In just a few days time the battle for the Webb Ellis Cup begins in earnest, with New Zealand kicking off against the powerful Tongans in Auckland.
The official Rugby World Cup 2011 videogame allows players to recreate these and many other moments from the Tournament: taking their pick of the 20 teams, guiding them through the pool phase and onto the Final. Players also get the chance to fight for the glory of their chosen nation online, challenging other players to one-on-one matches on Xbox LIVE online entertainment network and PlayStation Network.
“This is a great opportunity for 505 Games in North America and brings rugby videogames to the widest possible audience,” said Ian Howe, US President of 505 Games. “We truly feel that the game captures the spirit and emotion of Rugby World Cup, as well as delivering fast, fluid and authentic gameplay that will keep players hooked.”
“It’s a great pleasure to partner with 505 Games to bring the official videogame of Rugby World Cup 2011 to the North American market,” said Alastair Jarvis, General Manager at HB Studios. “Our Rugby games have for a long time introduced newcomers to the sport and having grown up playing rugby on the West Coast of Canada, I can attest to the passion of rugby fans on these shores. With the launch of Rugby World Cup 2011 and the tournament’s broadcast on television in the US and Canada, the numbers of fans devoted to the sport is set to see another spike.”
“We are delighted that fans can now purchase the official Rugby World Cup 2011 videogame,” said IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset. “As excitement builds around Rugby’s showcase tournament I am sure that the Game will prove extremely popular and boost the Tournament experience for Rugby fans whilst growing the appeal and profile of our sport across all markets. The game will capture the emotion, passion, drama and excitement of what is the biggest sporting event of the year.”
A vastly experienced commentary team – including Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison, Philippe Sella and Eric Bayle, and Greg Clark and Sean Fitzpatrick – all combine to offer Rugby fans unrivaled authenticity.
Rugby World Cup 2011 will be broadcast in an exclusive licensing agreement with NBC Universal, which will air key matches in the Tournament exclusively via their NBC and Universal Sports networks, as well as both online and via mobile platforms.
Rugby World Cup 2011 is now available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 for $49.99. An official demo for the game is now available for download via Xbox LIVE, as well as a free trial version on PlayStation Network
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