Gamescom 2021's Opening Night Live revealed a ton of games, with one particular sports simulation video game piquing soccer fans' attention. "UFL" did not have an incredibly flashy trailer and not much has been divulged as of yet, but it's enoug to get people talking.
Find out more about this new game shaking up the soccer simulation genre.
What Is 'UFL'? New Game to Rival 'FIFA' and 'eFootball'
It is not common for new soccer video games to drop, especially one that's positioning itself as a competitor to the established "FIFA" and "PES" now called "eFootball."
"UFL" was revealed in Gamescom 2021's Opening Night Live event, CBR reported. It is a free-to-play soccer simulation game that Strikerz Inc. started to develop back in 2016. It is the studio's first project, which is considered a bold move considering the genre is dominated by older, more established games, and not a lot of the smaller games have challenged their dominance.
According to Dexerto, some fans have grown tired of "FIFA," with quite a few hopping over to "eFootball." And now a new virtual soccer game is showing to be quite a contender.
Strikerz Inc. CEO Eugene Nashilove said that before the five-year game development, they did an in-depth study of the market, assessing the needs and demands of the players and examined the pros and cons of existing titles. The goal was to innovate and create a game that meets and surpasses the idea of the "perfect game" of soccer between players.
We have received a great deal of positive feedback on our cinematic teaser, thanks so much to all of you!
— UFL (@UFLgame) August 26, 2021
With regards to the platforms, we're primarily focused on bringing UFL to @PlayStation and @Xbox but PC is also a platform that we're closely considering 👌
Stay tuned🔥 pic.twitter.com/KYlWjLQHWv
'UFL' Free-to-Play and Fair-to-Play
According to Strikerz Inc., they focus on making their game as fair as possible, the studio's response to the "FIFA Ultimate Team" game mode that allows players to purchase the best players, which did leave players that didn't or couldn't spend extra cash at a severe disadvantage, CBR said.
Besides being free-to-play, it aims to be fair-to-play, emphasizing that succeeding in "UFL" will depend on the player's personal ability and tactics. The player's performance on the pitch and its team preparation away from the field is greatly highlighted.
Players can create their own soccer clubs and handpick their teams. To rise up the ranks players can challenge others across the globe, Dexerto explained.
Despite being the first game developed by the studio, it has already linked up with some prominent names. Official statements from Strikerz Inc. confirm that "UFL" will partner with Premier League side West Ham United and football representative firm FIFPro to feature over 5,000 licensed players. InStat will be in charge of updated statistics and player ratings through a link-up with the leading analysis group.
Not a lot about the gameplay and other features in "UFL" has been revealed yet, but it does seem to shape up to be a hybrid of "FIFA" and "Football Manager," with its emphasis on developing an amazing team on and off the pitch.
No release date has been mentioned yet, either, though it is scheduled to be announced "soon." The studio is focusing on bringing their game to PlayStation and Xbox with a posibility of offering a PC version as well.
