Rugby 25 Megathread

Rugby 25
3737

Getting away from all the side-splittingly unfunny “banter” and memes going on, I thought that maybe it might be a good idea to post up something constructive.

I’d love to know if JNT and any of the team at Big Ant actually watch the videos from Mad Dragon, as his attitude is always constructive and positive.

Loving some of these suggestions, and I really hope we can see some of these improvements implemented.

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3738

I have just ordered a physical copy of rugby 25. I have been holding off since its release after seeing the state of the game. From a massive rugby fan, what do I need to know before playing to make sure Im not disappointed?

3739

You need to understand that it’s highly likely that you will be disappointed in several aspects of the game. There’s no way to “make sure” you’re not disappointed.

There are issues with kicking, ruck play, glitches, poor maul system, very basic line-outs, a dependency on fend and offload, goal kicking which is over-simple and with a stick flick issue and others, MANY others. There is still a playable game at it’s core, but it’s not really like a proper Rugby game yet.

We’re hoping that some of it will be improved, but currently there is a lot yet to do to make the game better.

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3741

BIGANT - will japanese league ever be added?

3742

I watch all of his videos. As well as a bunch of other creators.

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3743

Hi Team,

Just some feedback on Ai decision making. PS5 Hardest Difficulty, Coach Career.

Super Rugby Semi Final - Force leading 28-21 Crusaders (Ai)
80th min offside penalty against my Team Western Force. Ai Crusaders awarded a penalty but take a goal kick instead of a lineout, tap or scrum. They had a chance to even up the score to go into extra time. If this could please be improved when we have situations like this at the end of the matches. Thanks

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3744

Fantastic, not a content creator on You Tube myself, but it’s obvious that some of them have a very positive and constructive outlook and I’m glad that you as part of the BA team are seeing these videos.

I found it interesting in this one that one of the things he talked about was ruck contests and how a blend of Rugby 22’s system and RWC 2011 might work better, as the current system feels more like a surprise if you win or lose the ball rather than the result of competing for the ball as you do feel in those other two titles. This is something I’d mentioned some weeks back in a very similar way, so I did wonder if he’d perhaps read that one from on here.

Another brilliant point was him bringing up contesting kicks. He really nailed that one. The current multi-ringed cirlcles are a complete mystery to me and for some reason, when chasing a kick-off your chasing player changes at times for no reason.

As for his thoughts on general play kicking, it’s meter bounce-back and lack of distance, well that one’s so obviously not where it needs to be that I’m sure your team is going to be all over that some time in the next month or so surely.

The goalkicking system in AFL 26 did look to have some transferrable elements, so hoping there’s time for a revamp there too eventually.

Anyhow, I hope most of the team have recovered from whatever hit a bunch of you last week, not just so we can hopefully see a good patch, but just genuinely of course.

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3746

Please can we mix it up with players complaining to the referee before a lineout, rather than it always being my loosehead prop (or just remove that cut scene)?

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3747

Can already be skipped

3749

How do i make a custom competition? Like currie cup and have it in career mode?

3750

A few notes from my side once again. I have mentioned a lot of these before and I know that almost everyone else has too, but just playing over the weekend again, I found these my most annoying points.

Creative Team:

  1. I started 3 different careers because I wanted to experience three different leagues and eventually get international offers from 3 different countries. I play as The Sharks in the URC, Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership, and The Blues in Super Rugby. The URC, and Gallagher’s licensing is there, the field is marked, the presentation is all beautiful, but not with Super Rugby? No Marking on the fields? the referees wear big ant clothes?
  2. There are still no advertisement boards in the stadiums, it looks dull.
  3. There are players I noticed especially in The Sharks team who’s faces are still not scanned in yet, that is not Lukhanyo Am and Aphelele Fassi, and how can some of the bigger clubs and countries still not have their player names where it shows “number 1” or “number 8”? Surely you have the licenses as the kits are right?
  4. There are still no national anthems
  5. The crowd is boring, they barely make any noise when their home team score or win a penalty, or break the line
  6. Commentary is awful
  7. I have asked multiple times in the past about whether The Rugby Championship, Rugby World Cup, NOC, and Currie Cup will be added into the game
  8. If they are not, then for heaven’s sake, give us the ability to create these tournaments ourselves. The format for Custom Competitions does not allow us to create the World Cup or The Rugby Championship. And how can we still not name our Custom Competitions?
  9. That is not what rain should look like
  10. Most players with long hair has these weird white specs when the camera is on them
  11. There are try-scoring dives I have never seen in a rugby game. That strange handstand try animation should be canned. How can we not yet touch down the ball without diving?
  12. I have never seen a ref wear a whistle like a ring, it is wrapped around his hand and he holds it between his thumb and index finger when blowing the whistle.

