The International Cricket Council (ICC) is preparing to launch its own official mobile cricket game, but a major roadblock has emerged.
As reported by ESPN Cricinfo, the World Cricketers Association (WCA) has raised concerns, accusing the ICC and some member boards of trying to control player name, image, and likeness rights beyond what was originally agreed.
The ICC introduced its plans earlier this year, aiming to create a new revenue stream as cricket faces reduced broadcast deals in the next cycle. Mobile gaming is a booming market, especially in India, and the ICC wants to mirror the success football has enjoyed through FIFA’s gaming franchise.
The WCA already has existing agreements with companies like Real Cricket, covering over 250 players worldwide. This overlap has sparked a fresh battle over commercial rights. For the players, the issue is about fairness and protecting their identities.
WCA CEO Tom Moffat told nearly 600 cricketers to avoid signing any direct deals with the ICC or its boards. He stressed that licensed products like video games should be negotiated collectively through player associations, not handled individually by governing bodies.
Back in April 2025, reports surfaced that the ICC was considering developing its own mobile cricket game to tap into India’s booming $3.8 billion mobile gaming market and diversify revenue beyond broadcast rights.
The idea was to create a game that could rival existing titles like WCC3, Real Cricket, Dream Cricket, and Hitwicket, but with more realism and depth that cricket fans often find missing in mobile versions compared to console titles.
By June 2025, the ICC’s plan gained momentum as it called for expressions of interest, attracting several major names in gaming. Companies like KRAFTON, EA Sports, Dream11, Nazara Technologies, JetSynthesys, and MPL reportedly joined the race to partner with the ICC.
If successful, the game could be a landmark moment for cricket, deepening fan engagement and tapping into the fast-growing mobile gaming market. But until the rights issue is resolved, the project remains caught in uncertainty.
