Looking for the latest UFC 4 news, reviews, and updates? You’ve come to the right place.
Every MMA fan and gamer wants EA Sports UFC 4 to be a knockout on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Find out if it’s a title contender or an unranked mess with our review round-up below. The best bits have been highlighted and swipe down for a review video.
PlayStation Universe review score – 95/100
Closing comments: “Without a doubt the best MMA videogame ever made, EA Sports UFC 4 supplements a welcome array of new offline and online modes with a revamped and endlessly sophisticated combat system that everybody can enjoy. For MMA fans it doesn’t get any better than this.”
COGconnected – 86/100
Closing comments: “EA Sports UFC 4 is the best MMA game to date. With an improved career mode, robust online options and significant updates to the core combat, fans of the franchise will be in awe at what steps into the octagon.”
Buy UFC 4 on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 now.
GamingTrend – 85/100
Closing comments: “With upgraded grappling and submission mechanics, better training, and fewer flash knockouts, UFC 4 manages to deliver on the promise of its predecessor. Cosmetic microtransactions come across greedy, but there’s nothing lacking in the main product. Framerate hitches and a few bugs remain at launch, as does persistent voice repetition, but overall if you enjoyed UFC 3, there’s a lot to like about UFC 4.”
Attack of the Fan Boy – 80/100
Closing comments: “UFC 4 is a better game than UFC 3. While some of the systems might take a little bit of getting used to, there’s a more refined experience here. One that’s a little bit more welcoming to many different types of players and that’s been done without sacrificing the level of depth and quality to the fighting that fans have come to expect from the series.”
IGN – 80/100
Buy UFC 4 on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 now.
Previews and reveals continue below.
August 23: Two Big Gameplay Issues
For UFC 4 fans enjoying the latest release, there are two big gameplay issues that the developers need to fix ASAP. These are:
- Takedown Stamina Tax: Despite more balanced takedown gameplay there is one massive issue. Wrestlers and Jiu-Jitsu fighters can repeatedly attempt takedowns without any stamina penalty. This is a ridiculous advantage for those fighters.
- Overhand Punch Tax: Another issue is that button-mashers can blitz with ease using overhand punches without a major stamina cost. Whereas a fighter using measured one-two combinations are taxed massively.
They’re two minor changes that will innevitably come during future updates, but right now they’re making the online game one of button-mashers versus takedowns. Literally crippling every other strategy.
August 8: Dana White Tells Fans “Deal With It”
During an interview with Tony Mui on Complex, Dana White talked about the UFC 4 fan controversy over Deiveson Figueiredo (21) ranking higher than Tony Ferguson (24).
White says: “Listen to all the crybabies who are crying about that. The guy’s a world champion. Controversial first fight. Zero controversies in the second fight. One of the most violent fights I have ever seen in my life, okay? Deal with it. The guy deserves it.”
Watch the clip below. Skip to the clip on the video below (9 minutes, 12 seconds).
August 8: EA Access Fighter Ratings
EA Sports have released UFC 4’s top-20 fighters. Cover stars Israel Adesanya and Jorge Masvidal rank #6 and #14 respectively. With previous cover athlete Conor McGregor ranking #20.
Check out the full top-20 below.
Buy UFC 4 on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 now.
August 3: New Backyard Feature
The above video highlights:
- The video shows the new Backyard Fight feature included in UFC 4.
- From the video, it’s all the fun of the octagon, minus the ground game, in an urban setting.
- For anyone who played UFC 3, the Backyard Fight feature looks to be Stand and Bang, just in a new environment.
July 30: UFC 4 Career Mode Trailer
The video highlights:
- UFC 4 includes an overhauled career mode experience.
- Includes an all-new “Fighter Evolution” feature. Where training shapes a fighters skill-set.
- The career mode now includes the ability to create relationships with other fighters, ultimately determining your rivals.
July 21: Official Gameplay Trailer
The video highlights:
- UFC 4 gameplay allows more striking control.
- Includes a new submission system.
- Revamped ground-and-pound gameplay.
- Improved motion, so that grappling exchanges feel more alive.
What has us most excited is the revamped ground game. Especially when developers are saying that it has been completely rewritten:
Revamped ground game: UFC 4 creative director Brian Hayes explained that two new mini-games have replaced the previous ground game. He told Den of Geek: “The basic premise is the same. If you’re in a submission game, and you’re on defense, you have a colored wedge, and your opponent has a colored wedge. Their goal is to keep their wedge on top of yours. In the choke submission game, it’s played on a full circle. In the joint submission game, it’s played on an arc. The control for the choke is with a stick, and the controls for the arc are with triggers.”
CHECK OUT: Winners and losers from UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.
July 11: UFC 4 Cover Stars
The announcement trailer showcased Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya as the games cover stars.
Preorder UFC 4 on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 now.
The UFC 4 cover art is below:
Jorge Masvidal tweeted that he was honored to be one of the cover athletes on UFC 4 hours before his fight against Kamaru Usman. He lost the fight and many gamers immediately blamed the curse of EA.
What’s the curse?: Just like how Madden cover athletes seem to fall from grace, UFC cover athletes suffer too.
The second-edition of UFC had both Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor on the cover. Rousey, who was undefeated at the time, lost her first fight to Holly Holm. McGregor faired better, winning his first fight against Jose Aldo, but then losing the next.
McGregor was also on the cover for the third edition of the game. This time holding his two championship belts. You may ask, how bad can the EA curse be if McGregor managed to attain two belts after being on the second-edition cover?
Well, by the time the third edition was released, McGregor had already vacated one belt. A few months later, he had lost the other.
We’re not supersticious here, we just put Masvidal’s loss down to the fact he only had six days preparation for his fight against Usman.
CHECK OUT: NFL 2k making a return in 2021.
Editions & Preorder Rewards
Xbox One & PlayStation 4 Standard Edition ($59.99)
If you hurry up and preorder you’ll get the following rewards:
- Heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Both also unlockable via gameplay.
- Cosmetic items: Backyard Customization Pack and Kumite Customization Pack
- Plus, if you own earlier versions of an EA Sports UFC game, you can get 10 percent off if you select the in-game option to pre-order UFC 4.
- Additionally, those who pre-order through earlier versions of the game will get Bruce Lee and 500 UFC points.
UFC 4: The Basics
Release Date: August 14, 2020. With EA Access subscribers able to pick the game up a week earlier, August 7.
Platforms: UFC 4 will be available on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 only. EA currently has no plans to launch on next-generation consoles, including Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, which are launching this holiday season.
CHECK OUT: NBA 2k21, everything you need to know, including cover athletes, pre-order bonuses, and more.