Tennis World Tour is a tennis video game developed by Breakpoint Studio and published by Bigben Interactive for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. It was released on May 22, 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and the physical PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch versions, was released on October 29.[1][2][3][4][5]
Tennis World Tour | |
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Developer(s) | Breakpoint Studio |
Publisher(s) | Bigben Interactive |
Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
Release |
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Genre(s) | Sports |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Development
editThe game was developed by Breakpoint Studio. It was published by French publisher, Bigben Interactive, who hurried it to market when it was only 20% complete.[6] Speaking to French publication Le Monde, and translated by NintendoLife, BigBen founder Alain Falc said the game was "only 20% completed a few weeks before its release" but needed to be released in order to capitalise on the French Open and avoid "losing the benefit of marketing campaigns already committed" and added that BigBen "put 500,000 pieces on the market but with many distributors who have no right of return, so we know that will be profitable".[7]
Reception
editAggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | (PS4) 45/100[8] (XONE) 42/100[9] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Game Informer | 4/10[10] |
Nintendo World Report | 3.5/10[11] |
The critical response to Tennis World Tour has ranged from highly negative to at best average. Xbox Tavern was sharp, writing: "Tennis is a game of fluidity and precision, two things that Tennis World Tour, despite its decent career mode, fails miserably to realize".[12] Game Informer was no more positive, writing that "even Pong had a reliability about it that this game lacks, and that was over 45 years ago" and giving the game 4/10.[13] The Last Word On Tennis website, meanwhile, was highly critical of the state that the game was launched in, saying that while future updates may well improve the experience, at launch "the game is a complete mess. It's like an alpha version of the game" and gave the game 2/5.[14] French publication, Gameblog.fr, was also critical of the game claiming the heritage of Top Spin: "Claiming Top Spin's heritage probably put too much pressure on Breakpoint to begin with, even more so considering the studio's obvious resource limitations comparatively" and gave the game 5/10.[15]
The game shipped 500,000 units to market, which is not to say it sold that many at retail but, according to Bigben Interactive founder Alain Falc, "many distributors who have no right of return, so we know that will be profitable".[16]
Launch controversy
editTennis World Tour was advertised right up until release as having online multiplayer available in the game from launch. However, when the game launched, critics and players found that the "online multiplayer" component of the game was not present, and that a statement had been issued from the developer that it would be added in at a later date.[17] The company apologized for what the media described as a bait-and-switch by promising players online multiplayer throughout the pre-order window.[18]
eSports
editThe French Tennis Federation hosted a Tennis World Tour eSports tournament in 2018 and 2019, with the final staged at the Stade Roland-Garros during the French Open.[19]
Organisers of the Madrid Open hosted a virtual tournament using the game during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament featured a men's and women's draws with players playing as themselves in the game.[20] The event was won by real life Madrid Open winners Andy Murray and Kiki Bertens.[21]
Sequel
editA sequel, Tennis World Tour 2, was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows in September 2020.[22]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | (PC) 60/100[25] (PS4) 56/100[26] (PS5) 58/100[27] (XONE) 58/100[28] (XSX) 55/100[29] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Nintendo Life | [24] |
Push Square | [23] |
References
edit- ^ "Tennis World Tour arrives on June 1". Gamereactor. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-22.
- ^ Thank Goodness, There's A New Tennis Video Game Coming In 2018 - Brian Mazique, Forbes, 22 May 2017
- ^ Tennis World Tour Announced, Made by Former Top Spin Developers - Martin Patiño, PlayStationLifeStyle 19, May 19, 2017
- ^ Tennis World Tour announced - Tor Erik Dahl, Game Reactor, 19 May 2017
- ^ "Tennis World Tour". Nintendo of America. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour Has Disastrous Launch, Will Rely On Updated Version Next Year". Nintendo Life. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour Has Disastrous Launch, Will Rely On Updated Version Next Year". Nintendo Life. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
- ^ Kato, Matthew (4 June 2018). "Tennis World Tour - It's Not Your Racket's Fault". Game Informer. Archived from the original on June 8, 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ Koopmaan, Daan (29 June 2018). "Tennis World Tour (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour Review - Xbox Tavern". Xbox Tavern. 2018-06-11. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour Review – It's Not Your Racket's Fault". Game Informer. Archived from the original on June 8, 2018. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
- ^ Fernandes, Jason (2018-05-23). "Tennis World Tour (PS4/Xbox One) - Review - Last Word on Tennis". Last Word on Tennis. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
- ^ "TEST. Tennis World Tour (PS4)". Gameblog (in French). Retrieved 2018-05-29.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour Has Disastrous Launch, Will Rely On Updated Version Next Year". Nintendo Life. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
- ^ Square, Push (2018-05-22). "Tennis World Tour Ships without Advertised Online Multiplayer". Push Square. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
- ^ "TENNIS WORLD TOUR OUT NOW!". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
- ^ Tennis joins virtual sports space with French Open eSports tournament - The Esports Observer, 23 March 2018
- ^ "Nadal among stars going for virtual Madrid title". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Virtual Madrid Open: Andy Murray & Kiki Bertens clinch titles". BBC Sport. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour 2 Release Date & What About Gameplay?". Pop Culture Times. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
- ^ Barker, Sammy (28 July 2021). "Tennis World Tour 2 Review (PS4)". Push Square. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ O'Reilly, PJ (24 October 2020). "Tennis World Tour 2 Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour 2 for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour 2 for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour 2 for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour 2 for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
- ^ "Tennis World Tour 2 for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2021-10-27.