Latest news with #RugbyLeague26
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Rugby league game a laughing stock like NRL fans all expected
Another Australian football game, another epic flop. The production organisation behind the new Rugby League 26 game are desperately scrambling for solutions after the highly anticipated game fell apart this week. The release of the iconic rugby league video game descended into farce with users taking to social media to complain about glitches, comical bugs and frozen loading screens. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. It has seemed ages since rugby league fans have had an opportunity to try a new gaming experience, but this week's embarrassing release will be an all-too-familiar deflating feeling. With limited resources and budgets for such a small market of gaming fans, expectations are always low when it comes to local football games — but even the most pessimistic of fans would have been disappointed when the game dropped. While plenty of fans have publicly praised the in-match experience, countless others have taken to social media to share clips of hilarious glitches. Among the angry reactions across cyberspace, some fans have reached out directly to the Big Ant Studios Studios developer responsible for executing the new game. Users of X have reached out directly to the organisation to ask for refunds. Big Ant Studios released a statement on social media on Thursday night, making an apology to those that have purchased the new game. 'We know today has not gone as smoothly as it should have and we will compensate all #RugbyLeague26 purchasers with some free #ProTeam credit,' the Studio posted. 'Details to follow tomorrow. There has been overwhelming demand that also may have caused service issues, and for that we cannot apologise enough. The studio on Friday morning shared another update. 'At the moment the team have been on a double+ shift of 16+ hours to secure server services to enable #ProTeam to be turned back on,' it stated. 'That is the first priority, then an update to the game.' Users sharing video clips of some of their user experiences have got plenty of rugby league fans guffawing on X. One person posted on X: 'Not even joking how did this game get the green light? Another person posted: '8 years and this dross is the best you can come up with? Embarrassing'. One user wrote: 'Cannot put into words how bad Rugby League 26 is'. One person summed it up by posting: 'I didn't have big expectations around Rugby League 26 but this is a genuine piss take. I understand you are not a big developer but c'mon guys, be better.' The most damning social posts have been videos shared by users. Typical commentary from a #bigant rugby game 🙈 #rugbyleague26 — Darren Glover (@dazglo36) July 17, 2025 interesting kickoff tactic #RugbyLeague26 — steven (@stvnktzms) July 17, 2025 Thought I’d give the online section of Rugby League 26 a go, swiftly left the game after this bullshit. This game is brutal😂 @BigAntStudios @RossSymons — Jamie Tomlin (@JamieTomlin_) July 17, 2025 En route to your headquarters as we speak @RossSymons @BigAntStudios #RugbyLeague26 — zac (@shaisprint) July 17, 2025 That doesn't mean every user has had a bad experience. Fox League larrikins Nathan Hindmarsh and Bryan Fletcher appeared to get plenty of giggles while playing it on a segment of their hit segment. Although even their promotional video showed up some bugs. As reported by Code Sports, the game has had the biggest pre-sale for any game in 2025. Rabbitohs hooker Brandon Smith enjoyed playing the game in a promotional exercise. 'Mate, it's a great game,' he told the publication. 'For me, it's just about playing rugby league on a video game and being in one. I remember when the old games came out …. it was just a cool thing. So it's awesome just to be a part of something like this.' Smith's rating in the game is 82, despite his recent injury woes. Panthers star Nathan Cleary is the highest rated player in the game with a rating of 93. Penrith captain Isaah Yeo is the second best player in the game with 92. Of course, a few things like glitches, bugs and major system breakdowns won't stop diehard rugby league fans from snapping up the game. At least now, we've all been warned.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Rugby League 26 video game launch hit by glitches, server issues, Xbox failure
State of Origin star Kennedy Cherrington is among scores of fans left disappointed by the launch of the long-awaited Rugby League 26 video game. The game was released on Thursday and social media immediately blew up with fans reporting bugs and errors. Gamers noticed everything from strangely inflated player ratings — rarely selected Knights halfback Jackson Hastings is an 89 and retired forward Tom Eisenhuth tops the Dragons at 90 — to glitches within the gameplay, to stadiums being placed in the wrong cities. Xbox users were also locked out by server errors for about 11 hours after release, while many players in the game are wearing the wrong numbers, kicking with the wrong foot, or listed at the wrong positions. A large swathe of fans have called the game simply a re-skinned version of Rugby League Live 4, which was released in 2017 by the same studio, Big Ant. Content creator and Penrith Panthers superfan Ryan Flaxman called on the developers to "do better", labelling the game a "remaster" of its eight-year-old predecessor, rather than anything new. "When I buy a $100 game, I am expecting — maybe not FIFA levels, I know I'm not expecting top quality — but I'm expecting something new," he posted on social media. "And yes, we've got Pro Team, but 90 per cent of the gameplay is a copy and paste of Rugby League Live 4. "And I could live with that [if] the gameplay was working, but nothing was working. I could live with the re-use of animations, the shit commentary, the game itself, but the fact that it just doesn't work, come on man." ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2025. Parramatta and NSW State of Origin star Kennedy Cherrington was among the most prominent voices criticising the game. "This might seem petty, but as a player that features in the new RL26 game, I'm not happy," Cherrington wrote on social media. "Maybe we should just be grateful that we're in the game but overall I know the fans aren't happy too. From the facial scans to the player ratings & even the gameplay nahhh." Cherrington said she couldn't play herself at her usual position of lock, nor men's star Mitchell Moses at halfback, and Eels teammate Tyla Amiatu was another of the players listed out of position, with the prop labelled an 89-rated fullback. "So bad," Cherrington wrote, adding it is "not hard to ask what position the players play". Cherrington posted on Instagram as she repeatedly tried and failed to sign in to the game, calling for more consultation with players. "I reckon in the future we make sure we work together to make sure a half-finished game like this never gets released again lol," she posted on her stories, tagging the Rugby League Players' Association. Melbourne-based game developer Big Ant Studios and its founder and chief executive, Ross Symons, have been doing damage control on social media since the launch. Symons apologised to fans who "spent good miney" (sic), some as much as $125, on the game. Big Ant worked with Microsoft to get the game up and running on Xbox, but issues persisted, and the studio said employees were working "around the clock" to fix other bugs. "We know today has not gone as smoothly as it should have, and we will compensate all #RugbyLeague26 purchasers with some free #ProTeam credit," Big Ant tweeted. "There has been overwhelming demand that also may have caused service issues, and for that we cannot apologise enough." Symons said they sold six times more copies of Rugby League 26 than other game this year, and the "servers are not coping". The "Rugby League 26 Bugs and Issues Megathread" on the Big Ant website's forum had received 137 messages in 24 hours from midday Saturday. Some have been fixed, while frustrated players wait for others to be rectified.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Watch as NRL star Josh Addo-Carr is pranked by his OWN CLUB with brutal fake player rating following launch of video game RugbyLeague26
NRL star Josh Addo-Carr has been stitched up deluxe by the Parramatta Eels, who caught the flyer off-guard with a classic prank following the highly anticipated launch of video game RugbyLeague26 this week. Former representative winger Addo-Carr, 29, was given a fake player rating of 71 by the club's media team - and the 'Foxx' wasn't happy. 'Whoever made this game has no idea about rugby league,' was his immediate reply on camera. Teammate Will Penisini urged the game's creators to 'check the resume' of Addo-Carr, which includes two NRL premierships with the Melbourne Storm as well as the World Cup in 2021, where he was a standout for Australia. Eventually Addo-Carr was informed the numbers were fabricated - and he was all smiles about the 'crazy' wind-up. Other fake ratings of Eels stars included a very generous 86 for centre Jordan Samrani, a harsh 66 for veteran utility Dylan Walker, 87 for replacement halfback Dean Hawkins and 89 for hard-nosed forward Luca Moretti. Understandably, Italian international Moretti was delighted, and cheekily declared: 'the numbers don't lie.' Meanwhile, scores of footy fans have taken to social media to complain about numerous glitches, bugs and frozen loading screens from the video game. 'Not even joking how did this game get the green light?,' one bemused supporter posted on X. Another said: 'This dross is the best you can come up with? Embarrassing.' A third wrote: 'Cannot put into words how bad Rugby League 26 is'. The avalanche of criticism saw Big Ant Studios - who created the game - release a statement on Thursday night, apologising to those who purchased the game. 'We know today has not gone as smoothly as it should have and we will compensate all #RugbyLeague26 purchasers with some free #ProTeam credit,' the Studio posted online. 'Details to follow. There has been overwhelming demand that also may have caused service issues, and for that we cannot apologise enough.' Panthers superstar halfback Nathan Cleary is the highest rated player in the game with a rating of 93.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
NRLW 2025 LIVE updates: Sharks and Eels go head-to-head in season opener
Go to latest Pinned post from 7.09pm Vote now - 2025 NRLW premiers 7.20pm Penitani to feature on Playstation cover By Billie Eder Sharks captain Tiana Penitani has become the first NRLW player on the cover of a PlayStation game, after the gaming console released the first images of their new Rugby League 26 game. Penitani features on the cover alongside Nathan Clear, with the game set to be launched on July 17. Speaking on the Say Less Podcast, Penitani said it was big advancement for women's rugby league. 'When the NRL asked me about it, I thought it was a G-up, I was like, are you serious? It's so cool,' Penitani said. 'It's epic. I mean, they could have chosen a handful of other payers but [it's great].' 7.09pm Eels trio out for season opener By Billie Eder Parammatta are missing three crucial players for their match against the Sharks tonight, including skipper Mahalia Murphy. Murphy is out with a hamstring injury, and was fighting to be back for round one, but coach Steve Georgallis has erred on the side of caution, keeping his captain on the sideline in the hope of a round two return against the Warriors in Auckland. Kennedy Cherrington is another big loss for the squad as she deals with a knee injury carried over from Origin earlier this year. She's hoping for a mid-season return, along with Boss Kapua as she comes back from a fibula injury.
