Rugby League 26

About

Rugby League 26 is a multiplayer sport game. It was developed by Big Ant Studios and was released on July 16, 2025. It received negative reviews from players.

Rugby League 26 offers an authentic rugby league experience with career, pro team, and player modes. Build your own team, develop a superstar, and compete in immersive matches featuring real physics and licensed clubs. Rise from local talent to league legend through strategic gameplay and dynamic progression.

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35%

Audience ScoreBased on 433 reviews

replayability3 positive mentions

gameplay18 negative mentions

The graphics and player models are improved, providing a more lifelike experience.
Pro Team mode offers an engaging way to build and manage a squad, appealing to fans of card-collecting mechanics.
The game has potential for growth with ongoing updates and community engagement from the developers.

The game is riddled with bugs and glitches, making it frustrating to play, especially in online modes.
Gameplay feels clunky and outdated, with many mechanics and animations unchanged from previous titles.
The AI is poor, leading to unrealistic gameplay where players often stand out of position or fail to react appropriately.

gameplay
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
70%
21%
The gameplay of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as clunky, unresponsive, and riddled with bugs. While some users noted improvements in AI and certain mechanics, the overall experience is marred by outdated controls and a lack of significant evolution from previous titles, leading to frustration and disappointment among players. Many reviewers feel that the game fails to deliver a satisfying rugby league experience, often comparing it unfavorably to its predecessor, Rugby League Live 4.
- “Gameplay has had a massive upgrade — tackling, passing, and kicking all feel fluid and responsive, and the improved AI makes every match a real challenge.”
- “The gameplay is much more enjoyable than in previous versions.”
- “Recent updates have introduced notable enhancements, including refined stamina mechanics, a new feature where you can drop your playmaker to a pocket, new animations, additional cutscenes, and even unique score bugs tailored for specific competitions like the Super League and State of Origin.”
- “The gameplay is terrible, swapping players feels awful and players control like they're a toddler on crack cocaine.”
- “Gameplay is so chopped and makes no sense, camera angles are all scuffed and it has nothing going for it.”
- “The gameplay itself hasn't really evolved either - it still carries the same clunky mechanics and limitations we've seen for years.”
graphics
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
61%
26%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the lifelike visuals and improved character models, while others criticize them as outdated and reminiscent of previous generations, particularly for a 2025 release. Many users noted that despite some enhancements, the overall graphical quality is marred by bugs, poor animations, and a lack of significant innovation compared to earlier titles. Overall, while there are moments of visual appeal, the graphics are often described as underwhelming and in need of substantial improvement.
- “The graphics feel more lifelike than ever, with smoother animations and realistic stadium atmospheres that capture the energy of game day.”
- “They have the NRL players looking really good and the graphics are amazing.”
- “Graphics are improved from the previous game but I've not even played an hour of the game and requested a refund.”
- “The graphics aren't horrific, though a decade behind every other game.”
- “As many have commented already, the graphics in Rugby League 26 are definitely underwhelming for a 2025 release.”
- “Bought this game expecting it to actually be better than the last game they released 8 years ago, I understand it’s a very small Australian company that makes games but you’d think after 8 years they would get the hang of getting at least the graphics or animations right, but it was an exact copy and paste of the last game including every animation in the game.”
stability
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of persistent glitches, bugs, and server issues that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players find enjoyment in the game despite these problems, many describe it as an unfinished product that feels more like a beta version than a polished release. Overall, the consensus is that substantial improvements are needed to address the game's stability issues.
- “I had serious intentions of grinding the pro team online premiership mode, but after about 17 hours, I was sick of horrible servers making the game unplayable, glitches, and bugs that make it impossible to actually play the game. It's just who can exploit the most bugs to win.”
- “The game isn't even in a releasable state and feels more like a beta with the amount of unfinished content and buggy mechanics.”
- “Game is just full of bugs and glitches; it clearly was rushed for no reason.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing it as poorly optimized due to issues with graphics, gameplay, and controls. Others express hope for improvements through future patches, suggesting that while the current state is lacking, there is potential for better optimization.
- “Optimized well”
- “Perfectly optimized”
- “Graphics are great; gameplay needs work, but I have high hopes after a few patches as it's day one.”
- “Obviously the graphics are pure garbage, but so is the gameplay and optimization. The camera angles are terrible, the controls feel awful, and in comparison to Rugby League Live 4, you would swear this game came out prior to it. It deserves the review bombing, and it's astounding that they allowed this to release in this condition and have the confidence to sell it at $100 AUD. They will likely be charging for a refund.”
