More interestingly, Bethesda will be revealing their next game at E3 2013. This could be related to The Evil Within, directed by Shinji Mikami, which has just been unveiled recently.

As such MiddleEasy doesn’t report on just any rumours, so you can bet there’s some legitimacy to all this. As for whether Bethesda will be showing a new game or this is part of a current project, remains to be seen at E3 2013 itself. Stay tuned for more details as E3 rounds the corner.

I honestly can’t stand behind this move, as EA is shutting down online servers for games which requires an online pass. The main reason given for the shutdowns is the lack of activity, but there are a few games here that aren’t even two years old.

EA has also said that these closures affect less than one percent of the total online players.

“As games get replaced with newer titles, the number of players still enjoying the older games dwindles to a level – fewer than 1% of all peak online players across all EA titles – where it’s no longer feasible to continue the behind-the-scenes work involved with keeping these games up and running,” reads the official statement.

“We would rather our hard-working engineering and IT staff focus on keeping a positive experience for the other 99% of customers playing our more popular games.”

These are the games that won’t be playable online after April 13.

• BOOM BLOX Bash Party for Wii
• Burnout Revenge for Xbox 360
• EA Create for PC, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360
• EA Sports Active 2.0 for PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360
• EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp for Wii
• FIFA 10 for PlayStation Portable and Wii
• MMA for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
• Need for Speed ProStreet for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
• The Saboteur (loss of The Midnight Club access) for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
• Spare Parts for PlayStation 3 Xbox 360

MMA required an online pass and it’s just 18 months old. Pulling off support for such a game seems unethical. But that’s just me. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

[EA]

Brutal

Now it might just be me, as this kind of game just might be your cup of tea, especially if you did not enjoy any of the other MMA games on the market.  For example, while on the ground mostly all the controls revolve around the ‘A’ or ‘X’ button (depending on what platform), combines with the direction you use point the joystick.  That’s not to say you can’t use the other buttons, but I believe it was the developers way of creating a more simplified MMA game with a more arcade style of fighting.  Another classic example of this is your health bar, as once it has diminished, you are finished.. instant knock out.  At around this point, the game was really starting to piss me off as I still did not know how to dominate someone in the ring.

There are only a handful of fighters in the game which right away gave me a kind of WTF, kind of feeling.  I then realized that you could pick a fighter and each one when through a unique story mode.  The aspect of this and the story actually moving along the timeline events of their lives, true or not was pretty cool.  Unfortunately, all the cut scenes are that hand drawn type of style, the stories were not all that exciting and it did not help between the lack of quality of the voice overs as well as the way it was all presented.  There are also a whole of two women you can fight with as well as go through their story modes as well.  I was personally looking forward to having girl on girl fights but the whole experience, between the lack of fighters and the dullness of it did not cut it for me.

Wide variety of Venues

One thing that Supremacy MMA is good for is its pure brutality.  You don’t just get bloodied up in this game as they take it to the extreme where there are almost no rules or that old school ‘Pride’ fighting way.  I can’t say I wrecked anyone but I was able to kick people when they were downed, I got head butted while laying on my back and I lost a match as one of the lady fighters because my leg was broken in that sort of way that should never be broken, where it makes you cringe just to see it.  If I could do that to fighter on command, I think I would have enjoyed that much more.  Another great aspect of the game where the different arenas, as there is a ton of different ranges to choose from.  You can fight in a Dojo, an Octagon, a 4 sided rope ring to a Steal Cage and more.

Each fighter has their own unique style of fighting but you are pretty much limited to that style of fighting.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t go up against another fighter with a different style it just means that each fighter has their own specific moves.  Almost in the way a typical arcade fighter like Street Fighter plays, but the bottom line is that it just didn’t seem to mesh well.  You also have a meter that you can build up to do super/adrenaline attacks, which is something I was not able to really take advantage of.  There is Xbox Live of course but there was connection issues which in a game like this is the last thing you need.

I wouldn’t want to mess with these ladies

Tournament mode is another option in the game as well as the ‘Fight Now’ mode which is self explanatory.  There didn’t seem to be any weight classes and the fighting in general just seemed slow.  You can level up offline as well as online where you might gain a new pair of shorts to wear, but for that you really need to win.  Submissions are awkward and the whole fighting mechanics in general just seem so sluggish and uneventful.  The whole idea behind the game being an underground brutal arcade style MMA game is really cool in my opinion.  I just don’t think it came together in a way that it could have to make a much better game.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.

