Almost eight years since the release of Rugby League Live 4, fans of the 13-man code have been given a glimmer of hope about the future of rugby league video games.
According to esports tournament organisation BGLMedia, French publisher Nacon has acquired the license for the Super League and NRL competitions, after former holder Tru Blu Entertainment relinquished the rights last year.
Reports have persisted in recent years that Rugby League Live 5 was in active development, reinforced by player scans seemingly being carried out in Australia. However, after the game failed to materialise, it was announced last summer that Rugby League Live 3 and 4 were being pulled from the Steam store due to the expiration of the relevant licenses.
There had already been hope Nacon could give a lifeline to the sports franchise after their 2021 acquisition of Rugby League Live 1-4 developer Big Ant Studios. However, the Australian development studio has instead been kept busy with its focus on its AFL, cricket, tennis and rugby union sims over the past couple of years.
Now, per BGLMedia, the timing may be right for Nacon to branch out into yet another sports franchise. Big Ant CEO Ross Symons has reportedly been spotted at Super League fixtures in the UK, as well as maintaining an uncharacteristically quiet online presence when pressed about rumours of a potential return to rugby league gaming.
The showpiece Nacon Connect event on March 6, in which the publisher is set to unveil its upcoming titles for 2025 and beyond, may prove to a pivotal moment and one rugby league fans will be watching with interest.
