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Ashes Cricket 2013 out for a duck

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Even my header image saw this coming

Bad news cricket fans, as it looks like the Ashes Cricket 2013 has closed for play after being digitally run out.

505 Games has confirmed that Ashes Cricket 2013 has been cancelled, and issued the following statement to VideoGamer.com. They’re blaming the developer. 

505 Games announce today the cancellation of Ashes Cricket 2013. The game was released briefly on Friday 22nd November 2013 on digital PC portal, Steam, but has since been removed by 505 Games following negative consumer feedback.

As most people who have followed the project closely can affirm, the development of Ashes Cricket 2013 has been fraught with challenges almost from the outset. The chosen developer, even with their many years of cricket game development experience, was unable to overcome the unexpected challenges that the chosen game engine threw up, even with multiple extensions to the development schedule.

At the start of the project, 505 Games received all assurances from the developer that the engine was up to the task of creating a dynamic, cutting-edge cricket game for the modern age across multiple platforms, and unfortunately those assurances were found to be misplaced.

The net result of the challenges we have faced was a game which, despite our best efforts over the course of a 2 year development, couldn’t meet the quality benchmarks of either us, our licensors or our customers. 505 Games’ main priority right now is to protect the Ashes name and that of the ECB and Cricket Australia, and do what we can to recompense the cricket community.

As the licensee and publisher of name for Ashes Cricket 2013, 505 Games would like to apologise publicly and sincerely to our licensors, the ECB and Cricket Australia, and their respective partners/sponsors, who have been nothing but patient and supportive of us throughout the challenges this project has presented, and who, ultimately, we have let down.

Our deepest apologies, however, are reserved for the fans of cricket and cricket games worldwide. 505 Games prides itself on being a safe pair of hands on which gamers of all tastes and denominations can rely to put their best foot forward to create compelling gaming experiences.

It is clear that, in this instance, we have fallen way short of our stated aims and failed to deliver. We know that the mitigating factors, as highlighted above, hold little solace to the hordes of excited cricket fans worldwide who had hoped this year to be able to play out their fantasy of playing in the Ashes series.”
“The people who purchased the game will be contacted very shortly with details of a full refund.

The game was released on Steam this month and the summarily withdrawn. It was due a retail release on Pc as well on console, after being pushed back from its original release date. Huh, looks like 505 Games is all out then on cricket games.

Last Updated: November 28, 2013

60 Comments

  1. How to make the perfect sports game:

    Create engine for game. Only 2 no name teams. Red and Blue, or A & B. (so 0 licence cost) Allow mod support with steam workshop. Profit.

    Reply

    • RyseandRepeat

      November 28, 2013 at 12:35

      WIN.

      Reply

    • ToshZA

      November 28, 2013 at 12:46

      That wouldn’t sell as well as a game where you play as your favourite team or sportsman.

      Reply

      • Uberutang

        November 28, 2013 at 12:47

        Hence the steam workshop and mod support. You can create what ever you want.

        Reply

        • ToshZA

          November 28, 2013 at 12:51

          And what about those people who love really shit teams that would never get modded into this game?

          Like Australia, for instance.

          Reply

          • Uberutang

            November 28, 2013 at 12:53

            They can learn how to mod 😛

            Thing is this ‘sports game’ can be super cheap due to lack of licences, yet totally open for anybody to play with.

            hard to believe it has not been done yet. And it is open to any sport.

          • Arsh Khehra

            November 28, 2013 at 22:37

            well Tosh…this is sorta what Don Bradman are doing. The community has already created players of all international and ipl teams. So, it works very well!!

    • John's (JJ's) finest excuse

      November 28, 2013 at 13:29

      Someone, please appoint this man as director.

      Reply

      • Sageville

        November 28, 2013 at 14:16

        No wais! That director would ban all consoles and make the fanbois work till death in the Nvidia sweatshop factories!

        Reply

        • John's (JJ's) finest excuse

          November 28, 2013 at 16:09

          Sounds like a plan. Dictatorships gets things done.

          Reply

  2. Hammersteyn

    November 28, 2013 at 12:34

    The best part and I do mean the best part is that they played this game, they PLAYED it. Yet the release it on Steam so that people can buy it knowing full well how shitty it is. What is wrong with these people?

    Reply

    • VinTaco

      November 28, 2013 at 12:47

      This isn’t the first time a publisher has knowingly put out a shit game.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        November 28, 2013 at 13:06

        This borderlines on fraud.

        Reply

        • VinTaco

          November 28, 2013 at 13:11

          How so? A good/bad game is opinion which (as far as I know) can’t be considered fraud. If you buy a game that doesn’t work at all, then it would be fraud as they’ve knowingly sold a product that doesn’t work.

          I’m no law expert though.

          Reply

          • Hammersteyn

            November 28, 2013 at 13:37

            But selling a broken?

  3. RyseandRepeat

    November 28, 2013 at 12:35

    When he said ‘cutting edge’ he actually meant ‘cutting room floor’. Man, what an embarrassment.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      November 28, 2013 at 12:36

      Or that someones getting cut from the dev team.

      Reply

      • RyseandRepeat

        November 28, 2013 at 12:37

        Someone? “The Dev is getting cut from the elopment team”* Fixed it for you 😉

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          November 28, 2013 at 12:37

          Cheers 🙂

          Reply

  4. Alien Emperor Trevor

    November 28, 2013 at 12:37

    Bah! I’d rather watch a Bulls vs Sharks rugby match than play Ashes cricket. At least I can tolerate one of those teams.

