The NRL players’ union have raised major concerns about the new Rugby League 26 game, amid huge backlash from both players and gamers.
The new video game has had a rocky ride since its release last Thursday. Publisher Big Ant Studios already uploading 31 posts on their X account relating to bugs in the game, with gamers reporting major issues with gameplay and in-game features such as Pro Team mode, while a group of NRLW and NRL players have also publically vented their frustrations at their player models and in-game ratings as well.
And now, the RLPA have called for the NRL to step in to rectify the issues as quickly as possible.
‘That’s the learning from this’
“The first part is obviously remedying the issues and concerns, and having the NRL work with us” RLPA chief executive, Clint Newton, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“And then any activation that involved player IP use, particularly on this scale that obviously impacts the way this has, that requires involvement and inclusion (of players) up front. That’s the learning from this.”
The report also claims that the union have engaged with global firm OneTeam International to protect the players’ intellecutal property.
The in-game models of players, particularly those of the NRLW players, has also received heavy public criticism. NRLW star Millie Elliott recently spoke to Triple M to compare her in-game model to her husband – Newcastle Knights forward Adam Elliott.
“I will say it (her character in RL26) looks absolutely nothing – nothing – like me. Adam looks like his own doppleganger. It looks exactly like him. You’d think with AI and all this technology these days that they could get it looking a little similar.”
It is understood that Big Ant Studios went into the NRL and Super League clubs to d0 in-person face scans, but only a handful of NRLW players have so far had their’s taken in-person. There was an app created so players could send their scans in digitally.
Addressing these issues, Big Ant Studios chief executive, Ross Symons, told the SMH: “We went to great lengths to capture NRL and NRLW players in person. All players – equally from both the NRL and NRLW – who chose to attend the photogrammerty sessions are accurately and faithfully represented in the game.”
Reports also claim there will be further in-person face scans for NRLW players at Magic Round.
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