When is the Rugby 24 release date? Nacon is back once again with another rugby outing for you to enjoy, this time with the highest number of teams ever in the series. However, its ambition has meant a shift to the Rugby 24 release date, so here's the lowdown on when it's now dropping and what you can expect from the game.
Nacon's Rugby series hasn't been one to show off a lot of the game before release, and that is the same this year. However, we do know some details, including when Rugby 24 will now arrive after experiencing a delay.
Rugby 24 release date
The Rugby 24 release date is set for Tuesday, January 30, 2024, which is just before the Six Nations. The game was initially meant to release in September 2023 just before the Rugby World Cup, but was pushed back.
Rugby 24 will be coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
Why was Rugby 24 delayed?
Rugby 24 was hit with a four month delay in order to further improve the gameplay and because of issues in getting 3D photo capture of top players.
"Ever since we began developing the game Rugby 24, our goal has been to create the best simulation and most complete game possible," developer Big Ant says in a statement. "The team has been working hard to adjust the gameplay, represent the sport as accurately as possible, and integrate all the officially licensed teams, which include over 130 countries and 15 leagues.
"With this massive expansion in content, the development of the game has taken more time than we originally planned, and we have also had difficulty gaining access to some of the top teams' players to capture 3D photos (photogrammetry) prior to the World Cup. As we want to bring the most authentic and complete rugby game to date, we have taken the difficult decision to push back the Rugby 24 release date to 30 January 2024, on the eve of the Six Nations tournament. This extra time will also aid development and allow us to further enhance gameplay."
Rugby 24 gameplay
We haven't seen any gameplay for Rugby 24 yet. The game was only briefly featured in a montage with some artistic visualizations. So, when it comes to how this year's game looks, we can't say just yet.
Expect to see some form of gamelpay trailer in either late December or January, a few weeks before the new release date.
Rugby 24 teams
At the moment, we don't have a full list of teams that will appear in Rugby 24, but we do know that the game has the licenses of 130 national teams.
This is likely tied to the fact that the game has the license for the Rugby World Cup this year – although, with its release date being delayed, you won't be able to experience its RWC-themed offerings until well after the tournament itself is finished.
As for the other leagues and teams, we'll just have to wait and see.
Rugby 24 customization
Big Ant Studios known for adding customization to its games, and publisher Nacon tells The Loadout that the team will "continue" on this front and there will be a big focus on user-generated content, alongside all of those official licensed teams and players.
We don't ahve concrete details on this at the moment, but we'll update you once we hear more from Nacon or Big Ant on this.
Rugby 24 news
While we haven't had much news on Rugby 24, we've pulled a few strings and bagged ourselves an interview or two with the Nacon team.
In our first interview, Nacon revealed that Big Ant already has some big ideas on how to improve the series. While the publisher admits its difficult to translate the physicality of a real game into videogame format, Big Ant apparently has "fresh ideas" for things like rucks, mauls, and line-ups.
We also know that women's rugby isn't going to be included in Rugby 24, simply because of how much work changing developers has caused. However, Nacon "strongly believes" in the addition of women's league and we could well see the sport included in the next game.
Last but not least, Nacon also revealed to The Loadout that it hopes Rugby 24 can be the start of a "new cycle" for the series. It's no secret that the series has struggled in the past, but with a new focus, a new team, and different specialisms, it seems Nacon really wants to turn this into a success story.
That covers everything we know about the Rugby 24 release date, as well as what you can expect from the gameplay from this year's game. For a look at how Rugby 22 went, read our Rugby 22 review to see why it did not meet our expectations.
For sports fans wanting to dive into something while they wait for Rugby 24, check out our list of the best sports games you can play right now.