The first GAA video game in almost 20 years is being created by a Belfast company as their debut release.
The Gaelic Football 24 game is being developed by Buck Eejit Games, which is putting the finishing touches to it before it hits shelves and online gaming stores.
The game will allow players to choose any of Ireland’s 32 county football teams, along with London and New York, and will be released on both PlayStation 5 and X-Box Series X/S consoles, as well as on PC.
A still from a demo of the new Gaelic Football title by Buck Eejit Games. PICTURE: BUCK EEJIT GAMES/FACEBOOK
Players will not be able to choose real-life clubs in the game, but instead will be able to play as clubs through a “creation suite” feature for league and championship modes in which they can create club colours and names.
No release date has been confirmed by the Belfast company behind the project, which said earlier this year it was aiming for a late 2024 debut for the game.
It will be the first GAA-based video game since the mid-2000s, when Australian company Transmission Games released three titles based on Ireland’s national sports.
It had previously released games based on Australian rules football.
Gaelic Games: Football was released in 2005 on consoles, with a sequel in 2007. The company also released Gaelic Games: Hurling in 2007, but the titles failed to prove a hit with gamers.
Buck Eejit is hoping their attempt to bring the GAA experience into gamers’ homes will prove more successful, and its staff have documented their development journey on social media.
They have used motion capture technology to create realistic movement for the digital footballers players will control, and state-of-the-art creator tools to personalise team members.
Online play is also planned, allowing gamers to take on friends in matches anywhere in the world.
“New stadiums and tournaments are being added to the game at this stage,” a spokesperson for Buck Eejit said in a recent post.
“We are a small indie team, and this is our studio’s first game release. We want the game to look and feel the best it can for our players, so we appreciate everyone’s continued support as we work towards finishing the game.”
The developers have also said they would “love” to create a hurling game, adding: “It’s in our plans.”