Ashes Cricket 2013 'cancelled' after release

Publisher 505 Games removed Ashes Cricket 2013 from game service Steam.

In what is possibly an industry first, Ashes Cricket 2013 has been "cancelled" after its release.

The dysfunctional sports game, based on the Ashes cricket test series between Australia and England, was very briefly available on PC gaming service Steam, before publisher 505 Games suddenly removed it.

In a statement, 505 Games laid blame for the broken game squarely on Australian developer Trickstar.

"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," 505 said in a statement.

"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 two-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."

505 did not explain why the game was briefly released on PC. Ashes Cricket 2013 was originally scheduled to release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and PC.

- gameplanet.co.nz