All We Know About Ultimate Football League

For many years, Konami and EA Sports have battled it out for the title of the best soccer game.

Purists turned to Konami's offering, known colloquially as PES, whilst the better seller was the licensed-laded FIFA series from EA Sports. That choice is becoming tougher as both games undergo something of a transition. PES was replaced by eFootball 2022, which had a challenging launch, whilst FIFA will now be known as EA Sports FC as the association between soccer's governing body and gaming's top sports company ends.

Whilst there is trouble at the top, a new pretender is hoping to slide in and grab a market share. Ultimate Football League, known as UFL, is primed for a release this fall, and it seems to be grabbing significant attention. Can it displace the two heavyweights of the game and become the go-to title for soccer fans? Or is it a flash-in-the-pan, a one-season wonder with style but no substance? Here's what we know so far.

Picture 1 of All We Know About Ultimate Football League Picture 1 of All We Know About Ultimate Football League

What Is It?

Strikerz Inc has been forthcoming with information about their new game, sometimes a little too much. We know it's a soccer simulation that seeks to trade on the popularity of FIFA's Ultimate Team mode without the hated loot box mechanics. It will release as a free-to-play title, much like eFootball, and hopes to grab market share by claiming they're fair to play. That means you can't buy success.

What's Different About It?

Whilst UFL has signed up many partner clubs, it doesn't have any leagues at present. If you play FIFA regularly, you can try to take Manchester City to the Premier League title or win La Liga with Barcelona. That's not possible here, despite the list of partner clubs. West Ham United, AS Monaco, Besiktas, Borussia Monchengladbach, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sporting Lisbon, Celtic, and Rangers have all signed up with UFL, but it's not clear how they'll be incorporated. There are also no international teams; this winter sees a World Cup played in Qatar, and gamers here in the US are likely to want to help the USMNT to the final, especially as they're outsiders for the tournament in the latest Ladbrokes odds. They can do that on FIFA, but not UFL. The model of the game, progressing your team and developing players, won't lend itself to international football at all.

One positive aspect of the game is the ability to develop your players. On FIFA and eFootball, the players' ratings are chosen by the game and are largely fixed. That means one Lionel Messi is the same as another unless it's a special card. On UFL, it appears you can develop your players, so a base Lionel Messi could be a weaker card than the one you've had in your team for a while. It's certainly an exciting prospect for players, even if there are no proper competitions.

There appears to be more freedom over your club, with jersey design mechanics looking very in-depth. That will appeal to customization fans and fits in with the themes the game is trying to deliver.

When Can We Expect It?

It is expected this fall, even if the ongoing conflict in Ukraine slowed progress with the company being partly based there. Gameplay reveals have been constant over the last couple of months, but some have looked far from polished. It feels as if Strikerz Inc is trying to avoid a launch like that of eFootball, described by Polygon as a disaster, by being open with their development issues. The gameplay looks smooth, but a couple of animations are awry, goal nets appear rigid, and some passing has an arcade feel to it. However, transparency has certainly been evident throughout the process, meaning gamers know precisely what to expect when it launches.