UFC Undisputed 3 Message Board

A tattoo artist by the name of Chris Escobedo has filed a lawsuit against THQ over its supposedly unauthorized usage of a tattoo Escobedo designed. Specifically, Escobedo owns the copyright to a tattoo present on the virtual version of MMA fighter Carlos Condit in UFC Undisputed 2010 and UFC Undisputed 3.

Escobedo's argument hinges on the idea that, despite being permanently affixed to a public figure, the tattoo's design still belongs to him, as he created it originally and never signed the rights to the design away to Condit. By digitally recreating that design without permission, THQ may have violated Escobedo's copyright on the work. The lawsuit also claims that THQ's usage of Condit's likeness on its website violates Escobedo's copyright as well.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for "actual damages" caused by THQ's usage of the artwork, as well as "an order directing THQ to account to Mr. Escobedo for all gains, profits and advantages derived by them by their wrongful conduct, and to disgorge all profits obtained by their wrongful conduct." Gross.

With UFC locked up, EA has exclusivity over yet another sport.

When UFC president Dana White stepped on stage at Electronic Arts’ E3 press conference, an email from THQ appeared in my inbox announcing THQ had transfered the license to EA.

In an SEC filing this morning, THQ disclosed another UFC game was in development at the company, and by moving the license to EA, it would result in the closure of THQ San Diego.

In actuality, we learned about THQ San Diego’s closure during E3--it was completely and tragically lost in the shuffle.

The publisher expects to spend $1.1 million on severance packages, $1.3 million on charges associated to the facilities housing the developer and another $0.5 million “related to long-lived assets.”

THQ did not make it clear why it decided to transfer the license, but it’s pretty clear: UFC Undisputed 3 was a disappointing seller. In order to save its business, THQ is focused on making money, and UFC Undisputed 3 sold less than last year’s game, UFC Undisputed 2010. THQ did not disclose sales numbers for UFC Undisputed 3.

The relationship between the UFC and EA was not always rosy. When EA decided to get into the genre with its own MMA game, there were rumors White would ban athletes who signed to appear in EA’s game. That never happened, but White wasn’t at a loss for words when asked what he thought about the situation.

“I went to EA Sports,” he said to Yahoo! Sports back in 2009. “Know what EA Sports said? ‘It’s not a sport. This isn’t a sport. We would never get involved in something like this.’ We come out with a video game and now they want to come out with a video game? (Expletive) you.”

THQ, currently trading at $0.62 a share, has some good news for investors as UFC Undisputed 3 grappled the top spot on the UK charts this past week. According to Chart-Track, it is the first top title for the publisher since Homefront in early 2011. The good news does come with a caveat, as the previous installment in the franchise may have debuted in second place, but performed better at launch in raw sales numbers.

With no other new combatants in the octagon making it into the top 40 last week, the UK top ten involved a lot of shufflin' and shifting based on retail promotions. FIFA 12 and Modern Warfare 3 move into second and third, respectively. Last week's number one, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, dropped 63 percent in sales and out of the top ten into the 12 spot.

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, boosted by a new 3DS edition and discounts on the Wii version, saw the title up 94 percent to take the ... Rice-a-Roni? What does one receive at the olympics for fourth place? Check out the UK top ten after the break.

#review UFC Undisputed tried to come back too soon. Following a breakout season in 2009, it returned with a good-but-not-great sequel in 2010. Publisher THQ recognized the franchise didn't deliver enough and shifted it to two-year production cycle. So is UFC Undisputed 3 the game mixed martial arts fans should have gotten last May? Or is it a title that can last them another two years? More »

Jeff and Vinny administer the most kicks to men's bodies this side of Self-Defense Training Camp.

I hate BJ Penn. "Hate" might be a strong word, but twice now he's thwarted my attempts to win the UFC Lightweight Championship title. While pummeling my way to 30 wins feels rewarding, my five losses (two from Penn) are an inescapable stain on my record. Falling from the #2 ranking to #7 is embarrassing. Between fights, I hit my limited opportunities to train hard, building up my submission and grappling defense with one goal in mind: to beat Penn and win the belt.

