With Lacrosse 26 set to launch on April 24, Insider Gaming has learned exclusive new details about the surprise release. That includes information on platforms, pricing, gameplay systems, and licensing, shedding new light on the game’s overall scope.
Through conversations with Crosse Studios’ founder Carlo Sunseri, we’re able to provide a clearer picture of what players can expect from Lacrosse 26.
Lacrosse 26 Is Starting On Consoles First
When the game was first announced on Tuesday, some players were surprised to see that Lacrosse 26 is releasing exclusively on current-gen PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Many assumed the game would also launch on PC, but that’s not the case, at least right now.
- More Lacrosse 26 News: EXCLUSIVE: First Details On Lacrosse 26’s Gameplay And Franchise
Sunseri says the focus has been getting through the Xbox and PlayStation certification process, which he admits has been a learning process. A release on PC, he said, is something they’d like to get done once they’re in a “good place to support it”. He added that he doesn’t think it’ll be too long before they work on bringing it to Steam.
As far as pricing, Sunseri says the game will cost $34.99. It’s a price, he believes, that’s warranted due to what’s been built for the game and the level of effort that’s going into it.
There’s No Official Licensing
With the game more focused on a college-like experience for its main franchise mode, Lacrosse 26 doesn’t have any official licensing with the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). However, just because this game doesn’t have it, it doesn’t mean it’s not on Crosse Studios’ radar.
The team has worked with the PLL in the past on the mobile game PLL Top Shelf. Sunseri says that working with the league was a great experience, and that “it would be exciting to bring that kind of partnership into a full-field game.”
And with it being a field game, no, there isn’t an NLL license either. It’s something that Sunseri says he would love to go back to if the opportunity ever came around again.
“That would be really fun,” he said. “I still hear from people who played the old NLL and college lacrosse games from 2010–2012. Those were a blast to make!”
Despite no official licensing for teams or players, there is one known
The Controls Are Skill-Based
Lacrosse 26’s control scheme is aiming to be something that players can pick up quickly, but then practice to master. There’s one control scheme in the game at launch, and Sunseri says what the team has built from the ground up improves how the general gameplay will feel.
“We’ve built skill-based shooting, stick checks, body checks, and dynamic dodging,” he said. “We’ve also focused heavily on rewarding good timing and reducing reliance on randomness. Combined with more aggressive and capable AI, the gameplay feels more skill-based and dynamic overall.”
Sunseri added that the goal with this year’s game, being built in a new engine from the ground up, is for the gameplay, animations, and motion capture to provide a foundation for the franchise.
“That foundation,” he says, “gives us a lot of room to expand moving forward. I’m really looking forward to player feedback and continuing to build on this without needing another five-plus-year cycle.”
Plans For The Future
Though the game isn’t out yet, as of publication, the team has already started looking towards what they could do in the future. Aside from potential licensing, which may or may not be in the plans, the goal is to get games out sooner than eight years.
Making lacrosse games since the late 2000s, Sunseri said that the goal in the past was more about iterating to improve the feel and overall quality. Moving forward, he says, the goal is to stick to the original base design of the game and get it out to players sooner as opposed to five-plus years.
“This cycle involved a lot of trial and error, which led to reworking major systems multiple times,” he said. “What stands out now is that we’ve finally captured the flow of lacrosse in a way that feels right. Hopefully, we can build on this code base moving forward and iterate faster – I’d love to get back to yearly releases if possible.”
What are your thoughts on Lacrosse 26 ahead of its April 24 release? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and in this official Insider Gaming Discord.
Note: The featured image at the top of the article is a screenshot of Casey Powell’s Lacrosse 18
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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