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Messofanego · Nov 28, 2013

Watch the Giant Bomb Quick Look and see the trainwreck of 2 years in development for yourself.

Have to admire for them to cancel the game after it's been released, and give refunds, compared to games like War Z or other dodgy games that are still on Steam.

http://www.videogamer.com/pc/ashes_cricket_2013/news/505_games_cans_ashes_cricket_2013.html

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.

"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.

"The people who purchased the game will be contacted very shortly with details of a full refund."

Ashes Cricket 2013 had previously been due to release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U and PC in July, but was pushed back to November for quality purposes.

The game briefly appeared for sale last week, but was pulled from sale on Monday without warning.

All the copies will now be buried in a landfill.

As someone who follows cricket, I never have paid attention to cricket games. Last one I played was a Brian Lara one back in '98.

Steverulez · Nov 28, 2013

Was interested in this, not sure how they messed it up considering the developer made a pretty decent cricket game in 2010.

Oh well.

firehawk12 · Nov 28, 2013

I don't know anything about cricket, but based on the QL, there are worse games that are still being sold on Steam right now.

I wonder why they're doing this.

PandaPedinte · Nov 28, 2013

It's strange to cancel a game after it's out I wonder why they even released it.

Messofanego · Nov 28, 2013

It would be hilarious if they released this for next-gen consoles, and instead of people thinking this looked like previous gen for CoD Ghosts, it'd look like previous previous previous gen.

thequickandthedead · Nov 28, 2013

So the devs wasted 2 years of their life and aren't getting payed at all?

Yoshi · Nov 28, 2013

So everyone giving up on their physical copies they have now would be insane, due to collector's value in few years, or am I missing something?

Addnan · Nov 28, 2013

Wow, I had this on my Steam wishlist since I haven't played a cricket game since Brian Lara on PS1.

Messofanego · Nov 28, 2013

Yoshi said:
So everyone giving up on their physical copies they have now would be insane, due to collector's value in few years, or am I missing something?

How valuable is a copy of ET now?

coughlanio · Nov 28, 2013

thequickandthedead said:
So the devs wasted 2 years of their life and aren't getting payed at all?

I can only assume they get paid a monthly salary throughout development?

def sim · Nov 28, 2013

At least it gave us a fun little quick look from giant bomb. I hope the devs involved do better next time.

AbandonedTrolley · Nov 28, 2013

Has there been a good cricket game since

Elvick · Nov 28, 2013

That doesn't seem like it'd be a good business decision, even if they "save face" with this... there goes 2 years of development and all the money involved down the drain.

Where is their income going to come from? Do they make other games?

Also, if it didn't meet their standards... why did it get released?

Maybe this is a crazy PR ploy for their real game?

Miroslav · Nov 28, 2013

In soviet india, cancel games you.

pants · Nov 28, 2013

Messofanego said:
How valuable is a copy of ET now?

ET wasn't exactly rare.

Atolm · Nov 28, 2013

This happened as well with an earlier NBA Live iirc.

ICPEE · Nov 28, 2013

Addnan said:
Wow, I had this on my Steam wishlist since I haven't played a cricket game since Brian Lara on PS1.

Brian Lara is still the best cricket game...ever. All the other titles that followed it go from bad to horrible to Ashes Cricket 2013.
There will never be half decent Rugby and Cricket games, ever.

stilgar · Nov 28, 2013

I love you 505 games.

By the way, the are Phoenix games up to these days ? I really want to see their next opus in HD.

Putty · Nov 28, 2013

Wouldn't of been as good as Graham Gooch on the C64.

Marvel · Nov 28, 2013

lol, how strange.

Xater · Nov 28, 2013

That is indeed very bizarre. That people get their money back is great. Also glad we got that QL.

MikeJAMoran · Nov 28, 2013

Seems fairly accurate to me.

firehawk12 · Nov 28, 2013

Atolm said:
This happened as well with an earlier NBA Live iirc.

With Elite, the game was shipped to retailers and sold early, but it was technically not "released" yet.

This is basically a recall of the PC version, which is doubly crazy because I don't think I've seen anyone rush to give Steam refunds in this manner.

MGR · Nov 28, 2013

AbandonedTrolley said:
Has there been a good cricket game since

Yep, Codies made a good game. Pretty sure it was branded 'Shane Warne Cricket' in Australia.

RaikuHebi · Nov 28, 2013

Must watch video regarding this subject:

http://www.giantbomb.com/videos/quick-look-ashes-cricket-2013/2300-8266/

I really hope to see a decent Cricket game before I die. I bet it'll be developed in India.

firehawk12 said:
I wonder why they're doing this.

To be honest I'm glad. They could've guaranteed sales by virtue of being the only cricket game on the market.

Castcoder · Nov 28, 2013

At least this hasn't turned into War Z.

Monty Mole · Nov 28, 2013

MikeJAMoran said:
Seems fairly accurate to me.

My head hurts.

firehawk12 · Nov 28, 2013

RaikuHebi said:
To be honest I'm glad. They could've guaranteed sales by virtue of being the only cricket game on the market.

Oh yeah, it's a weirdly pro-consumer move. I bet before this announcement, if you asked Valve for a refund, they would have laughed in your face.

I'm just wondering if the people who own the Ashes license made them pull the game or something. Certainly seeing "Ashes sucks" all over the internet is probably not what you'd want to see.