Sydney Morning Herald
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Even Flanno's backers are deserting him as pressure mounts over handling of son Kyle
Winning will fix this issue in the short-term and last night was a start. But the problem for Flanagan snr is that the same people who didn't want him to coach the Dragons in the first place certainly haven't changed their minds. In fairness to the Dragons, Flanagan was the best option available at the time. They needed to sign a coach with experience and Flanagan has won a competition with the Sharks. The next few weeks may determine whether any request to extend his contract, which ends in 2027, is looked at favourably. At this point, he has not asked for one. All of this is happening while the Dragons have an obvious first-grade coach in their midst in assistant Dean Young, and up the road at South Sydney there is someone with the pedigree and development they need – the increasingly confident Ben Hornby. There is no evidence the Dragons are sounding out other coaches, though. The immediate issue for coach Flanagan are his comments defending Kyle in the News Corp press. 'To say Kyle is under pressure is ridiculous,' Flanagan said. 'He's been among our best players all year. It's not me, ask the other players and coaches. I'm probably harder on Kyle than any other player.' Those comments have gone down badly with those close to him at the club. Those who understand the media game told Flanno it would be a bad idea to make such statements. There was speculation the board was not impressed, but that has been denied. However, sections of the playing group certainly don't agree with Flanagan's appraisal and defence of his son. The quotes above have been talked about by members of the Dragons playing group and also by former players who have been in contact with the current group. It was brought to my attention by those close to the players, and I was asked to make it clear that they have not been well received. This columnist was even confronted by some at the Dragons after I said I felt sorry for Kyle. I was reminded that he's on a salary that he would not get at any other club, playing in a position that he would not be playing at any other club. I've also been told that former Dragons half Ben Hunt found it uncomfortable playing with Kyle. Some players have made comments about enjoying playing on the other side of the field to him. And other players are upset by the number of player of the match awards he's received from the coaching staff. PVL defends son's role in video game group NRL boss Peter V'landys has defended placing his son in a focus group to approve the code's newest video game, which is due to be launched next month. The game, Rugby League 26, is yet to be ticked off on or even promoted, and V'landys makes no apologies for bringing his family into the process. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has also been linked to the process, and he is fuming on behalf of both men at questions over their involvement. They see it as an attempt to imply they are overstepping their roles and are going to launch an investigation into how this sensitive information made it into this column. I put information to V'landys and Abdo that detailed the use of focus groups to assess the game, which is due to be launched on July 17. Those with knowledge of the process, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, told this column that V'landys wanted to show the game to his family and have that as part of the rigorous testing process before it could be approved and then launched. 'Persons that are saying this rubbish are either being mischievous or running an agenda,' V'landys said. 'We simply wanted a rigorous analysis by an independent focus group where my son would be one of many as he plays the other sports games. We want the game to be the best in the market, so we want an honest analysis not a confected one.' Abdo said: 'Stakeholder focus group testing is a normal part of the quality control testing process to ensure the best possible user experience.' V'landys considers these kinds of video games to be a big part of growing rugby league, citing the popularity of similar NBA and FIFA games. He explained that video games introduce young people to a sport they may not know a lot about, hopefully creating new fans for the code. We contacted the boss of the company, Big Ant Studios, that has developed the game and put questions to him about the influence of the NRL bosses on the product. Those queries were promptly shut down and I was referred to the NRL. It is fair to say the hunt is now on to discover how this information became public. Bellamy key in Origin III Whatever Craig Bellamy is being paid by the NSW Rugby League, he'll be worth every cent during the next 10 days. He is the man who can help Laurie Daley overcome any post-traumatic Origin syndrome that he may have as he approaches the biggest game of his coaching career. Daley wants this win badly. He has some wrongs to right in Origin and the key for him is to maintain the calm yet inspiring demeanour he has displayed to the players in private. This is very much Daley's Blues team, but don't underestimate the importance of Bellamy and his right-hand man at state and club level, Frank Ponissi, as the Blues get ready for the decider. Bellamy has been in the background and has largely avoided media requests because he knows