Xbox Gaming in South Africa

UFC Undisputed, the top selling MMA gaming franchise, is coming back for more. Publisher THQ has announced that UFC Undisputed 3 is currently under development at Yuke's for a 2012 release, with a host of new features including the Japanese Pride fight mode, featherweight and bantamweight divisions, and a number of visual tweaks and improvements.

"UFC Undisputed 3 is on track to deliver an incredible virtual MMA experience unlike any other," said THQ boss Danny Bilson. "This product is intense, engaging and highly competitive while still being extremely accessible, making it a must-have for millions of UFC fans, traditional fighting game enthusiasts and more casual sports fans around the world."

After the relatively complex control system seen in previous UFC Undisputed titles, more casual gamers should be glad to hear that this time around there will be a choice between traditional and more simplified control modes, making for a more accessible game overall.

Of all the additions and changes, the inclusion of the Pride fight franchise has to be the one fight fans will be most excited for. The now defunct MMA organisation is known for its ruthless aggression, including head stomps and knee strikes on downed opponents, and will definitely add a new dimension to the UFC action.

UFC Undisputed 3 looks set to continue the successes of its forebears, possibly at the expense of genre newcomer EA MMA, since UFC now owns not only Pride, but also Strikeforce, the fight promotion that was central to the themes and fighters for EA Sports' title. Even EA MMA's feature star, Bas Rutten, has jumped ship and will be an official commentator for UFC Undisputed 3. We'll have to wait and see if EA's fledgling franchise has any fight left in it after this.

Look out for more information on UFC Undisputed 3 at E3 this week, and check out the debut trailer and screens below.