EA Sports MMA "dead on arrival"

By Fred Dutton Published 26 October, 2010

Analyst: fighter tops off poor year for EA.

EA's attempt to muscle in on the mixed martial arts market with EA Sports MMA has been an unmitigated failure, according to industry analysts.

Doug Creutz of Cowan & Company told GamesIndustry.biz, "EA's recently released MMA appears to be more or less DOA at retail, while UFC recently announced an extension of its license with THQ, likely putting an end to EA's efforts to expand into the mixed martial arts genre."

Eurogamer's Matt Edwards awarded EA Sports MMA a respectable 7/10 but the game could only manage a number 23 debut on the UK all-formats chart this week.

Creutz then proceeded to twist the knife, hailing 2010 as a disappointing year for EA.

"Medal of Honor earned weak reviews, and we expect sales post the launch period to decline precipitously - particularly once Call of Duty: Black Ops hits retail."

To be fair, it's not performed too badly so far. EA recently announced its FPS had shifted 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week on sale.

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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Hunam #1 2 years ago

    Mass Effect 2 and Bad Company 2 did alright too. So they've had some hits.

  • Peew971 #2 2 years ago

    Not to mention FIFA and Madden.

  • vmanb #3 2 years ago

    When i see the sentence EA as a poor year it bring a smile to my face

  • kobashi #4 2 years ago

    EA have found out how little interest there is for MMA outside of the UFC. It is a real shame but it just seems that if you havent got UFC in your name, people just do not give a damn. UFC is growing but MMA isn't, until somebody manages to convince the average UFC viewer that there is MMA outside of UFC and existed before UFC came along nothing will change.

    For EA to have any chance with EA MMA in the future they will have to spend a whole ton of money on advertising and marketing. Even then there it still might fail!

    If we are left with just UFC as an MMA game then the gamers lose out as there will be no competition and you will be left with a new game every year with minor improvements!

  • midnight_walker #5 2 years ago

    There are two main problems with EA MMA. The first is that if you ask the average joe on the street about MMA, they would stare at you blankly until you said 'you know, like UFC', at which point they would know what you're talking about.

    The second is that EA MMA is shit.

  • Oblyvious #6 2 years ago

    I like MoH.

  • darleysam #7 2 years ago

    Bit harsh, considering it actually sounds like a good game.

  • damell #8 2 years ago

    It's not great but it's certainly a step up from the latest UFC effort in my opinion.

    Just goes to show how strong their brand is.

  • layleeloo #9 2 years ago

    I thought the demo was alright. I had it on pre order but then when the reviews vere very 50 50 I cancelled until I knew more. Then looking on shop.to they had UFC 2010 for 17.95 so I got that. I thought even if some think MMA is better, its not better enough by far to spend 100% more on it so opted for UFC. I will pick it up when it goes cheap which from the sounds of it, may be quite soon then

  • Slikz #10 2 years ago

    Any game that simulates hot sweaty man hugging around 80% of the time is an instant no-no.

    UFC/MMA - Better watched not played.

  • HermitArcader #11 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • Brev2034 #12 2 years ago

    To vmanb I would ave a bigger smile if it was activision with poor sales on any of there games

  • Der_tolle_Emil #13 2 years ago

    I don't get UFC and until this post had no idea what MMA was. I saw a few clips of some UFC matches and it seems way too brutal for me :(

  • xentar #14 2 years ago

    i will pass on EA MMA even I love the idea of Bas Rutten as a career guide and trainer, I love the guys commentaries on old Pride FCs and his fights in vintage UFCs. Maybe in next game. or when someone uses his talent for a KInect/Move fighting-fitness game. yes, i would play mma fitness game as I liked Kinetic Combat on my PS2.

  • Vyggo #15 2 years ago

    I don't get it. Change the models of the ugly, bald men into hot ladies in bikini's and change the ring into a mud bath. You can keep the whole dry-humping groundbased gameplay exactly the same as it is now. Trust me, it will sell.

  • Collymilad #16 2 years ago

    @vmanb, how is it back in 2006?

  • The-Bodybuilder #17 2 years ago

    EA MMA will not last so long as other MMA feds lie in the shadow of the UFC. People don't care about the others, until the other federations can get stars to draw attention to them.