The previous two games in the UFC Undisputed franchise did a great job of representing the sport: its impressive amount of depth, tons of licensed fighters, and a presentation that successfully mirrored the look of actual Pay Per View events. However, there were definitely some issues to be had, as ...

There's going to be a lot of DLC for UFC Undisputed 3 -- strangely, not including shirts, despite no UFC fighter ever seeming to have one -- so it's fortuitous that THQ is offering a Season Pass to help you round it up for a little bit cheaper.

The Season Pass, a 1360 Microsoft Points or $16.99 purchase, will include the "Fight of the Night" and "International" Fighter Packs, the "Ultimate Upsets" and "Mixed Bag" Ultimate Fights Packs, playable Alistair Overeem, and the "all unlockables" key to get all the content normally unlocked through gameplay. And if you happen to pre-order from ShopTHQ, this season pass is free. Not a bad deal for a lot of UFC stuff (and THQ could use the money right now).

All this stuff will also be available separately. In addition, there's some DLC that isn't part of the Pass, including the $3 "Create-a-Fighter Boost," which gives you extra points for your custom fighter, and two sets of "Ultimate" fights that are already free at launch. Check after the break for details on each pack.

Is UFC Undisputed 3 worth your time? There's a simple way to settle that dispute: by downloading the free demo, available now on Xbox Live and later today on PSN.

The demo allows you to experience "a fantasy UFC matchup between current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva," along with a "classic" PRIDE Mode match between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (otherwise known as B.A. Baracus from the recent A-Team movie) and Wanderlei Silva.

If Undisputed turns out to be a "fantasy matchup" with you, you can get the full version on February 14.

THQ's UFC Undisputed franchise has been the premier name in mixed-martial arts fighting videogames for its previous two iterations, so it's understandable that fans are paying very close attention to the development of the third entry, UFC Undisputed 3. The game is the result of a longer development...

Though THQ originally assigned a January date to UFC Undisputed 3, it went on to defy the name and dispute that ship date. During an investor call, CEO Brian Farrell revealed the new release date: February 14. It's a day for togetherness, after all, even if said togetherness involves a sleeper hold in the middle of an octagonal arena.

Earlier today, THQ sent out media for "PRIDE Mode," featuring a roster of fighters from the PRIDE Fighting Championships, presumably battling over whose self-assuredness is most justified.

Beginning with the original Undisputed back in 2009, THQ has asserted itself as a powerhouse for mixed-martial arts gaming. The past two games in the franchise were some of the best games the sport had seen, but for their third Undisputed game, THQ has opted to take a little bit of extra time to really flesh out some big changes for the franchise -- and it shows...

Fans of the franchise elected to place pro pugilist Anderson Silva on the cover for THQ's UFC Undisputed 3 earlier this week. Why was he chosen for this prestigious position, you might ask? Pay attention to the video above -- particularly the parts where he kicks the crap out of dudes.

Reigning middleweight UFC champ (and the guy broadly agreed-upon as the best pound-for-pound fighter currently living in the world right now) Anderson Silva has been voted on by fans to become the cover athlete for UFC Undisputed 3, scheduled for release next January. The decision makes sense for a lot of reasons besides just the vote: Silva is one of the UFC's most popular fighters, and he's been on a streak that's made history and then some, roundly demolishing fighter after fighter in his division with ability that far outweighs most anyone he's ever faced. Silva's last loss was back in 2006, and since then he's gone undefeated in an unheard-of 15 fights, nine of which were title defenses.

In short, Anderson "The Spider" Silva isn't just the best guy you'd want on a game about ultimate fighting -- he's the best there is. The game? Oh, um, yeah. We're sure the game is good too.

We can't say we watch much UFC, but we understand the appeal of being able to play with your favorite fighter in the sport's official game,. Four potential favorites will only be accessible as DLC in North America if you pre-order UFC Undisputed 3 through GameStop or EB Games: Nick Diaz, Phil Davis, Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Brian Stann.

If extra fighters aren't your thing, pre-ordering through Best Buy can net you early access to 150 in-game items to use with custom-created fighters. A pre-order at Walmart includes a $10 credit, and also ensures access to the "Ultimate Fights: Knockout Pack," DLC compatible with the game's Ultimate Fights mode, and featuring five of the "most memorable knockouts in UFC history." Finally, if you go through Amazon or FutureShop you'll get the Ultimate Knockout Artist Boost Pack, which will let you cut corners in the game's Create-a-Fighter mode by granting early access to upgrades that would otherwise take hours to unlock.

