An official trailer for UFC 5, the next instalment in the EA Sports’ franchise, has dropped on YouTube.
This comes after a prolonged period of wait time for MMA fans worldwide. The game’s official release date is October 27, 2023, and it will be available across a range of devices for video game enthusiasts.
UFC 4, the series’ previous release, came back in August 2020. By the time UFC 5 arrives, it will have been over three years since a new game under the promotion banner had been announced.
UFC 5 Cover Stars
When it comes to video games produced by EA Sports, the front-cover athlete(s) always come into question.
There have been a multitude of UFC stars who have lead the video game series’ promotions throughout the years. Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson appeared on the cover of EA Sports UFC (the series’ first ever release), followed by Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor for UFC 2.
UFC 3 was headlined solely by the daunting look of McGregor, with Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya acting as the series’ penultimate cover stars.
This time around, Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko have been selected to represent UFC 5. ‘The Last Stylebender‘ is scheduled to defend his Middleweight title once again this weekend, taking on the unorthodox Sean Strickland.
Volkanovski is certainly a G.O.A.T contender for the UFC’s featherweight division. The Australian has held the 145 lb belt since 2019, and has fended off elite competition including Max Holloway, Brian Ortega and, most recently, Yair Rodríguez.
Valentina Shevchenko is also fighting in the near future. The 35-year-old is currently ranked third in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings. In just under two weeks’ time, she will attempt to claim the Women’s Flyweight title once again, facing off with the formidable Alexa Grasso.
Official Trailer Release
The UFC 5 Official Reveal Trailer is just under two minutes’ long, and features mesmerising graphics and fight sequences.
Rated a ‘Mature 17+’, the game engine is powered by Frostbite, who have also worked on popular football series FIFA. The developers have certainly ensured the trailer looks as realistic as possible, with hundreds of thousands of fans already tuning in to its release.
For players, there also seems to be several new features added to UFC 5.
The official video description states: “The all-new Real Impact System brings the intensity and strategy of a fight to life, as cuts and strikes absorbed can affect mobility, defence, stamina, and more.
“Take too much damage, and the doctor could stop the fight. For lovers of the ground game, Seamless Submissions makes grappling feel more fluid and realistic than ever before.”
The trailer shows a number of sequences based on real-life bouts. Volkanovski can be seen grappling with Islam Makhachev. Shevchenko is involved in a brutal striking battle with Amanda Nunes. Viewers also witnessed Adesanya knocking down long-standing rival Alex Pereira, followed by referee Herb Dean stopping the fight.
Will you be purchasing UFC 5? Do you agree with the selection of cover stars? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
