Rugby 24 statement: 'We regret to inform you...'

The troubled journey towards the launch of Rugby 24 - the much-anticipated rugby video game - has encountered another setback.

The game's developers took to Twitter to announce a further delay to the game's early access release, which was scheduled for March.

This marks another chapter in the game's troubled development timeline, which had already seen its release postponed last August, a move described by the developers as "heartbreaking."

At that time they gave a new release date of January 2024, but that was pushed back to March and it looks like it's getting yet another pushback.

The tweet read: "Dear Rugby fans, Firstly, we want to express our sincere gratitude towards the patience and trust you've given us to date. We regret to inform you we will not be able to keep our commitment of Rugby 24 Early Access in March and must postpone it to a future date."

This latest delay is a significant blow to rugby enthusiasts who have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new, immersive rugby gaming experience.

The lack of a fresh title in the rugby video game market has been a sore point for fans, with over a decade passing since the last major release. Rugby video games have had a patchy history on consoles, with titles like Jonah Lomu Rugby in 1997, EA Sports' Rugby 08 and the Rugby Challenge series offering glimpses of the sport's potential in digital form.

However, it looks like fans will have to wait even longer to get their hands on the latest iteration in rugby gaming.