Home Gaming The EA Madden curse has hit UFC 2

The EA Madden curse has hit UFC 2

3 min read
33

Knockout

Sports games are a more complex affair when it comes to marketing. First up, you need a cover star who isn’t involved in some scandal, something that seems quite prevalent these days with athletes. Once you’ve found someone who is clean, recognisable and pretty much a hot ticket brand that’ll sell your game, it’s time to slap their image onto the game cover.

EA Sports has had a long history of doing this. Mike Tyson, Muhammed Ali, Tiger Woods and other sports people that I probably should know about. Anyway, there’s also a legend attached to all of their appearances as cover stars for EA Sports games. And by legend, I mean a curse. The EA Madden curse that is.

It’s pretty simple: A cover curse jinx, that suggests that any athlete who has their likeness featured on an EA game will have either a serious injury or see a major loss. It’s a curse which has primarily affected anyone in an EA Madden game, with Knowyourmeme having quite a few examples to read through.

Anyway, the curse has struck again. A few days ago, UFC Bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey was revealed to be the cover star for UFC 2, alongside Noob Saibot from Mortal Kombat:

UFC Rousey

Cool right? Rousey is an icon in the sport, who packs a mean punch and an undefeated streak that would make the Undertaker jealous. Oh wait, not no more she does. Thanks to a second round Knockout kick from Holly Holm at UFC 193 that looks like it could have split the Death Star in two, the former champ’s 12-fight winning streak is at an end. And the Madden Curse has claimed anther victim then.

Anyway, it most likely won’t affect the deal that Rousey has in place with EA, and you’ll still see her on the game cover. It’s also a massive step forward, as a woman has never graced the cover of a mixed martial arts game before. “As a gamer myself, it’s pretty surreal to be on the cover of the game and to have a woman on the cover of a UFC game shows a lot of progress,” Rousey said to Gamespot. “I’m really happy to be involved with it.”

EA’s revival of the UFC brand was off to a solid start last year. There was still ample room for improvement however, something that the sequel seems to be taking to heart. And better visuals, it seems. “The game being really, really, really, ridiculously good-looking is important to us, and the team is always working to find ways to outdo themselves,” EA Sports UFC senior producer Brian Hayes said to GameSpot.

That includes updates to the in-game lighting, the facial animation system and lots of new physics and rendering details. It all comes together in the in-fight replays, where you can really see the fighter flinch a moment before a huge strike lands, sending ripples across their face, and how their hair whips around with the force of the blow.

Hopefully in UFC 2, Geoff will be able to take my face and apply it to a proper champ, instead of a human punching bag with hairy feet.

Last Updated: November 16, 2015

33 Comments

  1. That kick. Yoh. It would’ve killed me.

    Reply

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      November 16, 2015 at 12:07

      Yeah, really cringed when I saw that, beeewwwm, right on the trip-switch

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        November 16, 2015 at 12:10

        There was an even nastier one in one of the prelims. Straight front kick right to the ribs, guy flew backwards like he was pulled by wires, if he didn’t have broken ribs then I don’t know.

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          November 16, 2015 at 13:24

          Link?

          Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    November 16, 2015 at 12:11

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      November 16, 2015 at 12:15

      Kinda lame hitting someone that is passed out

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        November 16, 2015 at 12:17

        Ref was slow, but getting Ronda on the ground for the first time ever you can excuse the other women for being overzealous.

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          November 16, 2015 at 12:26

          Kinky

          Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        November 16, 2015 at 13:53

        you go for the win, simple. if you knock them down you make sure they stay down.
        but ya, ref should have shoved her off instantly.

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          November 16, 2015 at 14:16

          I get that, but I think that once you see the opponent is kinda not even responding or blocking the hit, rather stop mashing away

          Reply

          • Allykhat

            November 17, 2015 at 08:30

            Once the adrenaline is pumping dude, rational thought goes out the window.

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      November 16, 2015 at 12:16

      KTFO

      Reply

  3. Ottokie

    November 16, 2015 at 12:14

    This sport is freaking crazy xD

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      November 16, 2015 at 12:15

      Professional spooning 😐

      Reply

      • Ottokie

        November 16, 2015 at 12:15

        The same type of spooning we got while growing up ?

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          November 16, 2015 at 12:16

          It seems as though we grew up differently

          Reply

          • Ottokie

            November 16, 2015 at 12:17

            With a lot more respect that is 😛

            “Wag totdat jou pa by die huis kom” that sentence was worse than a wooden spoon to the ass xD

          • Hammersteyn

            November 16, 2015 at 12:19

            Anticipation was worse than the hiding. Afterwards I was allowed to go out and play. Wasn’t keen on the slides or swings though

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 16, 2015 at 12:21

            I know them feels haha.

  4. Mistake Not...

    November 16, 2015 at 12:42

    Is there an EA game called Life and I’m the cover star? Because it feels like I’m losing all the time.

    Reply

  5. oVg

    November 16, 2015 at 12:51

    Ronda needs a break. She worked her nuts off this year. From acting to making Female fighters a household name. She deserves more money that Mayweather.

    Reply

    • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

      November 16, 2015 at 12:53

      Nuts?

      Reply

      • oVg

        November 16, 2015 at 12:53

        Didnt you know?

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          November 16, 2015 at 12:54

          I know now.

          Reply

          • Splooshypooh

            November 16, 2015 at 12:54

            *shudder*

          • oVg

            November 16, 2015 at 12:56

          • Hammersteyn

            November 16, 2015 at 12:56

            hahahahahaha

    • Matthew Holliday

      November 16, 2015 at 14:03

      this is the first match i actually bothered to watch the build up and follow up on her previous matches.
      ronda is an amazing fighter. goes into every match and the whole world knows shes going to arm bar, they knew it was coming and she still got it off every time.

      we all know UFC takes publicity over actual skill when deciding matches, but this match made me think the entire thing was rigged.

      zero aggression on rouseys part. forcing herself to stick to the standup game. didnt even attempt a take down.
      20 seconds in it was clear holmes had the advantage, but she still walked around like a moving punching bag.
      dont get it.

      not sure if a break is needed from fighting, but a break from publicity stunts yeah definitely. aside from the movies, which she didnt have major roles in, she was on a new talk show every other night and interviews during training pretty much on the daily… hows one supposed to be a legitmate fighter like that?

      Reply

    • RinceThis

      November 16, 2015 at 14:53

      Nayweather 😛

      Reply

  6. WitWolfy

    November 16, 2015 at 13:06

    That kick in the header sure looks potent.. You can see the moment she realized she’s fudged!

    Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      November 16, 2015 at 13:54

      the moment she fudged was the punch just befor, but holly holmes had the advantage the whole way through.

      holly holmes used rondas chin for target practise.

      Reply

  7. Francois Knoetze

    November 16, 2015 at 15:00

    Haven’t done martial arts in years but hell that kick was well placed. Nothing beats a good round house.

    Reply

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