I attached the text below in it's entirety so that people can put it in context and see that, clearly, where these developers are located was a minor point. (I apologize that doing this makes it such a lengthy post but now people won't have to click on that link.)
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Since 2007 there has not been a rugby (union) video game released. This year we get two and they’ll be released within a few months of each other. Which one will earn its place in the hearts of rugby gamers worldwide? Let’s take a look.
Rugby 2012
* Developer: HB Studios (Nova Scotia, Canada)
* Announced: March 2010
* Release date: Summer 2011
* Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
* Experience: Developed EA line of Rugby games (EA will not be involved in Rugby 2012).
Rugby Challenge
* Developer: Sidhe (Wellington, New Zealand)
* Announced: November 2010
* Release date: Fall 2011
* Platforms: Console, PC (Further details not released)
* Experience: Developed Rugby League franchise.
Very little info has been released on either game, so it’s hard to make a call as to which one will be the preferred one. But if I had to make a pick based on what I know today, I’d go with Rugby Challenge. Here’s why:
1. HB announced Rugby 2012 first (March, 2010). From the beginning they made it clear that they did not yet have a publisher; they were taking this development upon themselves and had a very small budget for the endeavor. Maybe I’m a cynic, but I’m willing to bet that they saw a Rugby World Cup year as an easy way to make a few bucks by cranking out Rugby 08 with an updated roster and HD graphics but no other major changes (read: not a major upgrade from Rugby 08). This wouldn’t be a problem if they were the only rugby game on the market, but…
2. Enter Rugby Challenge. Sidhe was fully aware of Rugby 2012 and its summer release date when they announced their plans for Rugby Challenge to be released only a few months after it. This says a lot about their confidence in their game to go head-to-head with Rugby 2012. Oh yeah, and Rugby Challenge also has exclusive rights to the All Blacks and Wallabies.
3. Even if HB weren’t planning a “re-packaging†of Rugby 08, they will still be constantly facing the temptation of re-using Rugby 08 content, especially when these budget constraints come into play. Sidhe doesn’t have this temptation: they can’t reuse their content because rugby league is just different enough to require new material. They’re going to have to build a lot of it from the ground up. Sidhe is poised to innovate. They can incorporate their own fresh ideas with some of the best features of the EA Rugby series. Expect Rugby Challenge to be different in a good way.
Bonus point: Consider the developers for both companies â€" the actual people developing the concepts and code for the game. How many of HB’s (Canada) people do you think grew up playing rugby? Compare that to the number of Sidhe developers who probably grew up playing in New Zealand. The New Zealanders at Sidhe are making a game that they “get.†They know what it’s supposed to look and feel like. Sure, HB is probably quite familiar with rugby, but not to the extent that New Zealanders are. I’m not saying this is a make-or-break factor, but it’s another point to Sidhe.
Does Rugby 2012 stand a chance?
Of course. HB’s biggest advantage is their head start. If they can get it to market first, they might be able to establish themselves. Look for Sidhe to counter this with some pre-release hype to try and get people to hold off on getting Rugby 2012 until Rugby Challenge comes out. (And if you think HB’s biggest advantage is the Rugby franchise name, think again. It’s been four years since the last Rugby ***le and the EA name won’t be on it.)
In the end…
This is all speculation. Both companies are being very tight-lipped about their developments so only time will tell which game really rises to the top. My real hope is that this competition pushes them both to create the best rugby game possible because, in the end, I’m probably going to buy both.
