Game Delays!

Is there now an unspoken rule with developers that to release most good games it has to be delayed at least several months or even years now. Is it the longer the better in there eyes. I just don’t see why they openly lie about a release date when they clearly have no intention of making that deadline. If they say a release date they must have some idea of where the game is at in development, so why are games being delayed by another year or month so much. Are they just making really bad games and have to spend that time correcting them, or are they getting me excited about a game on purpose just to let me down. 

I have got 3 examples of why this is annoying me so much. Splinter Cell: Conviction was originally announced with a release date of November 16th 2007, this was then pushed back to between January and March 2008 very soon after. But later on this date was changed again to the next fiscal year began in April 2008, however, last week Ubisoft announced that game should now not be expected until between April 1st 2009 and March 30th 2010. I have heard of tactical delaying like with GTA4, but this really does take the biscuit. I have not really been a huge splinter cell fan, just found it a bit boring. What I clearly cannot see is why they say that first date even when they had not got a chance in hell of making it.

Second example, Wheelman by Midway, I know this dalay is almost nothing compared with Splinter Cell but it is still annoying. Wheelman first was announced in Feb 2006. Since then it has constantly been pushed every couple of months until last week when Midway gave a rough date of 2009. I actually remember this game well because a trailer was put on to the John Woo’s Stranglehold disc, the game looked good but not amazing. This is probably a tactical delay because a film adaptation is in the works, with Vin Diesel, and they probably delayed the game so both could be released at the same. But the film as well has been delayed so everything gets pushed back.

Finally, Brother’s in Arm’s: Hell’s Highway, I have been looking forward to this game now for so long it’s insane. I was a massive fan of Earned in Blood; I mean I completed the story over and over again. The first CGI video back in early 2006 looked brilliant but since then the release date keeps on being pushed back and the graphics and gameplay get worse the closer the release date comes. This game is scheduled for Late August/Early September release, with they amount they showed off at E3 I expect this to be final. I just hope the trailers are wrong and this game lives up to potential.

Saying this, some companies do meet deadlines like Epic with Gears of War 1 and that was a massive game, and hope this continues with GOW2 because it does look sweet. What I like about epic is that Gears of War 2 was announced only this year after being in development for nearly two years, they only showed it off when they new they could meet the Nov 2008 deadline. So I am not angry at all developers just the ones which let me down.

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