The latest MMA fighting sport game, ‘Supremacy MMA’, is now available from 505 Games and developers Kung Fu Factory, while the UK will have to wait until September 23rd, it is now available in North America.  The game is unique to any of the other MMA games on the market with there being women in an MMA game for the first time and the option to play with NO RULES!  Pure brutality.. so I would say it is a bit different from other MMA games.  The gameplay mechanics alone are unique is the fact that it is more based on a traditional fighting game when it comes to the controls, but still has the awesome features of crazy submissions and all the good things that come along with a good MMA fight.  The game is available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 but 505 Games will be releasing a version for the PS Vita once our in 2012 too!  Check out the launch trailer above and the full press release below.  The trailer features the song ‘Liberate Me Ex Inferis’ by Betraying the Martyrs.

Woodland Hills, CA – September 21, 2011 – Global videogame publisher 505 Games and developer Kung Fu Factory today announced that their brutal, no-holds barred approach to the mixed martial arts genre, Supremacy MMA™, is now available in North America for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

Supremacy MMA brings the brutality of unsanctioned, amateur and unlicensed MMA fighting to videogame fans that can follow the rise of several fighters and their individual stories as they work toward supremacy.  Created in a fast-paced arcade style, the game gives players the opportunity to stylistically dispatch their opponents by choosing from a cadre of hardcore fighters, each with a unique MMA style. Fans master their abilities to perfectly execute fantastic fight sequences and become invincible in every match-up with a dizzying array of kicks, gravity defying moves and brutal finishing blows.

“Supremacy MMA delivers fast-and-furious gameplay and underground aesthetics over the slower simulation-style presentation found in traditional MMA games,” said Ian Howe, President of 505 Games, North America. “This unique style evokes a feeling of competitive compassion like no other game, featuring the hard-working underground MMA fighters and the dangers that they face every day, including broken bones and other serious injuries.”

Supremacy MMA is armed with arcade-like speed and real in-game fighters such as former UFC champ Jens Pulver and K1 kickboxing legend Jerome Le Banner, as well as the first female fighters in an MMA game, Felice Herrig and Michele Gutierrez.

“The Kung Fu Factory team is excited to offer a new level of strategy, fun fast combat and true-to-the-sport brutality in an MMA game,” said Ricci Rukavina, director at Kung Fu Factory.

Rated ‘M’ for Mature by the Entertainment Software Review Board (ESRB), Supremacy MMA will launch in Europe on September 23.  For more information about Supremacy MMA, please visit the official website www.supremacymma.com and YouTube page and then follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

# # #

About 505 Games
Based in Los Angeles, CA, 505 Games (U.S.) is the North American division of 505 Games, a global videogame publisher. Launched in the U.S. in 2008, 505 Games publishes quality interactive entertainment on all handheld, mobile and console gaming platforms, offering a broad selection of videogame titles in all genres for players of all ages. For more information on 505 Games and its products please visit www.505games.com.

About Kung Fu Factory
An independent videogame developer driven to bring its seasoned perspective of combat and violence to the interactive entertainment world, the Kung Fu Factory team consists of leading game and technology experts best known for their collective work on titles like the original UFC (Dreamcast), The Warriors, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, Scarface, True Crime and most recently UFC Undisputed 2009.  Founded by industry veterans and childhood friends Daryl Pitts and Ricci Rukavina, KFF’s primaries have worked in the industry for nearly two decades.

For more information on Kung Fu Factory, please visit www.kungfufactory.com

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Right away there is ‘Champion Mode’ which sets this game apart from any other Boxing/MMA game out now right away.  Champion Mode is pretty much a story mode and a quite compelling one at that.  I mean it almost felt like the kind of emotion you would get from a modern day Rocky film at certain points.  Without giving too much away you are at a time in prison, fighting in prison and your goal is to make it to the top.  Spoiling the story won’t make you enjoy it any more so let’s just say it is a good story with twists and turns while you box your way through it.  The only disappointing part of it is that it was short.  I mean, I played on a lower difficulty but playing on a higher one might make it last longer but strictly because of difficulty.  Although short I look at the compelling mode as an introduction to the rest of the game, because that is where it really begins.