Gameplay:

  1. It is impossible to be able to break through the first defender every single time and then to add to that the attacking player offload the ball where that attacker will also now be able to break the first tackle, add to that my defensive line is completely confused, my players run right past the attacking players making no attempt to tackle, I find myself conceding a try in 2 - 3 phases.
  2. What determines which player I will switch to on defence? I have tried figuring out how the game determines who should be the next defender, but it is completely random. The player I switch to should be the next most logical defender.
  3. What on earth is going on with my defensive line drifting away from the attackers? All it succeeds in doing is create a gap wide enough for Big Show to fit through.
  4. The scrum mechanic is stupid, PLEASE NOTE IT IS NOT A SIN TO STEAL ONE OR TWO IDEAS FROM PREVIOUS GAMES!!! I understand you want your game to be original but goodness knows there are better scrum systems out there.
  5. Why can I not win a scrum without my scrumhalf having to pick the ball up before it collapses yet?
  6. The lineouts are stupid. The jumpers do not stretch to the side like friggin ballerinas, it should be one smooth motion, up and down, maybe an outstretched arm to tap the ball from the defending team, and once the ball has been taken, it’s either throw the ball to the scrumhalf while still in the air, land and then throw the ball to the scrumhalf, or land and form the maul.
  7. There are still no set plays in the game?
  8. Goalkicking, AGAIN, IT IS NOT A SIN TO STEAL AN IDEA OR TWO FROM ANOTHER GAME

There are probably still so many issues that I forgot to mention, but this me.

I want to love this game so much as it is a very beautiful game, but it keeps breaking my heart.

Thank you

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3752

I really hope they will take a look at this in the game Peter as this is spot on facts. :+1:

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3753

Whoa whoa whoa hold on a gosh dang minute. I will have you know I am hilarious, I laugh at all of my own jokes!

Also … memes are life.

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Rugby25 related, should we expect a double size patch this week as one was missed @JNT_BA ? or just the usual as staff were sick and can’t be expected to make up that sort of ground?

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3756

WHATS THE CHARGE!? ENJOYING A SUCCULENT RUGBY 25 PATCH!? Iykyk

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3758

If it werent for memes we would have this absolute banger

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Patch my stability one more time

So wind your neck in you absolute roaster

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3759

Hi,

I did a bad thing and played Rugby25 again. I put in some random feedback to CHATGPT so it could take out all the cussing :rofl:

Platform: PC
Difficulty: Hardest
Match Settings: 5-minute halves
Version: 3367
Feedback Type: Gameplay, UI/UX, AI Behavior, Mechanics

Summary:

After reinstalling and replaying the game following a long break, I’ve observed a mix of regressions and small improvements. Unfortunately, the overall experience—especially regarding AI, core gameplay mechanics, and consistency—feels like a step backward compared to some earlier builds.

UI Observations:

  • Retro-style Graphics (Bug or Intentional?):
    Parts of the UI appear downgraded, resembling choppy block edged 8-bit visuals. Unsure if this is a visual glitch or intentional design, but it stands out as inconsistent with the rest of the game’s aesthetic. Especially noticeable in the team lineups (caused from the logo fix?)

AI Behavior:

  • Lack of Challenge:
    Despite selecting the hardest difficulty, the AI continues to underperform both offensively and defensively. Even after a long break and with minimal familiarity with the controls, the AI failed to score or effectively defend.

  • Difficulty Scaling:
    There’s no discernible difference in AI behavior or challenge level compared to past experiences. If difficulty tuning has been implemented, it is either too subtle or ineffective.

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Gameplay Mechanics:

Passing

  • Regression in Fluidity:
    Passing feels overly linear and scripted. The current system resembles a “sling on a string” mechanic, lacking the natural, contextual variation seen in earlier builds.
  • Comparison to Previous Builds:
    Earlier versions featured more responsive and dynamic passing behavior. The current iteration feels less organic.

Kicking (In-Play)

  • Power/Placement Control:
    The kicking system still lacks sufficient control over power and ball placement.
  • 50/22 Exploitability:
    It remains too easy to consistently achieve 50/22 kicks, which diminishes realism and balance.

Goal Kicking

  • Oversimplification & Inconsistency:
    The goal-kicking mechanic is overly simplistic and occasionally produces random “limp” kicks, even when the same input method is used. This inconsistency feels arbitrary and frustrating.

Positive Notes:

  • Offload Animations:
    A subtle improvement noticed—offloads more frequently go to ground. This adds realism and unpredictability to open play. A nice touch!

General Gameplay:

  • Movement & Responsiveness:
    Player movement and animations feel less smooth than in prior builds. General play feels “janky,” with noticeable issues such as problematic try-line dives.
  • Gameplay Flow:
    The overall match flow lacks polish. Moments of fluidity are undermined by mechanical stiffness and animation hitches.

Final Thoughts:

It’s increasingly difficult to provide constructive feedback when foundational concerns persist across builds. Many in the community have offered detailed solutions and suggestions over time, yet key issues remain unaddressed or have regressed. The fatigue of repeating the same feedback is beginning to outweigh the hope for meaningful change.

That said, the game still has strong potential—there are glimmers of progress in small details. A renewed focus on core gameplay polish, AI tuning, and mechanical consistency would go a long way in restoring confidence and excitement in the community.

My wording was much rougher than this :joy: but it is my attempt to not be too negative lol. It would be great to see some meaningful change in upcoming patches that would indicate to us feedback was still worthwhile :folded_hands:

#succulentpatchequalssucculentfeedback

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3760

NGL I should delete all the succulents but in respect for the GOAT, I kinda don’t wan’t to.

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3761

I am so confused, what does Kelvin have to do with Succulents?

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3763

You guys feeling better?