Rugby 24 release date speculation: Latest delays explained

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Originally planned to coincide with the Rugby World Cup back in 2023, the game has faced numerous delays, with one more being confirmed in late January 2024.

With officially licensed teams from over 130 nations and 15 different leagues included, there’s (hopefully) plenty to be excited about.

Keep reading to find out when the Rugby 24 release date might be and to discover where to pre-order and more.

Rugby 24 release date speculation

The Rugby 24 release date is currently unknown but it will launch in early access on Steam in March 2024, according to Big Ant Studios and Nacon.

The full game’s release date on consoles and Steam is scheduled as “sometime later in 2024”.

Releasing a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), Big Ant Studios and Nacon apologised for delaying the sports game once more. The statement explains that “due to the intense rugby calendar during the 2023 World Cup year, we have not been able to secure access to enough of the teams to create the considerable amount of content needed to meet our original release time frame”.

Furthermore, the statement adds that it has been “decided that the best way forward is to release Rugby 24 into early access on Steam”.

It’s expected that the development team will “have enough content in March” to launch in early access. You can see the full statement below:

Finally, a release for the much-delayed game (in early access, at least) could be upon us.

The statement adds that “more information about Rugby 24’s Early Access content and price” will be revealed “in the coming weeks". Keep those eyes peeled.

Can I pre-order Rugby 24?

Yes, you can pre-order Rugby 24! Despite there being no confirmed release date, you can head to GAME to pre-order Rugby 24 on PS4, PS5, and Xbox One/Xbox Series X.

You’ll notice that the game’s release date is listed as 31 December 2024 but that is a placeholder. Big Ant Studios and Nacon should give us a finalised release date at some point – see section above for details – but you can always place an early pre-order if you’re keen on some digital rugby action.

Which consoles and platforms can play Rugby 24?

Rugby 24 is playable on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via Steam). This has been confirmed by developer Big Ant Studios and publisher Nacon.

Sadly, Switch owners look to be missing out on Rugby 24, with no release currently planned on the platform. It’s best it releases as complete as possible without the need for further delays to port it on Switch, we reckon.

Are there any Rugby 24 gameplay details?

Rugby 24 is said to have over 130 national teams to choose from in an effort to win the officially licensed Rugby World Cup (and other modes) along with 15 fully licensed leagues – that’s a lot of teams and players.

Modes included are set to be the Rugby World Cup, leagues, career mode, and your usual slate of multiplayer offerings, based on what we can see from store listings like the one on GAME’s website.

Official write-ups about the game are hard to find, and it is yet to have a Steam page. Fingers crossed we learn more about the game soon, as its early access launch is due to land sometime in March 2024.

Is there a Rugby 24 trailer?

There is no proper trailer (or even screenshots that we can find) for Rugby 24, unfortunately. The closest we have thus far is this short video from the official X account confirming that the Rugby World Cup 2023 is included alongside URC, Top 14 and PROD2 clubs:

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