Cristiano Ronaldo Stars in New Football Video Game

UFL Aims to Rival EA Sports’ FIFA with Free-to-Play Model and Focus on Gameplay

Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the face of a new football video game, UFL, which aims to rival the popular EA Sports FIFA series. UFL is developed by Strikerz Inc. and is set to be released for free on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Fair-to-Play Approach

UFL’s key feature is its “fair-to-play” model, which contrasts with FIFA’s Ultimate Team (FUT) mode. In FUT, players can purchase packs of digital cards to build their teams, potentially leading to a pay-to-win scenario. UFL, on the other hand, allows players to earn everything in-game through gameplay, eliminating the need for microtransactions.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Involvement

Cristiano Ronaldo’s involvement in UFL began in January 2022, when he was announced as the game’s cover star. In December 2023, Ronaldo was revealed to be part of a group of investors who put $40 million into the game’s development.

Reasoning for Ronaldo’s Support

According to UFL CEO Eugene Nashilov, Ronaldo’s support stems from his contentious departure from EA Sports’ FIFA. In 2019, EA removed Ronaldo from the game’s cover after allegations of sexual assault were made against him. Although Ronaldo has denied the allegations and was never charged, he reportedly felt betrayed by EA.

Nashilov believes that UFL’s fair-to-play model and Ronaldo’s belief in the project’s potential influenced his decision to invest. The UFL team has promised Ronaldo that the game will remain free-to-play and that players will not be forced to spend money to succeed.

UFL’s Potential

UFL has the potential to disrupt the football gaming landscape. Its free-to-play model and focus on gameplay could appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers who are dissatisfied with FIFA’s microtransaction-heavy approach.

However, UFL is still an unproven product that has faced delays in its release. EA Sports FIFA remains the dominant force in football simulation, and it will be difficult for UFL to dethrone it. Nevertheless, Ronaldo’s involvement and the game’s unique features make UFL an exciting prospect for football fans.

The release date for UFL has not yet been officially announced, but it is expected to be released before the end of 2023.