this is Daley's side. But Bellamy is more attuned to the high pressure and cut and thrust of big games, and the preparation that is required at such times. It is exactly why Daley put his ego aside and made Bellamy the top priority on his coaching staff when he wanted to get the state job back. Daley would not be human if he didn't think about the close calls in his first coaching stint at the Blues, when his team lost narrowly in big games against the greatest Queensland side of all time. Daley won just six of 15 games in that first stint, but many of those losses were heartbreakingly close, and it could easily have been a very different story. Those losses do not sit well with Daley, and as one of the proudest men in Blues history, this is an opportunity for redemption that he does not want to let slip. He will need to channel that in the right way and Bellamy – the coach's coach – has a vital role to play in that. NRL fears record invasion Souths boss Blake Solly will have meetings with Alex Johnston, his manager, Steve Gillis, and the NRL to discuss a range of options to celebrate the Rabbitohs winger's looming try-scoring record. Johnston scored four tries against the Storm last weekend to move to 206, just six shy of Ken Irvine's once seemingly untouchable try-scoring record of 212. He may be closer this morning after the Rabbitohs took on the Dolphins last night. One thing the NRL doesn't want to happen is for fans to run onto the field to celebrate the moment. How they stop that is another matter. Central character I'm not into rappers, but this guy must be a big deal. Central Cee has 15 million followers on Instagram and Bulldogs star Bronson Xerri was quick to post this pic after the match against the Panthers. According to Wikipedia, Cee is UK rapper Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, and he's a big deal. I'll take their word for it. Sorry state of affairs Ryan Hoffman was always an honourable and decent bloke to deal with in the media, but his defence of Billy Slater, while well-meaning, was poorly thought-out. Queensland coach Slater apologised for referencing the late Maroons mentor Paul Green in a press conference where he linked Green's death to public criticism of coaches. He was responding to comments made on radio by Aaron Woods. Hoffman was angry Woods called Slater a grub. But he then upped the name-calling, labelling Woods – his NSW teammate in the Blues' 2014 series victory – a 'coward' on the ABC's Offsiders program. It destroyed his credibility in the argument, giving Woods another victory. There has been some speculation that Slater was advised by Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin to apologise to Green's wife, Amanda. It was coming from good sources, but we have checked it out and have been told it was Slater's idea alone. Which is a good thing, as it shows he is truly sorry for what he said. We have been told the apology was as heartfelt as it gets. Ikin's blue comes up trumps Speaking of Ikin, he got the surprise of his life when he arrived at his Perth hotel for Origin II. The first person he bumped into was NSW coach Laurie Daley, who said, 'What are you doing here?' Ikin had booked himself into the Blues' team hotel. He was one of the few happy guests on Thursday morning after Queensland's surprise 26-24 win. Cobbo backers go quiet The apologists for Selwyn Cobbo have gone quiet in recent times as he embarks on an effort to re-establish his football career at the Dolphins. In fact, his chief cheerleader Gorden Tallis is now suggesting Cobbo and coach Michael Maguire had a personality clash. We will take Tallis at his word regarding Maguire, but it's worth noting that Tallis has it in for Maguire after he sacked him from a job at South Sydney. Maguire chose not to have Tallis as part of his coaching set-up when he took over at the Rabbitohs in late 2011. Tallis had a role at the club before Maguire's arrival. Tallis is the same person who has raged our revelation last year that Cobbo and the Queensland coaching staff were not on the same page. It is worth noting Cobbo has not played for the Maroons since our revelations and is now in the Queensland Cup. When we made those comments about Cobbo, a member of the Queensland coaching staff pulled me aside to say that I didn't understand Indigenous footballers. That was both racist and an admission that things had not gone smoothly in camp for Queensland with Cobbo. Cobbo is an introverted young man who is happier sitting in front of a PlayStation at home than being in the public eye. He is lifted by the love of his family and weighed down by an expectation to provide for them. Now that Tallis is telling the world that Cobbo may not be every coach's cup of tea, it stacks up to the issues we touched on last year. His issues at Queensland are very similar to the ones at the Broncos, in that his commitment to doing the small things that separate good footballers from great ones is not there. It also explains why the Broncos were only willing to offer Cobbo half of his current salary to stay at the club, and they had not prioritised his signing. Cobbo's teammate Billy Walters said publicly that the talented utility back needs to find his love for football again, which is something everybody in the game hopes will happen as he is a rare talent when he is fully focused on the task of being a professional footballer. Will Luai jump back in deep end?
