UFC 5: All new gameplay features & changes explained

Max Candelarezi
UFC 5 fighters amid combat and doctor checks

Harnessing the power of Frostbite, EA Sports UFC 5 will bring vast improvements to the game’s gameplay, including combat changes, new features, and much more. Here’s every new gameplay feature and changes in UFC 5 explained.

EA Sports will return to the Octagon on October 27 with the upcoming release of UFC 5 for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, marking the franchise’s debut on these consoles. As the first current-gen game in the series, players are expecting significant changes in the gameplay experience.

On September 7, the development team behind UFC 5 unveiled a variety of details about the game, offering a sneak peek at iconic boxing and MMA legends set to appear as playable characters. They also shared exciting details about the gameplay experience players can expect in this highly anticipated 2023 installment.

Here’s every new gameplay feature and all the changes UFC 5 is set to receive.

UFC 5 set to receive a significant gameplay overhaul

Utilizing the potential of the Frostbite engine, the UFC 5 team revealed this installment is set to receive a significant gameplay overhaul, including brand-new features and substantial changes in striving to enhance the game’s realism.

Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Emelianenko in UFC 5
UFC 5’s Deluxe Edition allows fans to play as Emelianenko, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson in the game.

Doctor checks and stoppages in UFC 5

One noteworthy new feature introduced in UFC 5 is the doctor checks and stoppages, which could be a way to end UFC 5 matches.

During an interview with Dexerto, producer Raman Bassi emphasized that the objective with stoppages was to “find a sweet spot” to include them, “where it’s very rare, but it’s still a treat.” He stated that the development team’s target is to have doctor stoppages occur approximately once in every 50 fights, maintaining a delicate balance.

Authentic damage in UFC 5

UFC 5’s authentic damage is another of this title’s enhancements where injuries such as cuts, bruises, and swelling will vary in severity and accumulate depending on both the harm the player receives and delivers.

According to Bassi, this will drive players to “intelligently defend, move in and out, and not just swing and bang.” Additionally, this new “meta” system will portray over 64,000 potential combinations of facial damage in greater detail than ever seen before, all of which have realistic effects on character attributes.

UFC 5 Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina Shevchenko and Alexander Volcanovski are the cover stars on the UFC 5 Standard edition.

New strikes and hit reactions in UFC 5

UFC 5 will also present brand-new animations for ground-and-pound elbow strikes, spinning attacks, and a variety of punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. Additionally, these new striking animations will faithfully emulate the powerful animations of heavyweight fighters, accomplished kickboxers, and other fighter styles.

Seamless submissions in UFC 5

Taking advantage return of the Grapple Legacy HUD in UFC 5, an upgraded expansion of the current grappling systems will introduce quicker animations, updated button prompts, and remove mini-games.

The fresh submission mechanics provide a more seamless and realistic ground combat experience, catering to the preferences of grappling enthusiasts.

All in all, that’s everything you need to know about the new gameplay features and changes in UFC 5.

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About The Author

Max is a Games Writer at CharlieIntel who specializes in Call of Duty news and guides, EA FC, Apex Legends, XDefiant, and The Finals. He has completed the International Baccalaureate in English. You can contact Max by email at [email protected].