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UFC: We're at war with EA Games

Published on 14th July 2009 by Joe Martin

The UFC is now apparently at war with Electronic Arts. We have a feeling this will escalate very, very fast.

Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship has claimed that the UFC is now "at war" with Electronic Arts, after taking offence to how the publisher has responded to the fledgling sport.

White says that he tried to interest publishers in creating a licensed game based on the UFC not long ago, but got a flat no from EA and later went on to produce the successful UFC Undisputed 2009 with THQ. Interested by how much the sport has taken off, EA is now looking to create a rival title and has been attempting to license UFC fighters to appear in the game.

"EA Sports told us, 'You're not a real sport. We wouldn't touch this thing. We want nothing to do with this,'" said Dana White.

"We put our asses on the line, THQ and the UFC, to make a videogame deal in the worst economy in the world," White said. "We go out there and do this thing, and it's successful, and now ******* EA Sports wants to do a video game. Really? That's not what you told us a year and a half ago."

"You told us you'd never be in business with us. They wouldn't even take a meeting because mixed martial arts disgusted them. This wasn't a real sport. Boy, they got over that real quick, didn't they?"

White has gone on to ban any fighters who appear in EA's game from ever competing in the UFC again, forcing a deep disassociation between the actual sport and the rival title.

UFC Undisputed 2009 has shifted more than two million copies since May, apparently. Let us know what you think of all this in the forums.

36 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

i7lova 14th July 2009, 15:03

Haha EA what idiots! Apparently EA thinks in order to qualify as a sport some sort of ball must be used? What about boxing then EA? Good luck with your game! ;) lmao

Bauul 14th July 2009, 15:08

UFC always makes me giggle. It always ends up two guys cuddling in a corner.

julianmartin 14th July 2009, 15:08

Bloody right, about time someone stands upto EA...!!!

julianmartin 14th July 2009, 15:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bauul
UFC always makes me giggle. It always ends up two guys cuddling in a corner.

Just wait until you watch Bruno.

Tyrmot 14th July 2009, 15:12

Yeah seems fair enough. You reap what you sow after all...

SMIFFYDUDE 14th July 2009, 15:14

People have a downer on Mixed Martial Arts, cos its so violent. I'm not really that interested in it, but its only chavvy halfwits beating each other up so whats the problem, i say give them knuckle dusters and nunchucks.

p3n 14th July 2009, 15:18

To me UFC is like boxing, boring until the massive fights (Fedor!) - on the story, "haha"</nelson> @ EA

SMIFFYDUDE 14th July 2009, 15:25

Furymouse 14th July 2009, 15:43

I didn't know the ground and pound was considered a mixed martial art :P

B1GBUD 14th July 2009, 16:10

Good for UFC, anything that stops EA leeching from their pockets can only be good news. UFC have the right to protect their IP and if any game was to be released by EA that has the faintest whiff of UFC then their Board of Directors should be thrown in the nearest cage

Mankz 14th July 2009, 16:26

Wonderful use of Anchorman :p

Drexial 14th July 2009, 16:27

I'm gonna guess by the guys attitude that they are blowing things out of proportion.

knuck 14th July 2009, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by p3n
To me UFC is like boxing, boring until the massive fights (Fedor!) - on the story, "haha"</nelson> @ EA

wat ?

Farting Bob 14th July 2009, 16:35

Quote:

"We put our asses on the line, THQ and the UFC, to make a videogame deal in the worst economy in the world,"

The worst economy in the world? Where are they making this game, zimbabwe?

knuck 14th July 2009, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by

what he means is the one that is suffering the most atm, which is the USA's

FeRaL 14th July 2009, 16:56

Looks like EA pulled a Brock Lesner... Insert foot in mouth.

adam197 14th July 2009, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drexial
I'm gonna guess by the guys attitude that they are blowing things out of proportion.

I assume you're not familiar with Mr White then ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMIFFYDUDE
but its only chavvy halfwits beating each other up so whats the problem, i say give them knuckle dusters and nunchucks.

Yea that's bs, and a pretty good example of why people who have no idea about a topic shouldn't comment on it

yakyb 14th July 2009, 17:03

unleashed is a pretty good game

would love to see ea try to copy it with no name fighters

then fail miserably

yakyb 14th July 2009, 17:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam197
[
Quote:
Originally Posted by SMIFFYDUDE
but its only chavvy halfwits beating each other up so whats the problem, i say give them knuckle dusters and nunchucks.
Yea that's bs, and a pretty good example of why people who have no idea about a topic shouldn't comment on it

yeah whilst there always a few that act this way (browning's!!) the majority are actually very far from chavvy as the dedication required to succeed is Massive

Lepermessiah 14th July 2009, 17:16

LOL, EA really sound arrogant and moronic in this story.

mrb_no1 14th July 2009, 17:21

yeh who said ufc is chavvy halfwits smashing each other in. behave.

ufc or mma is exactly that, typical stand up is muay thai boxing, and ground work is brazilian jujitsu, but that is a generalisation. to get in shape for a sport as tough as ufc takes years, to compete in the ufc and not lose will take 5-10 years as these guys are that good. Sometimes it ends in a ground and pound on the floor, but you wanna bet that the guy on the floor wont want that happening again. Its a massively technical sport, on both the stand up and ground work.

