The all-new free-to-playUFLhas finally revealed some gameplay footage, following itsreveal last year at GamesCom 2021. After only releasing minor teasers and development diaries, players can now view pre-release gameplay footage and a special guest to boot.In a substantial 18-minute video, players will see the charismatic CEO of studio Strikerz Inc, Eugene Nashilov, unveil some story behind its decision to develop an alternative toFIFA. Strikerz Inc is aiming to build a game committed to consistent, fair gameplay and deep team customization. Along with the surprise endorsements from some of soccer’s biggest stars, the video recaps portions of the development and finally caps off with the aforementioned gameplay footage.RELATED:EA Responds to High ProfileFIFA22 HacksBuilt upon the Unreal Engine,UFLaims to challengethe over 20-year reign of EA’sFIFAseries. As a free-to-play game, there’s no concern about buy-in, but getting gamers to stick around is the real challenge. The overarching theme of the highly-stylized video is the game’s tagline, “Free to play, fair to play.” A direct shot across the bow of the micro-transaction, “pay-to-win”-esque EA sports games. Diving deeply into the video, viewers will see the process that leads to a nearly final product. With crisp visuals and a focus on the individual faces and emotions of players,UFLpromises to be full of high level detail.www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWj5iVHBsLYThe user interface and in-game menus do not get the same amount of footage, but they do highlight a core gameplay loop that functions similarly toFIFA’sUltimate Team. Collecting players to create the perfect team to throw on the pitch. It remains to be seen how exactly players will fill out their clubs, but Nashilov did highlight the concept of ongoing seasons through the game’s life cycle, so expect the monetization of the game to exist there. As much of the action in soccer games is viewed from a high angle, it can be difficult to gauge the exact level of graphical detail. That being said, player movement and animation appear to be very fluid. Repeatedly stressed in the video is the studio’s commitment to precise, consistent play on the pitch. There was no announcement of a specific release date, only that it will be “when it’s ready…in 2022.”
While the project clearly comes from a place of passion, the lack of clear answers on the monetization portion of a free-to-play game may leave some players wondering what the catch is. Trotting out a trio of soccer superstars, headlined by the world-famous Christiano Ronaldo, certainly brings about questions of the budget. WhileFIFAremains one of the most popular sports gameson the market, competition is king. IfUFLis good, and it’s looking like it will be,FIFAwill need to be better.
