[WarWanderlei]

June 15, 2007 - THQ revealed to IGN that it will announce a new agreement with Zuffa LLC tomorrow, granting it the rights to publish new games based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship license. To learn more about it, we spoke with THQ's Vice President of Worldwide Publishing, Kelly Flock. Here's how it went down.

IGN: This isn't the first time THQ has handled a mixed-martial arts game. What does this mean for THQ? What makes this announcement and this decision so important?

Kelly Flock: The previous games we did were picked up from Japan, and they were based on Pride FC. These games are a different story. What's happened since then is that the popularity of the UFC has really kicked into gear. It's amazingly popular right now. We saw the numbers, how it was taking off, how our demographic was interested, and we felt like it was time to bring it back to the interactive arena. The response from people we know about it all think this is a great move.

IGN: Wrestling and fighting games are always the toughest to make because they require tight, smart mechanics. What makes you believe that you can create a title that relies on the hardest aspects of both sports and pull it off in a single game?

Flock: It's true. The graphic side is tough to handle. We're already heavily into research and development on the game, and with our experience in the wrestling arena, we should have a winner on our hands.

IGN: Who is developing it?

Flock: Who is the developer? We can't say yet. We can't reveal anything about that just yet. That announcement is for another time. But we're well aware of this difficulty to made this game work out, especially the mechanics, and Zuffa, LLC was also aware of this when they picked us to publish their game.

IGN: What kind of access will THQ have to all of the UFC fighters?

Flock: We'll have access to both past and present fighters, giving us quite a bit of athletes with whom to work. This UFC game will be structured with current talent, UFC locations, and the Octagon. Not to be coy here, but we do have a lot more to announce, just not at this time.

IGN: Your announcement includes next-gen systems, PCs, handhelds, and wireless games. Does it make sense to bring a UFC game to the PC and handhelds?

Flock: Sure it does. We do really well with PC games in Europe and you know how strong our history with handhelds is. To be honest, it's hard to tell right now how all the games on the various systems will work, but we'll make it happen. We'll create the right games for the right systems.

IGN: How popular will UFC be in countries other than the U.S.?

Flock Right now, the UFC's strength is in North America, but when we bring it to market this UFC game will have more of a global presence.

IGN: What are the two or three most important elements of your announcement?

Flock: It's a huge announcement because most of the active videogame publishers were after the license. But Zuffa selected us. That's the biggest element of our announcement. The reason THQ got the license was because we were the ones most passionate about it. We have a big presence in the category and we have a couple people internally at THQ who really get it. We really understand the property, its value. We know how to launch these kinds of games, and we have the ability to execute. That's why Zuffa picked us; that's why it's important.

IGN: Will this be an annual game?

Flock: That's our expectation. UFC lends itself to an annual update, so we expect to have annual iterations of the game with new features, updated and upgraded graphics and gameplay, the whole deal.

IGN: In your opinion, what will the ESRB rate it? The sport of UFC is brutal and bloody. People get their faces beaten in, suffer broken noses, and break bones all the time. Are you going to try and recreate the game in a realistic fashion?

Flock: We don't know what the rating is because we haven't submitted it to the ESRB, but rest assured, we won't hold back any punches. We're going to give gamers a really great recreation of the UFC experience in a videogame, and if the ESRB deems this an M game, so be it. That's not really a concern of ours. We want to make a great game first and foremost.

[narcisistic]

Please dont be an annual thing like Madden if it sells and it sucks they wont change a thing thats bad on it like Tony Hawk and Madden. Just always more of the same...

[Shenanigans]

Not really anything about the game itself besides the fact that it will be annual.

As for the UFC events thing, having it in different countries really has no effect, because it's not like a game such as this would have to walking the strip in Vegas, you'd just be in the Octagon.

Can't wait for more news, good news.

[QuePingaMayng?]

THEY still havent even started making the game yet ?!??!?!? my god wtf have they been doing since the announcement of THQ being the developer in January!??!

[xpo266]

Wow, I'm excited.

[Left Coast]

If its anything like the older ufc games you can count me out. However playing UFC tapout is what originally got me into the ufc fighters and what not

[Ed Gein]

I wish it would come out already

[Fahrenheit1221]

I have so many hopes/wants for this game...

+ Atleast 50 fighers... all the stars, old school stars, etc.
+ Up-to-date Roster with Cro Cop, Big Nog, etc.
+ Good weight system (LW can't slam HW, etc.)
+ At least 5 difficulty settings
+ Training mini-games similar to Fight Night Round 3
+ In-Depth Career Mode (None of this FNR3 bullshit)
+ Blood, running and puddle-forming, in these physic driven days... Postal 2 can have running and puddle collecting water... so can an Xbox 360 game.
+ Realism, ability to get rocked, injuries, realistic stoppages, judges, physics, movement/anims, etc.

---

And a few other things I can't think of. I want the career to start as a Create-a-Fighter, then you join TUF and do training fights like in FNR3 then make your UFC debut and based on your excitement, and crowd pleasing-ness, wins and what not, you work your way up the ranks and train and level up skills:

- Striking (Punch)
- Striking (Kick)
- Speed
- Clinch (Offense)
- Clinch (Defense)
- Takedown
- Takedown Defense
- Ground-and-Pound (Offense)
- Ground-and-Pound (Defense)
- Cardio/Endurance
- Cut
- Chin

After you win the title, you defend, but like in FNR 3 training and time between fights is realistic so that you are forced to retire at a reasonable age... I say the UFC game should be 48-50, somewhere like that and start off (debut at about age 22-23). Keep it in the realm of reality.

If the game is a UFC vs. Pride FC game... there should be essentially two separate games... rule differences, rosters, etc. I doubt this will happen though.

[Fahrenheit1221]

It should be a more realistic, modernized and physics induced version of Pride Fighting Championships for the Sony Playstation 2... no if or and butts about it.

[xxxxThe_GoaTxxx]

Controls will make or break this game.

It has to be as fluid as Fight Night, but as deep as deep as Virtua Fighter (series)...

good luck.