UFC 5: Release date, cover athlete, more

Chris Studley
Israel Adesanya in UFC 4

UFC 5 is on the horizon. Electronic Arts began to tease the fifth installment of the UFC franchise on social media in July. With weeks to go before the game’s release, we now have firm information on the title’s release date and other features.

UFC 4 was released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One three years ago and its lifecycle is set to come to an end in the near future. Naturally, fans are excited to get their hands on the next installment of the series.

EA has begun to tease the next installment of the franchise on social media, and now we have firm details on the title.

Here’s what we know at this moment about UFC 5.

Is there a release date for UFC 5?

EA confirmed on September 7 that UFC 5 will be released on October 27, 2023.

This came two months after the EA Sports UFC team teased an upcoming announcement for the game on Twitter. In the tweet, EA stated that a “full reveal” will come in September 2023.

Is there a cover athlete for UFC 5?

EA Sports announced the UFC 5 cover athletes on September 5. Valentina Shevchenko and Alexander Volkanovski will be on the cover of the standard edition, while Isreal Adesanya will grace the cover of the deluxe edition.

Cover of UFC 5 standard edition

UFC 4, which was released in 2020, featured Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya as the two cover athletes.

This will mark the second straight release that Adesanya is on the cover.

Deluxe edition of UFC 5

Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition, for what it’s worth, will also be eligible to receive three special fighters in Fedor Emelianenko, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson.

Which consoles will UFC 5 be available for?

UFC 5 will be available for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The development team confirmed to Dexerto that no last-gen release of the title will happen. UFC 5 will not include crossplay.

When UFC 4 was released, EA released the game for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That, however, was in 2020 and just months before the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

What features will come with UFC 5?

UFC 5 will come with a brand new damage system, one that emphasizes cuts and bruises, in order to mimic a real UFC fight.

UFC 5 will also come with the addition of Seamless Submissions, which will remove the mini-games from submissions. It’s a system that EA believes will create a “smoother, more authentic ground game.”

Additionally, the new game will come with hundreds of new animations, doctor stoppages, refined controls, character models, and a move to the Frostbite engine.

The developers have also added new cinematic K.O. replays and camera looks that will make UFC 5 look much different visually than its predecessor. EA showcased these presentation changes in detail on October 6 as part of a deep dive into the new title.

Online play will also be different, thanks to online career mode. Here, individuals will compete for titles across four different divisions and will be able to use their created fighters to take on other real-world fighters.

UFC will also come with Alter Ego attires that can be unlocked through in-game action. This is part of the UFC 5’s live content schedule that will also include Fight Week challenges and Fight Picks. Individuals can make predictions for the main card of every PPV and have the opportunity to obtain additional customizable assets.

The announce team will feature Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier, but sans broadcast partner Joe Rogan.

While you’re waiting for more news on the new UFC game, be sure to check out our other release hubs:

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About The Author

Chris is a gaming writer for Dexerto who has covered the sports and gaming scenes for over five years. This has led him to become an expert on many sports games, inclduing Madden, NBA 2K, EA Sports FC and more. You can contact Chris at chris.studley@dexerto.com.