vital skills. Players will be able to pick their own path that’ll let them pick fights, weight classes, and rivalries they want, ensuring no two careers are the same.
Available worldwide on August 14 on PS4 and Xbox One (with EA ACCESS members getting to play the early access trial from August 7), players who pre-order now not only get access to Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, but they will also get cosmetic items in the form of the Backyard Customisation Pack and Kumite Customisation Pack. If you purchase through UFC 2 or UFC 3, you’ll get 10% UFC 4, martial arts legend Bruce Lee, and 500 UFC points.