Rugby League (video game series) explained

Rugby League
Developer:Sidhe Interactive, Wicked Witch Software,
Publisher:Tru Blu Entertainment
Released:2003–present
Genre:Sports game
Platforms:Current:
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android
Notable past systems:
Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Wii
First Release Version:Rugby League
First Release Date:9 December 2003
Latest Release Version:Rugby League Live 4
Latest Release Date:20 July 2017

Rugby League is a rugby league video game series developed by Sidhe Interactive, Wicked Witch Software, and Big Ant Studios. The first games was Rugby League, released on 9 December 2003. The latest game released was Rugby League Live 4, released on 20 July 2017 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

History

Prior to Tru Blu, there were a handful of Southern Hemisphere-focused rugby league video games:

The Rugby League franchise started in 2003 when Rugby League was released by Sidhe Interactive and Tru Blu Entertainment. This led to Rugby League 2 in late 2005 and the World Cup Edition (a content update of RL2) in 2008. In 2009, Wicked Witch Software released two off-series games on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable and Rugby League 3 was released. Big Ant Studios in 2010 starting releasing the Rugby League Live series in 2010. Rugby League Live 2 followed in 2012, again developed by Big Ant Studios.

On 31 May 2013, Tru Blu Entertainment announced Rugby League Live 2 would receive an update to the game, the 2013 season pack, developed by Melbourne's Big Ant Studios. It features an update to the 2013 season of rugby league; team Kits, roster updates, new 2013 competitions, new and updated stadiums, sponsors and a number of other features and improvements. The update was released on 19 June 2013, as DLC on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Wicked Witch Software created Rugby League Live 2 for iOS, which was released in 2013 and later on Android.

Rugby League Live 3 was released by Big Ant Studios in September 2015 on seventh-gen and eighth-gen consoles as well as Microsoft Windows.

On 9 May 2017, the NRL announced the latest title Rugby League Live 4 which was released on 28 October 2017.

In 2020, the NRL confirmed that a new Rugby League game is due for release in 2021.The game has since been delayed multiple times, the game is still in production with a currently unknown release date. [3]

On July 1st, 2024, Tru Blu Games announced that Rugby League Live 3 and Rugby League Live 4 would be removed off sale on all platforms due to their NRL license expiry. The Publisher stated that the servers would be kept back up.[4] [5]

List of games

TitleRelease DateConsole(s)Developer(s)
Rugby League9 December 2003PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft WindowsSidhe Interactive
Rugby League 28 December 2005[6] PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft WindowsSidhe Interactive
Rugby League 2: World Cup Edition6 November 2008PlayStation 2Sidhe Interactive
NRL Mascot Mania2 July 2009Nintendo DSWicked Witch Software
Rugby League Challenge9 September 2009PlayStation PortableWicked Witch Software
Rugby League 318 March 2010WiiSidhe Interactive
Rugby League Live27 August 2010PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft WindowsBig Ant Studios
Rugby League Live 29 October 2012PlayStation 3, Xbox 360Big Ant Studios
Rugby League Live 2: Gold Edition20 September 2013iOS, AndroidWicked Witch Software
Rugby League Live 310 September 2015 PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Microsoft WindowsBig Ant Studios
Rugby League Live 4[7] 20 July 2017[8] PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PCBig Ant Studios
Rugby League Live 4 World Cup Edition18 December 2017PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PCBig Ant Studios
Rugby League Live 5TBAPlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PCTBC

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: E.T.'s Rugby League : Hall of Light - the database of Amiga games .
  2. Web site: One game at a time: Video games of the rugby codes (Part VI) . 6 April 2016 .
  3. Web site: Grixti. Shannon. A New Rugby League Game Is On The Way. Press Start Australia. 13 August 2020.
  4. Web site: Rugby League Live 4 will be removed from sale . Tru Blu Games . 1 July 2024.
  5. Web site: Rugby League Live 3 will be removed from sale . Tru Blu Games . 1 July 2024.
  6. Web site: Rugby League 2 Fever Pitch . Sidhe Interactive . 7 December 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070803194258/http://www.sidheinteractive.com/051207.htm . 3 August 2007.
  7. Web site: Rugby League Live 4 due for 2017 release. 9 May 2017.
  8. Web site: Rugby League Live 4 Release Date Revealed For PS4/Xbox One . Grixti . Shannon . 26 June 2017 . PRESS-START . . 27 June 2017.