UFC: Tapout is a video game in the fighting genre based upon the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The game was released in North America on February 28, 2002 for the Xbox console.
Tapout was published by Crave Entertainment and developed by DreamFactory. The subtitle Tapout refers to a fighter tapping his hand indicating that he has submitted to a submission hold. A tapout, along with a knockout, judge’s decision, and referee stoppage, is one of the ways of ending a UFC bout.
The game features many of UFC’s top stars including Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, Mark Coleman, Frank Shamrock, and Tito Ortiz. Competitions can take place in several modes such as exhibition, tournament, arcade, and championship mode. Several fighters throughout the game are unlockable such as two female competitors and celebrity Ice-T.
UFC: Tapout received generally lukewarm reviews from critics. A sequel to this game entitled UFC: Tapout 2 was released in 2003. Other than an updated roster, the game is very similar to the first Tapout and received similar reviews. Tapout 2 was published by TDK Mediactive. Both games have an ESRB rating of T for Teen.