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UFC 5: everything you need to know

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As a newer sport, the UFC game series has only been around since 2014. Despite that short history, the games have become a very popular brand for fans of MMA. These titles play much differently than other fighters, like the more combo-focused Street Fighter games or hyper-flashy, anime-style games from developers like ArcSystemworks. We’ve only had three sequels so far, but a fifth entry in the series, UFC 5, is expected to be coming out at any time.

With MMA more popular than ever, more people are wondering not only when they can expect to play UFC 5, but what new changes will be coming. There still isn’t a lot of official information available, but that hasn’t stopped us from sizing up the competition and pulling together some stats. For everything you need to know about when you can step into the octagon with UFC 5, we’ve got you covered.

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Release date

Two fighters against the fence.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

UFC 5 hasn’t actually been officially announced by EA as of yet, meaning there’s no release date set. Looking at the series’ release history, though, each UFC game has come out two years apart, with the last being in 2020. We’ve already gone beyond that time with no word on UFC 5, and leaks have claimed that it is now set to come in 2023, but we have no confirmation either way. This leak comes from a fairly reliable source in Tom Henderson, who claims that it is scheduled for “summer 23 I believe.”

Related

Another interesting report from VGC claims that UFC 5 may come a little later in 2023 after hearing that developer EA Canada put a reboot of a Fight Night title on pause to focus on the MMA title instead. According to an email they report to have claimed, “We’re very excited about UFC 5 and… we want to eliminate the split focus that several members of our leadership team have had over the past while so we can solely focus on delivering migration and UFC 5 at high quality.”

While bad news for Fight Night fans, it does at least show that EA is prioritizing UFC 5 development. It could also explain why development has taken longer than the normal two-year cycle. Regardless, even though leaks should always be taken with a grain of salt, it is nearing the time when EA will want to at least announce UFC 5 in an official capacity soon if the game is really on track to release either in summer or late 2023 as speculated.

Platforms

Because of how popular the franchise is, and when it likely started development, we predict UFC 5 to be a cross-generational title. That means it should be coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It is possible they cut out the last-generation systems, but that seems unlikely for a franchise like this.

Trailers

EA Sports UFC screenshot 4
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Again, UFC 5 isn’t even officially confirmed to be real so no trailer or footage of it exists just yet. That being said, you can probably expect it to look quite similar to UFC 4, only with better graphics, new fighters, and perhaps arenas.

We also expect a revamped Career mode, where you create your own fighter and work your way up the ranks to be the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time). The last entry had some light management mechanics, such as choosing which fights to accept or decline, so hopefully, that system is expanded to further customize our journey through the league.

Gameplay

A fighter kicking another.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Again, the core of UFC 5 will likely stick to the foundations of the series, but build and refine them rather than reinvent much. You can at least expect to play with fighters using all the normal MMA styles in one-on-one matches, with striking, grappling, and submissions being the three pillars of earning points.

UFC 4 also made a major effort to be more accessible and less complex for new players to pick up and play. We hope to see that same level of ease of play, yet technical depth and realism in UFC 5.

Multiplayer

UFC 4 Mixed Martial Arts
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Multiplayer is a huge focus for the UFC franchise and will no doubt be heavily focused on for UFC 5. The previous entry included 229 fighters, plus 81 alternate versions spread across the four MMA disciplines of boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, and jiujitsu. Modes included Blitz Battles and Online World Championships, so hopefully, we get a few new ways to compete this time around in addition to new fighters.

Preorder

Sorry, but tickets to this bout can’t be bought just yet. With no official release announcement, there are no preorder details at this time.

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Jesse Lennox
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