*The definitive Rugby game comes to consoles this summer with full online play
Unrivalled detail and player experience
Rugby World Cup Limited has today announced the appointment of HB Studios and 505 GAMES as Official Licensee to exclusively produce RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011, the official game of this year’s Tournament in New Zealand.
Due to be launched in August for the Xbox360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 platforms, the innovative and unique game will reflect in detail the incredible action and passion of Rugby’s showcase sporting event with the most accurate Rugby experience ever created.
Developed by leading Rugby developer HB Studios, RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 represents the studio’s first Rugby game on this generation of consoles and takes full advantage of the available hardware to create a game that reflects the prestige of the world’s third-largest sports event.
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 will challenge players to pick from the 20 Rugby World Cup 2011 participating countries, and attempt to lead their team through the pool phase progress to the Final and the opportunity to lift the prestigious Webb Ellis Cup.
National rivalries, venues and player personalities are perfectly captured as participants will fight for the pride of their nation in either solo play or with up to three friends in local multiplayer matches. For the first time, HB Studios will give players the chance to fight for the glory of their country online by challenging other players to one-on-one matches on LIVE® and PlayStation®Network.
“We are delighted that there will be an official game of Rugby World Cup 2011, delivering the ability to boost the tournament experience for Rugby fans whilst growing the appeal and profile of our sport across all markets. This game will capture the emotion, passion, drama and excitement of what is the biggest sporting event of the year,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset.
“Developing RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 for Xbox 360 and PS3™ has given us the opportunity to create the definitive representation of a sport we all have such a passion for,” said Alastair Jarvis, General Manager at HB Studios. “The attention to detail in both the visual quality of the game and the representation of the gameplay is second to none. It captures the thrills and excitement of Rugby World Cup in a way we simply have not been able to achieve before. Online play, especially, adds an entirely new dimension to the game, boosting national pride as players challenge competitors from across the globe to their own international matches.”
“It’s a huge coup for 505 Games to be working with HB Studios on this opportunity and we could not be any more excited about this title. Rugby World Cup is one of the top sporting events on the planet and HB Studios have proven time and time again that they are experts in developing sports games that deliver on every level,” said Ian Howe, Managing Director, 505 games. “We’re thrilled to be part of this huge spectacle and to be publishing one of the most visible games of the year.”
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011 will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system from August 2011. For more information, please visit the official facebook page at www.facebook.com/RUGBYWORLDCUP2011GAME.
About HB Studios.
HB Studios is the largest video game developer in Atlantic Canada. Founded in July 2000, HB has shipped 32 titles with over 200 SKUs across Xbox 360, PlayStation®3, , Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation®Portable, PC, PlayStation®2 and Xbox selling more than 17.5 million units. For more information, please visit http://www.hb-studios.com/
About 505 Games Ltd.
505 Games are a global publisher of video games who publish games for all ages across multiple platforms including, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Nintendo Wii and DS, as well as PC and online titles. Established in 2006, 505 Games have established offices in key territories around the world to publish and distribute its library of successful titles such as ArmA II, IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, the Cooking Mama World series, Naughty Bear, Backbreaker and Zumba Fitness. The headquarters of 505 Games is based in Milton Keynes – UK and further offices are located in Lyon (France), Munich (Germany), Milan (Italy), Madrid (Spain) and Los Angeles (U.S.A). A further network of key distribution partners based in Nordic territories and Australia enable global distribution of 505’s titles. o see the latest releases, news and more about 505 Games go to: www.505games.co.uk
About Rugby World Cup 2011
Rugby World Cup is the crown jewel of the sport and a prominent global property – with television coverage of Rugby World Cup 2007 spanning more than 200 territories, reaching a cumulative audience of 4 billion viewers. Rugby World Cup 2011 is being held in New Zealand for the first time since the inaugural event in 1987. Teams representing 20 nations will compete in 48 matches across 12 Host Cities between 9 September and 23 October 2011.
