Cristiano Ronaldo involved in $40m investment in Cyprus-based company

International football star Cristiano Ronaldo has become an investor in UFL, a new free-to-play football video game created by a gaming publishing company headquartered in Paphos.

Ronaldo is part of a group of investors that has recently committed to investing more than $40 million into the development of the new title, which, according to Strikerz Inc., the brand behind UFL, seeks to have a major impact on the way football fans interact with the world of gaming. The investment marks a significant milestone for the team behind UFL, uniting an exciting new project with one of the world’s biggest football stars.

Ronaldo, who holds Instagram’s most popular account with over 614 million followers, is anticipated to help shape the game’s development as part of the UFL team’s mission to set a new standard for immersive football gaming.

As football fans will already be aware, the sports icon has won titles in the colours of Juventus, Real Madrid, and Manchester United and currently plays for Al-Nassr FC. Ronaldo is now also anticipated to play a significant role in enhancing UFL itself while supporting the business in captivating football fans around the world.

Recently speaking about his new partnership with UFL, Cristiano Ronaldo said, “I’m thrilled to be a part of this project as UFL can become the new breed in football gaming.”

While the official release date is yet to be announced, a closed testing phase for the game began this autumn. UFL will launch on the PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles. Until then, the game can be found and added to Wishlist on the PlayStation™ Store and the Microsoft Store.

According to its creators, the game will be available for free with new features and updates added regularly with no mandatory payments or yearly fees. The game is designed to be a fair-to-play experience emphasizing a skill-first approach with zero pay-to-win options.

An announcement from Paphos-based Strikerz Inc., the brand behind UFL, said the company believes there is a significant opportunity for a new approach with a football game that combines outstanding gameplay and interactive experience for fans, while doing so with a fair philosophy that rewards the millions of passionate football gamers around the world.

Eugene Nashilov, CEO of Strikerz Inc., commented, “Having Cristiano Ronaldo join us as a partner and investor is a significant step forward and an endorsement of our vision to create the leading game for football fans in the world. UFL is committed to innovation, technology and entertainment and we see significant potential to do things differently in the gaming industry. This is an ambition shared by Cristiano and we are excited to be working together, while continuing to engage with future investors, to create a game that fills a gap in the football gaming market by unifying a rich gaming experience with continuous progress and a fair approach.”

More about Eugene Nashilov

Nashilov’s career in the gaming industry started in 2008 at Bitfold Games Studio where he had the role of Associate Producer on a browser-based MMO. He was then an executive producer at I-Play, IT Territory and Disney Interactive contributing to a number of F2P titles.
Nashilov co-founded a mobile game development studio Klimpstar taking the role of Product Management Director in the team. In 2014 he co-founded 'Black Beacon', a game development company that has developed 'The GODLIKE' - a PC MOBA with RTS elements set in dark fantasy setting. In 2016, he co-founded and took on the role of CEO at Strikerz Inc.

More about Strikerz Inc.

Strikerz Inc. is the publishing brand of XTEN Limited, an international gaming company founded in 2016. Its team operates globally with four regional offices, including an HQ in Paphos, and over 200 employees worldwide. UFL represents a revolution in online football simulation gaming, offering players an unprecedented experience.