Rugby 2012 (video game)
Encyclopedia
Rugby World Cup 2011 is a rugby union
video game developed by HB Studios
and 505 Games
.
The game is the official video game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
, and was released on both the PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
on 25 August 2011. It was released in North America on 6 September 2011, with the PlayStation 3 version available via the PlayStation Store
.
, which was also developed by HB Studios, then under the EA Sports label. It was announced on 29 March 2010 that The Rugby Forum
and its members, would help HB studios gain a better understanding of what the general rugby-supporting public wanted in the new title.
For the first time in the series of rugby games developed by HB Studios
, the title will have a player editor, but it is limited to attributes and names only.
This is the only mode on the game which allows for full-length matches to be played in the official tournament jerseys.
For example, to tour to the tri-nations teams with a northern hemisphere team, the user must first complete a ‘Pacific Islands Tour’, encountering
,
and
;
and also a ‘South Atlantic Tour’, encountering
and
To tour to the Six Nations countries with a southern hemisphere team, the user must again complete two tours: ‘North American Tour’, meeting
and
;
and then ‘Eastern Tour’, meeting
,
,
and
.
. However, only ten of the teams are officially licensed. Teams such as the All Blacks
(New Zealand), and the Wallabies (Australia), are unlicensed due to their exclusive licensing deal with rival video game Rugby Challenge
.
All other official stadium of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
are included in the game, but only appear in the official tournament mode.
and 3 August on the PlayStation Network. The playable teams are South Africa
and England
, and the venue is Auckland
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
video game developed by HB Studios
HB Studios
HB Studios is a video game development company, founded in July 2000 by Jeremy Wellard, and located in Nova Scotia, Canada.-History:HB's headquarters are located in the small town of Lunenburg on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The company started with nine developers working on Cricket 2002 for...
and 505 Games
505 Games
505 Games, formerly known as 505 Game Street, is an Italian video game publishing division of Italian company Digital Bros. group founded in 2006...
.
The game is the official video game of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
, and was released on both the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
on 25 August 2011. It was released in North America on 6 September 2011, with the PlayStation 3 version available via the PlayStation Store
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store is an online virtual market available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable game consoles via the PlayStation Network. The Store offers a range of downloadable content both for purchase and available free of charge. Available content includes full games,...
.
Details
No rugby union game has been produced for four years since Rugby 08Rugby 08
Rugby 08 is the 2007 release in the Rugby series by EA Sports. The game allows players to play as many Rugby nations, both major and minor, and includes many tournaments, such as the Rugby World Cup, Tri Nations, Six Nations, Guinness Premiership and Super 14.Rugby 08 was released prior to the...
, which was also developed by HB Studios, then under the EA Sports label. It was announced on 29 March 2010 that The Rugby Forum
The Rugby Forum
The Rugby Forum is a website and forum dedicated to providing the latest news and discussion for rugby football fans of all nationalities and of both codes...
and its members, would help HB studios gain a better understanding of what the general rugby-supporting public wanted in the new title.
For the first time in the series of rugby games developed by HB Studios
HB Studios
HB Studios is a video game development company, founded in July 2000 by Jeremy Wellard, and located in Nova Scotia, Canada.-History:HB's headquarters are located in the small town of Lunenburg on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The company started with nine developers working on Cricket 2002 for...
, the title will have a player editor, but it is limited to attributes and names only.
Tournament Mode
This mode, which is the only area of the game in which most of the official stadia appear, is based entirely on the real-life tournament. As such it can be competed in as any of the 20 participating teams, with a schedule of pool matches to match the actual tournament (although users can also choose to have the pools re-drawn randomly, as game developers try to extend the game’s longevity by providing reason for players to complete the tournament more than once).This is the only mode on the game which allows for full-length matches to be played in the official tournament jerseys.