    I mean really, who the heck wants to play as Bobby Lashley? The likes of Strikeforce and K1 need bigger draws.
    Edited by The-Bodybuilder at 26/10/10 @ 20:57

  • jefranklin18 #18 2 years ago

    EA may have been better off coming up with a wrestling game to compete with the annual rinse/repeat that is the WWE games from Yukes/THQ. They could have licensed a number of federations (as they do with the FIFA series) and that probably have generated more sales.

    Not that I am a wrestling nerd (anymore)．
    Edited by jefranklin18 at 26/10/10 @ 21:24

  • TRUTH #19 2 years ago

    UFC is not a sport it's just whacking each other untill one can't take it...no real strategy or thinking involved, hardly any rules and to much rude boy thuggish attitudes - typical American dumb sport.

  • midnight_walker #20 2 years ago

    @TRUTH Ah, there's always one idiot who's never watched a real MMA event in his life trolling up these threads. You're no better than conservative yanks who have an embolism each time a new GTA comes around. Move along please.

  • vmanb #21 2 years ago

    @Collymilad, Maybe my dislike for e.a might have something to do with my copy of fifa 11 gathering dust for the past 4 week because the game is totally broke on and offline, Online pass was a bad move IMO, yearly updates of about 10 different games with the new ones usually being worse games than previous efforts, pre release DLC on most games at criminal prices, i could go on but we would be hear all night. So if your fine with the way ea treat there customers good for you but i can't stand the greedy bas***ds. Same goes for Activison as well

  • Power_n_Glory #22 2 years ago

    I’m glad the game is a flop.

    They had no intention of doing MMA until THQ released UFC and tried to squeeze in on their market. UFC 2010 was probably rushed out because they knew EA were making a play for their market.

    EA should just focus on Fight Night and deliver the career mode and online experience boxing needs. Round 4 was a major disappointment and just like Fifa 10 and Fifa 11, it was filled with bugs and the promise of a revamped career mode was never delivered. I won’t be so quick to buy another EA Sports games. They talk a good game but never deliver.

    They don’t have to dominate every sport and licence. I’d rather see others have a go because so far, every EA game has gamebreaking bugs. Console breaking in some cases. Fight Night bricked a few 360’s and PS3’s and Fifa freezes consoles.

  • funkyd #23 2 years ago

    It's a pity, considering EA MMA is far better than the UFC game.

  • bigtechno #24 2 years ago

    I like the EA game engine more but without the UFC licence there really is no point

  • Gromit #25 2 years ago

    Since when was an average of 8/10 a weak review?
    This anal-cyst is clearly full of it.

  • Crim101 #26 2 years ago

    I was so happy EA said no to Ufc. there is not one EA sports game I would consider a classic, all licence and marketing, no heart or attention to enjoyable gameplay. EA rarely has the most enjoyable sports game out there. having said that THQ are on a goldmine if they fix the problems with previous Ufc games.

    no matter what anyone says; the Ufc is the place to be for Mma fighters. there is countless more money there than the other organisations.

  • layleeloo #27 2 years ago

    @funkyd
    "It's a pity, considering EA MMA is far better than the UFC game."

    I think you will find every single review on the net will beg to differ. It is 50/50 split opinion as to which is better and even then its only marginally either way. Even the ones who say MMA it is the better game say it is only just, for one or two points - but not enough to justify "way" better, or paying £35 when you can get UFC 2010 for £18 brand new. I think those reviewers would say get UFC due to the price difference. I liked the demo, but wasnt good enough to pay £35 for it. When it comes down to £18 ish like UFC I will grab it then
    Edited by layleeloo at 27/10/10 @ 17:00

  • funkyd #28 2 years ago

    I prefer the EA MMA game, and my opinion is as valid as any internet reviewer. UFC 2010 feels robotic and just isn't any fun imo.

  • kobashi #29 2 years ago

    @Power_n_Glory your glad the game flopped but you want to see other people have a go. Well you tell me which publisher or development house is gonna sign up to do a non UFC MMA game now this has flopped. Instead we will probably be stuck with a UFC game till 2018 which will go down exactly the same route as them shitty WWE games.

    THQ are gonna milk this license with minor improvements on every release.

    Yes EA maybe jumped on the UFC buzz but this game flopping is not good for the average gamer at all as we will now have no competition just like what we see with Madden football every season.

    Oh and blaming EA for UFC 2010 faults is pathetic!!
    Edited by kobashi at 28/10/10 @ 17:31