Ever wanted to punch The Boss in the face? Well, here you go! Download @DanaWhite in #EAUFC3 NOW ➡️https://t.co/qO3XgjCWDq pic.twitter.com/PJxrNAW8Gg
— UFC (@ufc) March 15, 2018
There’s a scene midway through the HBO’s classic WWII miniseries Band of Brothers in which a new sergeant is mingling with his men, playing poker. Captain Dick Winters, the stoic, clean-as-a-whistle leader of the group pulls him aside to reprimand his sergeant for his actions. The sergeant doesn’t understand the issue, so Winters says: “What if you’d won? Never put yourself in a position where you can take from these men.”
Now, in the extremely well-made EA UFC 3, president Dana White is on an equal level with his fighters. Many of whom have to work second jobs in order to make it in the biggest MMA organization in the world. It presents a sort of tone-deafness both EA and the UFC are known for. There are ranked fighters still not in the game, but White, because, perhaps, he’s on TV so much, is a fighter in the game, and according to gameplay developer Geoff Harrower he’s on legal “supplements.”
Before you complain to me about his ratings, please keep in mind that this is motivated, full camp, sea level, TRT, prime @danawhite we're talking about. A whole different beast. #EAUFC3
— Geoff Harrower (@GeoffHarrower) March 15, 2018
Some fans are finding humor in the fact that the UFC’s possibly second-biggest star is in the game, but MMA Media and old-school fans are lukewarm at best.
Confirmed forthcoming UFC DLC characters:
– Joe Silva
– Anthony Kiedis
– Ari Emanuel
– Mark Wahlberg
– Ariel Helwani with Six Months of Sprawl Training
– Jimmy 'Superfly' Smith
– ADCC Todd GrishamFastest growing roster in the world.
— The Naked Gambler (@NakedGambling) March 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/SecretMovesMMA/status/974336407304056832
Dana White playable character is being added to EA UFC 3. Tons of ranked fighters still not in there, but at least you can see this scene of Dana squaring off with Dana while Dana holds them back. pic.twitter.com/uvGFN9f0xs
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) March 15, 2018
According to the EA UFC 3 game stats, Dana White's striking is equivalent to Gokhan Saki, his health equal to Alexander Gustafsson, his stamina better than Lyoto Machida and his grappling better than Anderson Silva.
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) March 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/samboy4327/status/974346086709112832
Of course, you just don’t have to use Dana if this bugs you. Or, MMA fans who wish he hadn’t killed Strikeforce/Pride/WFA/the meaning of championship belts can always just have him stand there and get beat up. Either way, it’s a weird addition when Mike Perry or Curtis Blaydes still aren’t in the game.
It’s a difficult balance between pure entertainment and a game, so no one can blame EA for taking risks, but this seems odd. Roger Goodell isn’t in Madden and shouldn’t be. Why not Don Frye? Sakuraba? Any number of UFC Hall of Famers instead?