International Test
This mode allows for contests between any of the 20 included teams, at any stadium included in the game (except those stadia exclusive to the ‘Tournament Mode’). Similar to one-off matches in the FIFA series, for example, the match situation is a ‘one-off friendly’ and can be taken to a combination of extra-time and/or a place-kick shootout if the scores are tied after the last play of the match.Warm-up Tour
This mode allows users to take a team on a tour of teams in their opposite hemispheres, although to play the ‘stronger’ sides the user must first complete two tours of ‘weaker’ nations.For example, to tour to the tri-nations teams with a northern hemisphere team, the user must first complete a ‘Pacific Islands Tour’, encountering
,
and
;
and also a ‘South Atlantic Tour’, encountering
and
To tour to the Six Nations countries with a southern hemisphere team, the user must again complete two tours: ‘North American Tour’, meeting
and
;
and then ‘Eastern Tour’, meeting
,
,
and
.
Place Kick Shootout
This mode allows for the user to contest a place-kick competition between any two included teams of their choosing. The match takes place in ‘Auckland’ stadium (Eden Park), and is set at night.Teams
The game features all twenty international teams competing in the 2011 Rugby World Cup2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
. However, only ten of the teams are officially licensed. Teams such as the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
(New Zealand), and the Wallabies (Australia), are unlicensed due to their exclusive licensing deal with rival video game Rugby Challenge
Rugby Challenge
Rugby Challenge is a Rugby video game, developed by Sidhe and published by Tru Blu Entertainment.Rugby Challenge was released on 26 August 2011 in New Zealand for consoles and was released on 2 September for Australia and 8 September for South Africa. The release date for Jonah Lomu Rugby Challenge...
.
Licensed Stadiums
- Millennium StadiumMillennium StadiumThe Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
- can be played in 'Sunny' and 'Dry' conditions only. - MurrayfieldMurrayfieldMurrayfield is an affluent area in the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is to the east of Corstorphine and west of Roseburn. The A8 road runs east-west through the north of the area....
- can be played in 'Overcast' conditions only. - TwickenhamTwickenhamTwickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
- can be played in 'Sunny', 'Overcast' and 'Night' conditions, but the weather conditions are fixed to 'Dry' on 'Sunny'.
Unlicensed Stadiums
- "Auckland" (Eden ParkEden ParkEden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
) - can be played in 'Night' conditions only. - "Buenos Aires" (Estadio José AmalfitaniEstadio José AmalfitaniThe Estadio José Amalfitani is a stadium located in the Liniers neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The venue is mainly used for football matches and is the home of the Argentine Primera División club Vélez Sársfield. The stadium is nicknamed El Fortín or El Fortín de Liniers...
) - can be played in 'Sunny' conditions with 'Dry' weather only. - "Christchurch" (Lancaster Park) - can be played in 'Night' conditions only.
- "Dublin" (Aviva StadiumAviva StadiumThe Aviva Stadium is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Ireland, with a capacity for 50,000 spectators. The stadium is built on the site of the old Lansdowne Road venue, which was demolished in 2007, and replaces that stadium as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the...
) - can be played in 'Overcast' conditions only. - "Johannesburg" (Ellis ParkEllis ParkEllis Park may refer to:* Ellis Park Stadium, also known by its sponsored name of Coca-Cola Park, is a stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa* Ellis Park Racecourse, a thoroughbred horse race track in Henderson, Kentucky...
) - can be played in 'Sunny' conditions with 'Dry' weather only. - "Napier" (McLean ParkMcLean ParkMcLean Park is a sports ground in Napier, New Zealand. The two main sports played at the ground are cricket and rugby. It is one of the 10 proper cricket grounds of New Zealand....
) - can be played in 'Night' conditions only. - "Paris" (Stade de FranceStade de FranceThe Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
) - can be played in 'Night' conditions only. - "Rugby Park" (InvercargillInvercargillInvercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
) - can be played in 'Sunny' conditions with 'Dry' weather only. - "South Pacific" (generic stadium) - can be played in 'Overcast' conditions only.
- "Sydney" (Stadium Australia) - can be played in 'Night' conditions only.
- "Wellington" (Westpac StadiumWestpac StadiumWestpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
) - can be played in 'Night' conditions only.
All other official stadium of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
are included in the game, but only appear in the official tournament mode.
Demo
A demo was released on 2 August on Xbox LiveXbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
and 3 August on the PlayStation Network. The playable teams are South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
and England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, and the venue is Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.