Gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) has announced two new multiyear extensions of its agreements with the UFC and the NHL, allowing the company to continue putting out its popular sport simulation games on all platforms.
The NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) announced the renewal for EA Sports NHL on Nov. 5, building on the momentum for the franchise.
“We are thrilled to accelerate fun hockey experiences for years to come pushing the industry forward with our long-time NHL and NHLPA partners,” said Cam Weber, Executive Vice President & Group GM, EA SPORTS. “The EA SPORTS NHL franchise these past 30 years has become synonymous with hockey culture, and this extension will ensure it remains at the forefront of connecting millions of fans around the world to the sport through interactive entertainment.”
Brian Jennings, the SVP and Chief Brand Officer for the NHL, says the relationship with EA has been even more important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The past eight months illustrates how EA is a critical extension to real-world sports, as fans turned toEA SPORTS NHL to play and watch hockey while we temporarily paused during the pandemic,” Jennings said. “Our shared approach for competitive gaming has enabled the league to create a touchpoint to younger fans who may experience the NHL for the first time through EA SPORTS NHL. Sustained connection that enhances fandom is what EA delivers and we look forward to continuing the incredible partnership.”
EA also announced the same day their renewal with UFC to continue delivering MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) content. The company says more people are playing the UFC games than ever before, with fans playing more than 64 million simulated UFC fights during the EA SPORTS UFC 4 launch week, a 125 percent year-over-year increase compared with the previous edition,EA SPORTS UFC 3.
EA SPORTS UFC 4 launch weekend timed alongside UFC 252: Miocic vs. Cormier 3 enhanced the connection to the sport driving a spike of almost 75 percent more players than EA SPORTS UFC 3.
“We’re thrilled to extend our more than 10-year partnership with the UFC as we continue to build one of the fastest-growing sports franchises in the world, based on the rapidly expanding sport of MMA,” said Cam Weber, Executive Vice President & Group GM, EA SPORTS. “This agreement will allow us to push the creative boundaries of mixed martial arts video games and connect millions more around the world to the culture of the sport.”
The announcement follows the release ofEA SPORTS UFC 4 for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One on August 14, 2020 and delivers the most polished MMA experience to date. UFC® middleweight champion Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya and UFC welterweight contender Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal serve as the game’s official cover athlete duo.
“We’re thrilled that we will continue our partnership with EA for the next 10 years,” said Tracey Bleczinski, Senior Vice President, UFC Global Consumer Products. “EA SPORTS has become a natural extension of UFC’s brand and an important way to engage with our fans. We’ve just launched our most successful game to date and EA keeps proving there’s room to grow and introduce new fans to the sport. We’re going to keep pushing the boundaries together and make incredible games that UFC fans love to play.”