- “Graphics are great, but the gameplay needs work and probably needs to be optimized better. I have high hopes after a few patches since it's day one.”
- “Poorly optimized.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers highlighting the heavy reliance on microtransactions and gambling mechanics reminiscent of other controversial titles. Many feel that the game's quality and depth suffer as a result, making it a poor investment for players seeking a fulfilling experience.
- “I’ve seen some games be cash grabs in the past, but this one is so blatant it should be condemned!”
- “This feels like a cynical cash grab, especially with the inclusion of 'pro team', which copies microtransaction-riddled gambling mechanics from the likes of 2K's MyTeam and EA's Ultimate Team.”
- “While taking on a live service, this game feels like a cash grab attempt in pro teams mode with egregiously priced microtransactions.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The music in the game features a mix of generic rap and EDM that some users find enjoyable, particularly in the menu system, although it lacks the polish of more established titles like Madden. However, the inability to easily turn off the menu music and the overall quality of the soundtrack have drawn criticism, with some describing it as a polished but ultimately generic experience.
- “Menu music is good.”
- “The soundtrack in menus was decent.”
- “The polished turd of a menu system entwines with some hood-ass generic rap and EDM music to scream 'God, I wish I was Madden so badly.'”
- “I could go on about other areas of concern - like how tackles don't feel impactful, the fact that there's no slider in the main menu to turn off the menu music (you have to disable all the songs manually) or how the 'play as a player' mode in itself deserves an entire post dissecting how jank/awkward it is to play it... but enough said I think.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to server issues, glitches, and a lack of meaningful progression, making it feel more like exploiting bugs than genuine skill improvement. While some acknowledge that grinding can be rewarding, many feel that the repetitive gameplay and minimal impact of stats diminish the incentive to invest time in it.
- “I had serious intentions of grinding the pro team online premiership mode, but after about 17 hours, I was sick of horrible servers making the game unplayable, along with glitches and bugs that make it impossible to actually play. It's just who can exploit the most bugs to win.”
- “- Pro team is a fun concept, but because stats hardly matter and gameplay is so repetitive, there is no point in grinding for better player cards.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story aspect of the game has been criticized for lacking depth and originality, with many reviewers feeling it is repetitive and indicative of a cash grab by the developers. Players are advised not to expect a high-quality narrative experience.
- “Don't buy it if you're hoping for a flawless, high-quality game with an in-depth story because it's the complete opposite and seems like it's just a quick cash grab by Big Ant Studios.”
- “It's the same story with every game now that they release.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The game's graphics and stadium atmospheres are praised for their lifelike quality and ability to capture the energy of game day. However, the overall atmosphere is diminished by a lack of emotional engagement during key moments and significant technical issues that hinder gameplay enjoyment.
- “The graphics feel more lifelike than ever, with smoother animations and realistic stadium atmospheres that capture the energy of game day.”
- “First time playing this game and I must admit the only good thing about it is the graphics and the atmosphere.”
- “There's little emotion or energy, which really takes away from the atmosphere during key moments.”
- “First time playing this game and must admit the only good thing about it is the graphics and the atmosphere, but I don't understand why they released this game with all these bugs. I haven't been able to enjoy online gameplay without the whole game exiting on me. It's a shame; $100 is way too much for this game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game highly replayable, especially after recent updates that have enhanced its playability and enjoyment, leading some to purchase it again.
- “I was going to give this a positive review, but I ended up buying it again after the updates that have made it more playable and enjoyable.”
- “This game is incredibly replayable!”
- “The replayability factor keeps me coming back for more!”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its numerous flaws, with players finding amusement in its poor mechanics and AI behavior, which often leads to absurd situations. Users report laughing at the game's tragic shortcomings, such as inaccurate ratings and ineffective gameplay features, making it entertaining despite its shortcomings. Overall, the humor stems from the game's failures, turning frustrating experiences into comedic moments.
- “It's so bad that I have actually spent the last hour just laughing my ass off at it.”
- “The game is so tragically bad it's funny; on release, the pro team doesn't work (must've tested it a lot), the ratings are completely inaccurate (the tigers are 3 points different from Penrith), and the AI controlling the players is horrendous. There's no support runners, offloads are pointless, and often when defending on the tryline, you can just dive because the AI refuses to help in the tackle.”
- “I just play 'Be a Pro'; it's so funny, but many mechanics in there don't work properly, like getting paid for completing objectives.”