As for EA i love the fact that they fecked up and have come back wanting, and well done to White for making the rules clear between ufc fighters and ea. nice work,

peace

fatman

SMIFFYDUDE 14th July 2009, 18:30

They don't start their doorman jobs until night, so they have the whole day to train.

LOL pissing off MMA fans is like shooting fish in a barrel.

Goty 14th July 2009, 19:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMIFFYDUDE
LOL pissing off MMA fans is like shooting fish in a barrel.

... and so is picking out the complete morons on the forums.

mrb_no1 14th July 2009, 19:48

^ lolol

Dreaming 14th July 2009, 19:59

Quote:

White has gone on to ban any fighters who appear in EA's game from ever competing in the UFC again, forcing a deep disassociation between the actual sport and the rival title.

Is that even legal? Sounds dubious to me.

Goty 14th July 2009, 20:01

It's a business and there's probably a clause in the contract that the UFC has with the fighters that says Dana White can do whatever he wants.

yakyb 14th July 2009, 20:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMIFFYDUDE
They don't start their doorman jobs until night, so they have the whole day to train.

LOL pissing off MMA fans is like shooting fish in a barrel.

my brother has had 2 professional MMA fights and i can tell you he is far from a doorman you moron

Paradigm Shifter 14th July 2009, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by

Aye, while I'm not keen on MMA at all, a colleague is quite into it and the amount of time and effort he's put into it I can respect. I went drinking with him and some of his MMA friends once and outside of the ring a more polite bunch you wouldn't meet. Not saying they're all like that, but there we are.

s3v3n 14th July 2009, 21:20

Well as much of an ass as EA is, I don't see how this is IP protected. I mean, Nintendo didn't need PGA's authorization to make Wii Golf right? Instead of real people, they could just have stereotypes. "The Russian" "The Asian"

Skiddywinks 14th July 2009, 21:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by s3v3n
Well as much of an ass as EA is, I don't see how this is IP protected. I mean, Nintendo didn't need PGA's authorization to make Wii Golf right? Instead of real people, they could just have stereotypes. "The Russian" "The Asian"

UFC is copyright protected. Just like official golf organisations are (hence why "Wii Golf" was just called "Wii Golf" and not "Wii PGA" ).

They could make a generic MMA game, with generic characters, but that is unlikely as it would just be dwarfed by THQ's official version.

tranc3 14th July 2009, 21:53

EA, tisk tisk....

Dreaming 14th July 2009, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goty
It's a business and there's probably a clause in the contract that the UFC has with the fighters that says Dana White can do whatever he wants.

Does that include raping them with pogo sticks for his personal entertainment :p.

The thing is contractual law is subservient (cant remember proper word :p) to the rest of the legal system etc. so people have a right to form contracts with other people and endorse their products etc.

Say I worked for a bank and then Asda came up to me and said they want me to model a business suit for one of their new clothes ranges, in exchange I get £10,000. I go for it but then my boss says he'll fire me if I do. Does that not look like it's crossing over his area of responsibility? Not just legally but morally.

Goty 14th July 2009, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreaming

Does that include raping them with pogo sticks for his personal entertainment :p.

Probably. =P

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreaming
The thing is contractual law is subservient (cant remember proper word :p) to the rest of the legal system etc. so people have a right to form contracts with other people and endorse their products etc.

Absolutely, but there's nothing in the law that says Dana White is obligated to continue letting any fighter that licenses their name or likeness to EA to continue to fight in the UFC, which (I think) was the issue someone brought up.

Xtrafresh 15th July 2009, 09:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreaming
Say I worked for a bank and then Asda came up to me and said they want me to model a business suit for one of their new clothes ranges, in exchange I get £10,000. I go for it but then my boss says he'll fire me if I do. Does that not look like it's crossing over his area of responsibility? Not just legally but morally.

The comparison does not hold up. UFC fighters licencing themselves for EA's game are chosen specifically because they are UFC fighters. You being asked to model a business suit in because you are that hawt, not because you work for a bank and will always be recognised as that bank's employee.

OT:
I glad somebody is flipping EA the finger, more people need to start doing that. However, even though i have never heard of this Dana White character, i can say that i already dislike him. Worst economy in the world? What a douche. :(

billysielu 15th July 2009, 12:44

FEDOR!

Psytek 15th July 2009, 18:53

I wouldn't be sad if EA just went away. Maybe l4d would need a new console publisher, but other than that, I think I could cope.