The release of the newest Rugby League game by Australian developer Big Ant Studios has seen widespread criticism from gamers and rugby players alike, after a litany of bugs and poorly-represented player models plagued the game.
Rugby League 26 was released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on July 16, and was immediately criticized by fans following its release. Gamers noted issues with the game, including a host of bugs and glitches, but also key problems with the rugby gameplay itself, with a review from Australian website Player2 saying the game is "full of incorrect rules and implementations."
Rugby players aren't happy with it, either, with NRLW players Millie Elliott and Kennedy Cherrington both criticizing the likeness of players in the game, particularly those of women. Big Ant Studios CEO Ross Symons has said that the disparity in player models comes from the lack of photogrammetry scans from some players, shifting the blame onto the players who "could not spare 45 seconds" in a post on X.
The Rugby League Players Association, in a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, said that the issues and concerns need to be remedied, and has urged the NRL to provide greater consultation with players in projects like this.
Since the game's launch Big Ant Studios has released a number of patches and updates, fixing many of the issues players had with the game. It has also offered compensation to players, all of whom received a sizable amount of Pro Team points last week, and Symons has pledged that the team will continue to improve upon the game.
Rugby League 26 is the first game in the Rugby League series since 2017, which saw the release of Rugby League Live 4, also developed by Big Ant Studios but published by Tru Blu Games. The game was touted to have updated visuals and better realism, and features commentary by Andrew Voss and former NRL player Cameron Smith.