    Reply

  5. ToshZA

    November 28, 2013 at 12:38

    At the very least, this is a huge public apology for making a shit game, and they’re not even prepared to sell it any more. They are also refunding anyone who bought the game. That’s a big, big deal for a game company, and something I think that’s really honest and needed in the industry.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      November 28, 2013 at 12:39

      Good point. Wish some others could be so honest.

      Reply

    • Captain GUZ

      November 28, 2013 at 12:42

      “Opps we made a big piece of turd, here have your money back”. +points for refund -points for making a turd in the first place

      Reply

      • ToshZA

        November 28, 2013 at 12:43

        At least they didn’t go the way of Aliens: Colonial Marines. Just take the money and run. They owned up to making a shit game, took responsibility, and are taking steps to at least make it right by those who wasted their money.

        Reply

        • Captain GUZ

          November 28, 2013 at 12:48

          I died a little inside when that game came out

          Reply

    • Sageville

      November 28, 2013 at 13:19

      I like 505 games, they brought us Payday, hope they don’t go under due to this debarcle

      Reply

    • Weanerdog

      November 28, 2013 at 14:13

      Maybe if they actually employed just 1 tester they would never of actually put it out there and would not need to apologise.

      Reply

  6. ToshZA

    November 28, 2013 at 12:45

    Also, love the alt text on the header. 😀

    Reply

  7. Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

    November 28, 2013 at 12:53

    Ashes to Ashes and dust to dust…

    Reply

    • ToshZA

      November 28, 2013 at 12:59

      http://9gag.com/gag/aeNgdLO

      Have a laugh man, have a laugh. Also, appropriate to the topic peeps.

      Reply

      • Captain GUZ

        November 28, 2013 at 13:10

        My eyes! that was an AVO link

        Reply

        • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

          November 28, 2013 at 13:34

          Bwahahaha, that wasn’t so bad 😛

          Reply

          • Captain GUZ

            November 28, 2013 at 13:42

            Ya I know but its totally something I would expect you to post, I’m very careful now :p

          • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

            November 28, 2013 at 13:45

            Well if you are up for a lekker laugh, check out the Wrecking Ball parody I linked 😛

          • Captain GUZ

            November 28, 2013 at 13:46

            Will I need to bleach my eyes after?What the hell life life on the edge

      • Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

        November 28, 2013 at 13:38

        Have you seen this parody of Wrecking Ball?

        Reply

        • ToshZA

          November 28, 2013 at 13:43

          Brilliant man, brilliant!

          Reply

  8. Sageville

    November 28, 2013 at 13:02

    What engine did they use, so I can avoid those games….

    Reply

    • Stephen Snook

      November 28, 2013 at 13:07

      Unity 3D

      Reply

      • Weanerdog

        November 28, 2013 at 14:14

        You must be devastated, I mean an actual game to be released in Australia and now its canned.

        Reply

  9. Tortoise

    November 28, 2013 at 13:04

    “Cutting-edge”? An edge is the last thing you want when cutting. Amateurs.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      November 28, 2013 at 13:06

      Depends on the thickness of said edge 😛

      Reply

  10. Uberutang

    November 28, 2013 at 13:12

    So is it ok to pirate it now and check it out?

    Reply

    • Stephen Snook

      November 28, 2013 at 13:13

      You probably don’t wanna do that xD

      Reply

    • Sageville

      November 28, 2013 at 13:17

      I don’t even think pirateers will bother with this one.

      Reply

  11. TiMsTeR1033

    November 28, 2013 at 13:26

    These kinds of developers just piss me off! Saying they apologise for making a shitty game! They knew they were making a shitty game, then continued to make the shitty game and hoped they would get away with it… Those kinds of game devs should not be in the industry! Hell I am sure Activision COD devs could make a better cricket game, sure it would have a few issues and possible killing involved and but would be alot better!

    Reply

    • John's (JJ's) finest excuse

      November 28, 2013 at 13:27

      I’d play that

      Reply

    • SaintsRowNigri

      November 28, 2013 at 15:21

      Think about it this way: This game was so bad, that the developers actually pulled it from Steam. How many devs did that?

      Reply

  12. Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

    November 28, 2013 at 13:34

    I still say that looks like Dean from Supernatural.

    Reply

    • TiMsTeR1033

      November 28, 2013 at 13:42

      his evil twin

      Reply

      • Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew

        November 28, 2013 at 14:00

        whahahahahahahahahaha

        Reply

      • SaintsRowNigri

        November 28, 2013 at 15:20

        HIs evil ugly twin!

        Reply

  13. MieLLiePaP

    November 28, 2013 at 13:52

    it is realy….realy bad. no wonder they removed it. Check it out here:

    Reply

  14. Wyzak

    November 28, 2013 at 13:59

    I almost pre-ordered this title, but then I saw how they kept on missing deadline after deadline.

    Reply

  15. FoxOneZA

    November 28, 2013 at 14:29

    Apparently Stick Cricket in your browser is where it’s at 😉

    Reply

    • Vampyric Squirrel of the Sith

      November 28, 2013 at 14:36

      It’s pretty cool on the iPhone and Android handhelds too… and it’s free (limited)… with a couple micro transactions to open it up a bit

      Reply

  16. FoxOneZA

    November 28, 2013 at 14:32

    Now I totally understand what’s being stressing Trott so much.

    Reply

  17. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    November 28, 2013 at 14:36

    Who would spend money on a cricket game in the first place?

    Reply

    • Jason Ashman

      November 29, 2013 at 00:57

      australians and englishmen

      Reply

  18. CodeName Tailgunner

    November 28, 2013 at 15:46

    Compared to the Don Bradman game, Ashes Cricket 2013 is so last year

    Reply

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