It’s hard not to wonder if Anita Sarkeesian would approve of this, considering her crusade against anti-feminism in video games. From the looks of EA’s initial marketing push for their upcoming UFC installment, Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate will be front and center as EA tells the world that women are indeed in the upcoming UFC game. However, these women will be committing violent acts against each other, quite willingly, as a matter of fact. Does the fact that EA is exploiting capitalizing on the popularity of the Rousey/Tate rivalry–two women who really want to beat the crap out of each other–empower female video game characters the way some envision; or does something like this mean the struggle continues?
Another discussion for another time, perhaps.
As for the marketing push, even though the game won’t be available until 2014, that hasn’t stopped EA from getting the appetite-whetting material out for all to see. As indicated, the 2014 version will very much focus on Rousey and Tate. Take a look at the first video and see for yourself:
There’s also an Instagram video which features the incredibly photogenic Rousey as well:
And then there’s the initial poster, which should leave no doubt about which way EA’s leaning when it comes to marketing the UFC game:
Once you start navigating the page, you’ll find additional material that focuses on other fighters like James Jones and Anderson Silva. That being said, the focus, at least in the initial push, is squarely on Tate and Rousey. Of course, the fact that these two are the coaches for the upcoming new season of The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC’s reality TV show, might have everything in the world to do with that.
EA’s UFC game will be out in 2014 with the PS4 and the Xbox One being listed as the supporting consoles.
[Lead image via EA]