First off the controls have changed drastically making it much easier for anyone to get into the game while still leaving veterans of the franchise the tools of the trade.  One major change is blocking, which can be a good thing for you but a bad thing when an opponent is blocking, because it is just one button.  While holding block it automatically blocks where ever the opponent is aiming for.  You can now use the face buttons for punching high and while holding left trigger you punch low.  There is even a Power Punch that leaves more open for a counter and takes a lot of stamina.  Left trigger is also used to dip and dodge around your opponents punches while holding it down, along with moving the left stick.  Now if face button punching is not your thing or you are willing to try something new, there is the dynamic control system called ‘Full Spectrum Punch Control” where you use the right stick to punch.  It can be as simple as pushing the stick in a certain direction on doing a half circle or other combinations to put together some mean punches.  To add to that all the controls are fully customizable to your liking, so the controls should be far from a problem for anyone.  However there is at times a slow down in response time especially when you decide you want to block.  That block button is not always guaranteed  to come right up, depending on what you were throwing.

Now of course there is the ‘Fight Now’ feature where you can play with up to two players or just go against the AI.  You can choose between the ultimate roster of fighters ever.  From current favorites to all the classic fighters like Ali, Tyson, De La Hoya and Holyfield.  After that we have the ‘Legacy Mode’ which is a giant tournament where you start off by either creating a boxer or using known legend of the ring.  As you move up the ladder you will get your chance at the title.  While doing this you can see how popular you are becoming check your rank, stats and messages from your trainer.  During your Legacy career you will also want to train but not too hard especially before a big fight.  All fights can be seen on your fight calendar, past, present and future.  Ranking and ratings work just like they do in real life determining who you will fight depending on who your beat or lose to.  You can even fight outside the ring to add to your reputation, so check your messages from your trainer often.  Adding to the realism, but halting your gameplay are mandatory recovery periods where you cannot train or fight in Legacy mode, but you can take the fight to the other modes or even online when this happens.  When and if you get that belt you will then have a choice to try to continue fighting and hang on to it or retire your fighter at any time.  The Legacy is the meat and bones of the game.  Through out the game no matter what mode I was playing, the game seemed to freeze up for a couple of second on occasion, but it was nothing game breaking.

Now of course there is online multiplayer, but like you have never seen before.  Your going to want to create a fighter and as you fight you will gain XP, the more you win, the longer you last, the more XP you get.  This XP is used to put points into your fighters attributes from head jabbing to speed, to blocking strength, there is a long list to work with.  There is the almighty ‘Online World Championship’ which is an online mode that is not for the weak or inexperienced as this will prove who is the best ‘Fight Night Champion’ there is in the world.  To take it down a notch you can also participate in ‘Prize Fighting’ where winning tournaments will earn you prizes and of course it won’t go unrecognized.  Now the best and most innovative section of the online features has to be the Online Gyms where you can create your own gym or join one that suits your needs.  While in the gym you can spar with other members of the gym with up to 32 players to a gym.  Just like in real life you can learn from other fighters or teach them the tricks of the trade to bring your gym to the top.  This is where Boxing becomes a team sport where you can challenge or be challenged by other rival gyms and win trophies or essentially make your way up the leaderboards recruiting fighters across the globe for a team goal to make it to the top.  You can obviously have different weight classes in your gym or depending on who is made the gym leader make it a one weight class gym.  It doesn’t get much more real and in depth than this.

Things can get brutal.

I’m afraid it doesn’t end there as you can record matches, create highlight reels and edit replays of knockouts from whatever camera angle or speed you want.  You can then upload it to you space on the website.  In the media section you can view all the cinematics from Champion Mode, listen to all the music tracks in the game (which can all be customized as entrance themes for fighters) and more.  You can right off the bat just create your own fighter customizing him to the T, or download Mr. T as I saw someone had created and uploaded.  Entrance music, flashes, spark blasts during entrance to the ring and face type, eye color, hair style, tattoos, clothing color are all things you have at your disposable when creating a fighter.  The list is endless though, with no fighter looking a like and you can use them or choose to upload them for other people to use or both.  You can even download a picture of yourself or someone else for that matter as well as being able to super impose your face on the your fighter.  There is not a limit to fighters you can create and you can take them online or use them in Legacy Mode.