UFC Undisputed 3 will receive several pre-order bonuses, THQ has announced. In a new trailer, THQ reveals that unique fighters will be included for customers who pre-order the game...

UFC Undisputed 3 will receive several pre-order bonuses, THQ has announced. In a new trailer, THQ reveals that unique fighters will be included for customers who pre-order the game...

Don't think we can't see you out there, you UFC ultra-fan you. You're the guy with posters of Flint Ironstag and Bolt Vanderhuge all over your home gym. You're the guy with the octagon-shaped bed, the chain-link wallpaper and one of those old-timey uvula punching bags mounted in your shower. You breathe this stuff, and THQ knows it. That's why they've entrusted you specifically with the solemn duty of determining which fighter will grace the cover of UFC Undisputed 3.

You've got between now and September 30 to vote for one of five fighters, so start blasting your core and jammin' on your quads now; that clickin' finger needs to be in peak physical condition. Once you've cast your ballot, you'll have the chance to win passes to a live UFC event, as if you didn't have season tickets already. Remember to always stretch properly before using the internet, and never vote on cover art without a spotter.

#ufc Five fighters are contenders for the cover of UFC Undisputed 3's cover when the game releases in January. Fans will vote on the honor, selecting from a pool of Georges St. Pierre, Cain Velasquez, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and Frankie Edgar. More »

The latest trailer for THQ's upcoming UFC Undisputed 3 shows off quite a few of the game's new combat moves, and it doesn't pull any punches, so to speak -- by the time you finish watching it, you may feel sore just sitting there.

In fact, with new submissions, some crazy leg kicks, and bone-crunching takedowns, we're a little worried about the well-being of these virtual UFC guys. Hope their health plans are all paid up! Check out some more violence (and a weird-looking Forrest Griffin) in the gallery below.

#ufcundisputed THQ has already announced its intention of making UFC Undisputed 3 a tournament ready fighter. In this video they show off how that combat system will look. After watching this video, I'm not going to argue with any of these guys. More »

#ufcundisputed This is a huge weekend for competitive gaming, especially with the EVO World Championships going on in Las Vegas. At the premier fighting-game event, THQ is showing off early builds of UFC Undisputed 3, due for release early next year. More »

#tapout To many, the UFC's acquisition of the competing fight series Strikeforce in March spelled the end of EA Sports MMA. While EA Sports' chief of development did not say that a sequel is in development, he did not say the label was quitting the sport altogether. More »

#ufc3 UFC Undisputed may be a sports simulation, but the series has roots in fighting games, says the game's producer, and UFC 3 will pay tribute to those roots when the game releases in January. More »

Kickin' faces, grapple embraces, and all new places for UFC 3!

The first-ever trailer for UFC Undisputed 3 as unveiled at E3 2011!

UFC Undisputed is a franchise that's already had a surprising amount of ups and downs in its short lifetime. The first title was a solid hit for THQ, and a sign that the public was again ready for a video game about mixed martial arts. But the second annual title floundered, putting the franchise's future into doubt just as it was getting underway.

With the third title in the series, THQ is backing off of yearly updates and moving back to a numbered scheme. As the company told Joystiq during a recent pre-E3 press event, THQ is taking a little extra time, both to go back to basics for the core audience, and to make a big new addition to the series: Adding in the new defunct Pride Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting rosters. Both fighting organizations have now merged with the UFC in real life, but here in this title, THQ plans to give them a place to live on virtually.

#firstlook UFC Undisputed 3 represents more than just THQ's abandonment of the mixed martial arts simulation series as an annualized franchise, it's the game designed to welcome more virtual fighters into the fold. It's a game kinder to new players, but more brutal on its in-game MMA stars. More »

As much as I enjoyed aspects of UFC Undisputed 2010, I rarely felt like I had any idea what the hell I was doing. Yes, getting the hang of the ground game and learning about positions was possible, but it just wasn't that fun. I wanted to pick up the controller and beat people's faces in. UFC Undisputed 3 is aiming to give players that experience next year...