UFL coming soon to Sony PS5, to rival EA Sports FC series

The FIFA series of games has been synonymous with football when it comes to video games. Today known as the EA Sports FC series, following a split with the FIFA governing body, the games are most popular way to enjoy a game of football with friends, family or even strangers on the internet. Now, it seems the series finally has a rival.

A new game – UFL is now on the horizon. Not only is it free-to-play, but it also promises a “skill-first approach” option and no emphasis on pay-to-win strategies – something the FIFA/EA Sports FC games have been getting flak for in recent years. Here’s all you need to know about the game, and when you will be able to get your hands on it.

What is UFL?

UFL is an upcoming free-to-play football game that is developed and published by Strikers Inc. The sports game is built on the Unreal Engine 5 platform and will primarily focus on full-fledged 11-on-11 association football, although support for other forms of the game may be added later on.

ALSO READ: The Witcher 4 is now in ‘full-scale production’

UFL has been in the works at Strikerz Inc. since 2016, and eight years later, was opened to the public for a two-day beta release earlier this year in June. Now, the title is ready for a full-scale launch.

Like multiple games in the FIFA/EA Sports FC series, or Konami’s PES (Pro Evolution Soccer) series, UFL will also involve multiple licenses. Partnering with FIFPro, a worldwide representative organisation for thousands of professional footballers, the game will include many popular teams and players.

This includes teams like West Ham United, Sporting CP, Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia and Mönchengladbach, and players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Roberto Firmino.

How is UFL different from the FIFA/EA Sports FC games?

There are many aspects that separate the new game from the FIFA/EA Sports FC series. For starters, the game will be free to play, which will allow anyone (on a supported platform) to download, install and play the game right away, with a sign-up likely being the only pre-requisite.

Whether UFL becomes an annually upgrade like the FIFA/EA Sports FC games, or becomes a single, constantly updated game (like PUBG: Battlegrounds and Fortnite) remains to be seen, but the developers are clear on the fact that no purchasing will be required to access the game.

ALSO READ: Sony confirms that it has sold over 160 million PS2 units

Moreover, there will be no emphasis on ‘pay-to-win’ models, which allows those ready to spend real cash, an unfair advantage over those who don’t.

We currently don’t have many more details on the game, like what kind of game modes will be supported, and if an online multi-player mode will be on the cards, but these details should be cleared soon after the launch, which is not too far away.

When can you play UFL and where?

UFL is launching later this week on December 5, 2024, and will be available to purchase on the Sony PlayStation 5 series (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Slim) as well as the Xbox Series X/S consoles. Those with Windows-based gaming laptops will not be able to enjoy the game right away.

No information about when the game will come to PC has been revealed, although we do expect a release for Windows later on, just like with GTA 6. The game does already have a Steam page live, so it seems like a PC release is only a matter of time.

Another mystery we still don’t have an answer to is cross-play support, which allows PlayStation, Xbox and PC players to seamlessly compete against each other online. Clarifications on all these matters should be cleared on the launch day.