Yado · Nov 28, 2013

It's probably hard to make a good game based on such a terrible sport.

LiquidSolid · Nov 28, 2013

AbandonedTrolley said:
Has there been a good cricket game since

Brian Lara Cricket '05 on the PS2 was meant to be a pretty good game. I never played it but the praise didn't surprise me as Swordfish was founded by former Rage devs (Rage developed Brian Lara '99 and Jonah Lomu Rugby).

Pity Swordfish couldn't do the same thing with their attempt at a new rugby game though, as World Championship Rugby was terrible.

Anyway, funny thing came out while I was still watching the Quick Look. The game looks fucking terrible. I hope Jeff and Vinny keep trying other sports games though, because I'd like to see what they think of Rugby Challenge 2. Not the biggest fan of it myself but it's probably an easy game to jump into for non-fans.

SmashN'Grab · Nov 28, 2013

That's just not cricket!

actually, that's cool of them to give refunds

oggob · Nov 28, 2013

I had heard there were major problems with the game, sad that it eventually got scrapped...

Though it paves the way for Don Bradman Cricket!

Developed by BigAnt, they make our NRL and AFL games also, so quality may vary also...

guybrushfreeman · Nov 28, 2013

Reading the statement it seems like they were told by ECB and Cricket Australia that it was so bad they weren't allowed to sell it with the Ashes name on it. I'm not sure it was 'cancelled' as such really, seems like the quality was so low it broke their contract as so it had to be pulled from sale (I suppose there's really no difference though). It's a shame really, I wonder why they weren't able to get a proper product together.

Nictel · Nov 28, 2013

So did 505 not play this themselves before release or did they just release it and thought 'maybe it won't be that bad'?

PapaJustify · Nov 28, 2013

I am always wondering if there actually is a big enough market for such kinds of niche sports games, that would justify an investment in actually making these.

NinjaTehFish · Nov 28, 2013

So whats the best alternative cricket game (PC)?

Infernal Monkey · Nov 28, 2013

stilgar said:
I love you 505 games.

By the way, the are Phoenix games up to these days ? I really want to see their next opus in HD.

Phoenix Games died soon after I stopped buying their shit to upload to YouTube. It's all my fault!

No but really, they went under a few years ago, right before they were due to release their first batch of Wii 'games'. One of the greatest losses in the industry.

Poetic.Injustice · Nov 28, 2013

Don Bradman's cricket looks fantastic, Even has a first person view mode.

SomedayTheFire · Nov 28, 2013

PapaJustify said:
I am always wondering if there actually is a big enough market for such kinds of niche sports games, that would justify an investment in actually making these.

They're usually fairly low budget and cricket is huge in the subcontinent, don't know much about the console sales there but I'd say they sell a decent amount their, in Australia/New Zealand and South Africa too.

Nander · Nov 28, 2013

Elvick said:
That doesn't seem like it'd be a good business decision, even if they "save face" with this... there goes 2 years of development and all the money involved down the drain.

Where is their income going to come from? Do they make other games?

Also, if it didn't meet their standards... why did it get released?

Maybe this is a crazy PR ploy for their real game?

I think that 505 games is trying to shake their image as a shovelware publisher; they have recently published both of Starbreeze's new games, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Payday 2, two high-quality games. I guess that the bad press this game is getting is hurting this endeavour, and it's better for them to sacrifice the potential income of this game and just consider it a sunk cost.

adamsapple · Nov 28, 2013

MGR said:
Yep, Codies made a good game. Pretty sure it was branded 'Shane Warne Cricket' in Australia.

and Sachin Tendulkar Cricket in India.

Alex Connolly · Nov 28, 2013

PapaJustify said:
I am always wondering if there actually is a big enough market for such kinds of niche sports games, that would justify an investment in actually making these.

The biggest shame is that cricket is, by global attendance records etc., the second-most popular sport next to soccer.

How the sport hasn't received a true EA American sports-level game since the old days is an utter travesty.

Hasney · Nov 28, 2013

AbandonedTrolley said:
Has there been a good cricket game since

Yup. The only really good ones were the Codemasters ones for a bit and Super International Cricket on the SNES... Even if the latter was all about spamming the HOWZAT button to piss off my brother.

Gangxxter · Nov 28, 2013

Now I'm even more interested in the game. Is there no way to still get it? It can't be that bad, yes?

Marauder Shields · Nov 28, 2013

There is still hope.

I'm expecting this game to be like a phoenix and....rise from the Ashes.

crayman · Nov 28, 2013

That quicklook is one of the funniest things I've seen in ages.

enanogrande · Nov 28, 2013

This 'cancelation' just means it'll be pushed back to 2014, I reckon? I mean if they still have the license, and this is a yearly sports release, seems like that would be the most obvious course of action.

DarthPrince · Nov 28, 2013

Messofanego said:
As someone who follows cricket, I never have paid attention to cricket games. Last one I played was a Brian Lara one back in '98.

Man I played the HECK out of that game back in the day.

Messofanego · Nov 28, 2013

Nictel said:
So did 505 not play this themselves before release or did they just release it and thought 'maybe it won't be that bad'?

They watched the Quick Look and thought "OH GOD WHAT HAVE WE RELEASED?!".

Poetic.Injustice · Nov 28, 2013

This Danny dude doesn't have much knowledge about cricket it seems, The no-ball is when you over step when bowling/pitching.

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