In Oceania only, though
There’s a well-known affiliation between Electronic Arts and the UFC. For the past three years, EA has developed an annual iteration of the officially-licensedUFCgames. Now, another publisher is nudging in with a non-sports arrangement.
Bethesda and the UFC just announced a partnership to promoteFallout 76in the Oceania territory (Australia and New Zealand). That seems kind of weird, right? Lengthy role-playing games and mixed martial arts aren’t really a natural pairing.
Things start to make a bit more sense when you consider the face behind this marketing deal. Robert Whittaker, the reigning UFC Middleweight Champion, is now a brand ambassador for Bethesda in the Oceanic region. In a press release, the UFC calls Whittaker a “lifelong gamer.”
Indeed, Whittaker has been playing some games, and relatively complicated games at that. He has a modest-sizedTwitchchannel wherehe streamedThe Elder Scrolls Onlinein June— more than a month before this partnership. In February, he wasstoked to hit goldrank inLeague of Legends.
So yeah, it makes sense that Whittaker is up to promoteFallout 76. He probably would’ve played it on his own time anyway. Maybe the UFC isn’t a perfect fit for Bethesda games, but it sure seems like Whittaker is.
