By Dan Walsh and Frances Howe
NRLW players have complained about their appearance in a new-NRL endorsed rugby league video game, with the players’ union raising concerns about its rollout.
The keenly anticipated release of the Rugby League 26 game 10 days ago has been followed by a barrage of complaints by users over the game’s quality and accuracy.
NRLW players Millie Elliott and Kennedy Cherrington have also publicly criticised the likeness of female players in the game after issues around the scanning process used to capture facial features in production.
Sources speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter claim that most of the issues with players’ likeness stem from those who were not available to be scanned when developers attended various clubs.
Big Ant Studios chief executive Ross Symons addressed the inconsistencies in player likenesses on Friday, telling this masthead: “We went to great lengths to capture NRL and NRLW players in person.
“All players – equally from both the NRL and NRLW – who chose to attend the photogrammetry sessions are accurately and faithfully represented in the game.”
Some NRL clubs were caught off guard when Big Ant producers arrived to scan facial features for the game, with the majority of male players’ scans done in person.
Given the NRLW season only runs from July to October and players are not full-time, often juggling training and games around employment and commitments, an app was also made available for facial scans to be conducted.
Elliot is believed to be one of the players yet to have her facial features scanned.
Speaking on Triple M earlier this week, Elliott compared her portrayal with that of husband and Knights forward Adam Elliott when criticism of the video game was raised.
Millie Elliott (Boyle) in real life (left) and as her Rugby League 26 video game character (right.Credit: Louise Kennerley/Supplied
“I will say it [my character on Rugby League 26] looks absolutely nothing – nothing – like me,” Elliott said.
“Adam looks like his own doppelganger. It looks exactly like him. You’d think with AI and all this technology these days that they could get it looking a little similar.”
Elliott declined to comment when approached by this masthead.
Further player scans of NRLW players are scheduled to take place at next week’s NRLW Magic Round when all players and clubs will be in Newcastle.
Along with complaints around player likeness, Cherrington and Warriors veteran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have also called out individual player ratings and game-play in Rugby League 26.
The NRL declined to comment on the game’s issues on Friday. The RLPA has privately questioned the video game’s roll-out in light of player complaints since its July 17 release. The players’ union has engaged global firm OneTeam International in a bid to protect players’ intellectual property.
RLPA chief Clint Newton has urged the NRL to both rectify the likeness and game play dramas as quickly as possible and provide greater consultation with players on projects using their images and profile.
“The first part is obviously remedying the issues and the concerns [with the game], and having the NRL work with us,” Newton said.
“And then any activation that involved player IP use, particularly on this scale that obviously impacts the way this has, that requires involvement and inclusion [of players] up front. That’s the learning from this.”
Changes made by Big Ant Studios since releasing the game include changing James Tedesco’s “player visual”, fixing incorrect pre-season stadiums and team uniforms, and the manufacturer of virtual Brian To’o’s headgear.
This masthead also detailed concerns around ARLC chairman Peter V’landys’ son being involved in a focus group to approve the video game before it was released, which V’landys dismissed, saying “we simply wanted a rigorous analysis by an independent focus group where my son would be one of many as he plays the other sports games”.
Big Ant Studios have authored 31 posts on X about the game’s glitches since its release.
“We know today has not gone as smoothly as it should have and we will compensate all #RugbyLeague26 purchasers… There has been overwhelming demand that also may have caused service issues, and for that we cannot apologise enough,” the company wrote late on July 17 after significant public backlash.
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