The game includes a ‘My Corner’ menu selection where you can view your Highlight Reel if your are deserving of one as well as giving you the option to view any ESPN Classic Fights you have fought.  This area also includes the in game manual, credits, file management, media and settings.  You can save your settings down to the specifics.  There is even a store where you can buy XP for your fighter among other things, but in the end it won’t make you a better fighter.  If that isn’t enough, while connected to Xbox Live there is a marquee scrolling at the bottom of the screen much like ones seen on ESPN.  This brings the scores from every sport and the wins/losses as well as EA Sports Gaming news making this another small but great addition to Fight Night Champion.  You really couldn’t ask for more in a Boxing game when this is more a an experience as close to the real thing as you can get without actually being a boxer.  What’s next?  Adding Rocky to the roster.. hmm.. wait no, let’s not go there.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.

Above you can check out a video preview of MMA Supremacy, which will be out for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on May 7th, 2011.  I got a chance to preview the game at E3 2010 and it looks pretty cool and unique from the other MMA games being released.  MMA Supremacy seems to try and mix the traditional fighting style in video games with an MMA twist.  Former UFC Champ Jens Pulver is also signed on to appear in the game, you can view the press release below for that.

Agoura Hills, CA—January 12, 2011—Global videogame publisher 505 Games and Los Angeles Videogame Developer Kung Fu Factory announced today that former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will lend his hard-earned image and story to Supremacy MMA™, coming this summer to Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

“I was there during the early days of MMA and came up when things were just out of control crazy, so stories like mine are perfect for a game that’s taking things back old school like Supremacy MMA,” said Pulver. “The truth is there are thousands of fighters out there struggling for a shot, whether they fight underground, amateur or at the highest levels of the sport. They’re doing it, and Supremacy MMA tells those kinds of stories, so I’m glad that this is the game I get to be a part of.”

Pulver will lend his likeness and backstory to the game, as well as serve as a combat and story consultant. Jens Pulver will fight January 22nd at XFO 38 in Chicago, IL. The event will be sponsored by Supremacy MMA.

“Supremacy MMA is as much about telling the fighter’s story as it is about delivering blistering-fast gameplay that’s as brutal as the real thing, so we knew we had to get Jens for our game,” said Ian Howe, president of 505 Games. “His climb through the ranks of the underground into the pro spotlight and his willingness to continue to fight regardless of what title he bears exemplifies the fighter’s heart that Supremacy MMA portrays.”

“After spending years working on MMA and fighting titles ranging from the original UFC game for Dreamcast to UFC Undisputed 2009, Supremacy MMA is definitely the game the team has always wanted to make and Kung Fu Factory is beyond excited to have Jens be a part of it,” said Ricci Rukavina, co-founder and executive producer, Kung Fu Factory. “Because we’ve shaped our own underground world, we’re able to have total creative freedom. We’re excited to go beyond the television screen to tell stories like Jens – real fighters, who have made a difference in the sport, peoples lives and beyond.

An outspoken fighter and avid gamer, Pulver single-handedly put the lightweight division on the map for UFC, fighting above his weight category for years before the UFC all but created the lightweight class for him. He went on to dominate at his true fighting weight, winning three UFC championship titles.

Supremacy MMA brings the brutality of unsanctioned, amateur and unlicensed MMA fighting to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems, favoring fast-and-furious gameplay and underground aesthetics over official branding and television-style presentation. The game raises the bar in the MMA space by bringing an unprecedented level of fast, fluid combat, intuitive controls and true-to-the-sport brutality, telling the story of up-and-coming fighters in their quest for supremacy.

For more information on Supremacy MMA, visit www.supremacymma.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/supremacymma and Twitter www.twitter.com/supremacymma

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

There is no official release date for MMA yet but it will be available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  Some notable fighters in the game are:

– Frank Shamrock
– Brett Rogers
– Jake Shields
– Fedor Emelianenko
– Randy Couture
– Renato Sobral
– Gegard Mousasi
– Muhammed Lawal
– Jason Miller
– Jay Hieron