EA Sports UFC 5 Is the First M-Rated Release in the Series 1

EA Sports UFC 5 will launch on 27th October on PS5, and it’ll be the first M-rated release in the series. That’s because upgrades to the Frostbite Engine mean the publisher is really pushing the realism in this version of the game, resulting in some of the most realistic body damage ever made. Fighters will now visibly cut and bruise in a variety of locations, with damage directly affecting gameplay (a cut to the right eye will impair vision and make you vulnerable, for example).

Having watched a brief gameplay demo last week, we can confirm this is an extraordinary looking game, running at a full 60 frames-per-second, unlike the previous instalments on the PS4. All of the various upgrades to the Frostbite Engine which have been touted by EA Sports FC 24 and Madden NFL 24 are present here, so bodies have more realistic proportions and body types. Moreover, the detail is impressive: blood will transition between fighters and the canvas, for example.

In addition to the core stand-and-bang gameplay, which now comes with new cinematic knockouts, EA Sports is also touting a redesigned submission system, which promises to make the ground game more engaging. While we weren’t able to get hands on time with it, the whole mechanic certainly looked cleaner and easier to interact with than in the previous game, where we didn’t have much fun with the grappling at all.

In addition to a full single player career mode with cinematics featuring Valentina Shevchenko, you’ll also be able to take your created character online as part of an Online Career Mode, which will allow you to compete across four divisions and unlock vanities and other rewards. Additionally, the entire UI will be themed around the next big ticket UFC event, and you’ll be able to make predictions on the winners in return for in-game currency – or live out the fights for yourself.

One other feature EA Sports is adding are alter-egos: these are alternative models of popular fighters based on milestone moments in their careers, whether it’s their debut or a championship winning performance. Obviously, all of this will add depth and variety to the roster. If you pre-order the Deluxe Edition, you’ll unlock Fedor Emil, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson as playable fighters, as well as a bunch of Bruce Lee alter-egos. The Deluxe Edition also comes with three-day early access, and a variety of other in-game extras.