Originally scheduled to release in 2022, Strikerz Inc. CEO Eugene Nashilov announced that the game’s release will be pushed back to 2023:
“It’s nothing new to say that this is a game of immense technological complexity — one that needs to simulate a full range of football mechanics and techniques with dynamic, realistic animations, world class players, and so much more.Today, we’re announcing that the release date will be moved to 2023. Many of you have highlighted that this is likely, and you were right. The game is now approximately 80% ready, and we need more time to finish the development.”
As to when UFL will actually be released, Eugene stated that we should learn of the game’s release date in December — as well as other information. Additionally, the CEO revealed that there will be an event in the near future where fans will be able to play the game before its official launch to provide in-person feedback for the developers.
News of this delay is disappointing but nonetheless understandable considering the sheer magnitude of creating a soccer game from scratch with enough features and gameplay good enough to attract players away from FIFA and eFootball. As we move closer to the release of FIFA 23 and with eFootball 2023 already out, UFL has the ability to entice new players with its free-to-play model should those two AAA games fail to deliver the goods. In the meantime, let’s see what else the UFL team has been up to.
UFL Episode #2 – Keepers
In their Insider Episode #2, the team over at Strikerz Inc. has highlighted the men between the sticks. With an approach that doesn’t focus on heavily edited CGI videos, Strikerz Inc shows us what the keepers look like when facing long shots. If we’re judging UFL‘s keepers so far, I have to admit that they look pretty solid. From the positioning to how they move their feet, the saves look believable even if some of the shots, namely the looping header, look a tad exaggerated.
Furthermore, the arms they use to make the saves already look better than what we’ve seen from FIFA where keepers often shift unrealistically and make saves diving to their left and right while using the incorrect hand to make the save. Even the parries, something that plagues eFootball 2023, are out of harm’s way and display some pretty realistic ball physics.
With no fluff or frills, these types of videos, while short, are fairly rewarding as they showcase how the game is being developed, which should endear them to fans while making them feel like they are a part of the journey.
Cutscenes
Often overlooked or bypassed, cutscenes are an important part of the game that help to bring emotion and breathe some life into the proceedings. NBA 2K has long been the gold standard for cutscenes, so it’s refreshing to see Strikerz Inc. show a little love to what’s in store with UFL as it relates to cutscenes. As they strive towards authenticity, UFL appears to have the approach of replicating a television broadcast with true-to-life emotions captured. Even facial motion capture is highlighted, which is something that can quickly remind you that you’re playing a video game if it’s not captured well as it was with some of the older PES games.
Stadiums
Showcasing the power of the Unreal Engine, Episode #1 of their Journey Series focuses entirely on art, specifically stadiums and replicating the raucous environments that we see and hear on TV every weekend. Visually, the stadiums appear to look very well replicated for those clubs that have partnerships, like West Ham and Besiktas. Special attention to lighting and crowd visuals are highlighted throughout the episode.
From a crowd perspective, it’s really interesting to see how they generated their crowd visuals, but if I’m critiquing them, there is still some duplication of supporter models sprinkled throughout. However, I’ll reserve full judgment until when the game actually releases.
Bottom Line
I have to admit, watching Strikerz Inc. develop this game from scratch in front of our very own eyes has been a treat. With FIFA and eFootball dominating the market for so long, sometimes we as fans take for granted the complexities of making a game that looks to rival these two powerhouses. No matter how good the final game will be, letting fans who are desperate for a fresh approach see the game built from the ground up is a good way to connect with fans. While I’m sure that UFL will hit its fair share of bumps once it releases, the future looks promising.
