One of the more underrepresented sports in the gaming world is seeing a new release this year. On Wednesday, Nacon and Big Ant Studios officially revealed Cricket 22: The Official Game of The Ashes. This year’s game will deliver “the most robust, substantial game of cricket that fans have ever seen,” according to developer Big Ant Studios. Cricket 22 is slated to release this November.
What’s New in Cricket 22?
Cricket 22 introduces a number of new licenses and teams. This includes fully-licensed national teams from Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Not to mention licensed tournaments such as England’s The Hundred and The Ashes, as well as Australia’s T20 Big Bash.
“We’re incredibly excited by what we’re able to bring to the table with Cricket 22,” said Big Ant CEO Ross Symons in statement. “This is our fifth cricket simulation title, and it really represents the cumulation of everything that we’ve learned on this ten-year (and counting) journey. We have the most passionate fans, and we can’t wait to get this into their hands.”
Gameplay-wise, Cricket 22 includes all-new bowling and fielding controls. Additionally, the latest installment from Big Ant features a “deep, narrative-driven career mode” including off-field commitments like training and press conferences. A new commentary team brings the virtual action to life. The lineup is made up of Michael Atherton, David Gower, Ian Healy, Mel Jones, and Alison Mitchell.
“The number of cricket fans that have been asking us about our next-generation cricket plans has been overwhelming,” continued Symons. Cricket 22‘s next-gen experience will feature “real-time ray tracing elements.”
Release Date and Dual Entitlement
Cricket 22 releases November 25. It launches across the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Folks who pre-order the game will gain early access to the game, in the form of Cricket 22 THE NETS CHALLENGE, starting in mid-October. The game will be cross-gen, so buying a last-gen version will entitle you to a next-gen upgrade for free. Cricket 22 will release on the Nintendo Switch in January 2022.
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