UFC 5 fans slam new cover reveal as a “mobile game” knockoff: “You can’t be serious”

EA Sports just dropped the cover for the highly-anticipated UFC 5, and fans are not pulling any punches with their criticism, calling it a “mobile game” knockoff.

Fans of the UFC video game series had been buzzing with anticipation for the UFC 5 cover reveal before the game’s “full reveal” on September 7.

But when EA Sports proudly unveiled current featherweight champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski and former flyweight champion Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko as the UFC 5 cover athletes, the reaction was not what they might have hoped for.

Usually, it’s the choice of athletes that stirs the pot after a cover reveal. This time, however, it was the presentation as EA Sports opted to use character models of Volkanovski and Shevchenko for the cover in a decision that has left fans baffled and disappointed.

Electronic Arts

“Is this official? Why the f*** would they use CG models lol,” one Reddit user says. Another chimed in with, “What’s up with this weird ass cartoonish style?” highlighting the community’s general frustration with the cover’s aesthetic.

The criticism didn’t stop there. Some fans went as far as to label it the “ugliest EA Sports cover” they’ve ever seen.

The cover’s design has led to comparisons with mobile game artwork, a far cry from what fans expect from a new-gen console game.

Some fans are even speculating that the lackluster Standard Edition cover is a ploy to push sales for the Deluxe Edition, which features Israel Adesanya in a cover that the majority of fans prefer. “They make the standard ugly so you buy the Izzy deluxe edition,” suggested one fan.

Electronic Arts

The controversy has even sparked theories about EA Sports’ motives. “Not even willing to pay them for a photoshoot,” one fan noted.

This isn’t the first time EA Sports has taken a non-traditional approach to cover design. Their upcoming EA FC 24 also features CG models of a staggering 31 athletes, indicating a possible shift in the company’s strategy. “My guess is it’s cheaper to just throw CG models on the cover than paying for a photoshoot with athletes,” speculated a fan.

Amidst the uproar, some fans are holding out hope that the revealed cover isn’t the final version. The wording of EA Sports’ tweet, “Your #UFC5 Standard Edition cover athletes Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko,” has led to some confusion and hope for a more traditional cover down the line.

As EA Sports counts down to the UFC 5 release, they find themselves in the center of a social media storm that shows no sign of letting up.