Milton Keynes, UK – [07, July 2011] – Further to the announcement of the forthcoming release of Rugby World Cup 2011 on 26th August, international publisher 505 Games and developer HB studios have today announced the games exclusive partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). The official licensing agreement grants the exclusive use of the Rugby World Cup 2011 Ireland team strip, emblem, many player likenesses, and the Home of Irish Rugby in Dublin, within the game. With further licensing deals to be announced in due course, Rugby World Cup 2011 will be the authentic rugby gaming experience this summer.
Rugby World Cup 2011 is the official game of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand and HB studios and 505 Games have been granted the exclusive rights for the Tournament’s official game by Rugby World Cup Limited. “From a developer perspective, working with an official licence always opens doors on the way to creating a more immersive gaming experience,” commented Alastair Jarvis, General Manager at HB studios. “At HB, we feel uniquely placed when it comes to rugby game development, and tying up a deal such as this only makes our dream of creating the definitive, authentic rugby title achievable.”
The first rugby title on this generation of consoles, Rugby World Cup 2011 will feature the Home of Irish Rugby, as one of its many showpiece stadia. Many player likenesses for the Irish squad have been secured and implemented into the game with HD presentation detail extending to the inclusion of thigh tape, wrist tape, finger tape and scrum caps.
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Rugby World Cup 2011 will challenge players to pick from the 20 Rugby World Cup 2011 participating teams and attempt to lead their team through the pool phase, and progress to the Final with 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 other players 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 Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network and PlayStation®Network.“As with any sports title, we feel authenticity is key with Rugby World Cup 2011, and with that in mind, the involvement of the IRFU was an essential element of this title,” commented Ian Howe, President, 505 Games “With further partnerships yet to be announced, we’re confident rugby fans from around the world will be impressed with the roster of likenesses and stadia within the game.”
Padraig Power, IRFU Commercial and Marketing Director commented, “We are delighted to be involved in this project. The Irish rugby brand is very strong at the moment and this game brings our Team, our brand and our sport to new markets and new supporters. We hope all Irish rugby supporters enjoy it immensely!”
Rugby World Cup 2011 will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system on August 26th 2011. For more information, please visit the official website at www.rwc2011game.com and facebook.com/rwc2011game
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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® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation®Portable, Windows PC and PlayStation®2 selling more than 17.5 million units. For more information, please visit http://www.hb-studios.com/
About 505 Games
505 Games is a global publisher of video games, publishing games for all ages across multiple platforms including, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Sony PlayStation® 3, Nintendo Wii™ and DS, Windows PC, Facebook, iPhone®, Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network, and PlayStation®Network.
505 Games has offices in key territories around the world to publish and distribute its library of successful titles which include ArmA II, IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, the Cooking Mama World series, Naughty Bear, Backbreaker and Zumba Fitness. 505 Games is headquartered in Milton Keynes – UK, with international offices 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. To 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. www.rugbyworldcup.com.
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