Serious Concerns About UFC 5 Career Mode and Expectations for UFC 6

Hello EA Sports Team,

I am writing as a long-time UFC fan and customer to express my serious disappointment with UFC 5, particularly its Career Mode, and to outline what must change if UFC 6 is going to rebuild trust with the community.

At its core, Career Mode in UFC 5 lacks depth, immersion, and any real sense of journey. It does not feel like you are living the life of a fighter or building a meaningful legacy. Instead, it feels shallow, repetitive, and extremely limited. There is no strong narrative, no emotional investment, and no authentic sense of progression or realism.

One of the biggest issues is the absence of a proper storyline. Other sports games—such as NBA 2K’s MyCareer modes in past years or FIFA’s story-driven career experiences—have shown how powerful narrative-driven modes can be. UFC desperately needs something similar. Career Mode should feel like a journey filled with highs, lows, choices, rivalries, and consequences—not just a sequence of disconnected fights.

Another major flaw is the ranking system. Rankings are often inaccurate, stagnant, and unrealistic. Fighters remain ranked for years without meaningful change, and there is a severe lack of new, young, upcoming fighters entering the division. In real MMA, divisions are constantly evolving, with prospects rising, veterans declining, and new threats emerging. In UFC 5, you often face the same fighters repeatedly until they retire, which quickly becomes boring and immersion-breaking.

For UFC 6, Career Mode needs:

• A dynamic ranking system that reflects performance, momentum, and realism
• New, young fighters consistently entering the rankings, with proper names, styles, personalities, and backstories
• Meaningful rivalries built around these fighters, making fights feel personal and story-driven rather than generic

Career Mode also lacks interaction and life outside the cage. There is almost no engagement with fans, media, or the wider UFC world. Adding these elements would massively improve immersion and hype.

Key features that need to be added or expanded include:

• Pre-fight press conferences, interviews, and weigh-in shows
• Post-fight celebrations and media reactions
• Fan interaction, social responses, and reputation-building moments
• Activities outside of the cage, such as promotional events, training camps, and career decisions that affect popularity and legacy
• The ability to truly be the fighter, not just control them in fights

Additionally, Career Mode progression feels overly simplistic. Longevity is reduced to a basic meter rather than a realistic system. UFC 6 needs:

• An improved longevity and injury system that accounts for cumulative damage, career-altering injuries, and wear over time
• The ability to move between weight classes naturally as your career evolves
• Deeper training systems, coaching choices, and preparation strategies
• Realistic career outcomes, where not every career ends in dominance or championships

The game would also benefit greatly from a universal-style mode, similar to what WWE games offer, where the entire UFC ecosystem feels alive. Fighters progress simultaneously, rivalries evolve, rankings shift, and storylines unfold whether the player is directly involved or not.

While adding depth, it is also important not to overcomplicate controls. Immersion should come from systems, storytelling, and realism—not from unnecessary complexity.

Finally, I want to be honest: considering the premium price we are expected to pay, the effort shown in the last two releases has been unacceptable. UFC 4 and UFC 5 have felt underdeveloped, uninspired, and disconnected from what the MMA community actually wants. Many players are already questioning whether they will continue purchasing future titles.

UFC 6 has the potential to turn this franchise around—but only if real innovation, effort, and respect for the community are clearly demonstrated. Fans want to believe again, but that belief has to be earned.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I sincerely hope EA Sports listens to its players and delivers a Career Mode that finally reflects the drama, evolution, and realism of mixed martial arts.

Sincerely,

A concerned UFC fan