Video game release dates have become about as reliable as a diaper made of tissue. Big name titles have their release dates pushed back so often these days it’s almost a given that the first officially announced release date will be inaccurate. Of course delays are not always a bad thing, given the alternative (rushed).
Find out which three big name titles are being delayed and why after the jump!
Electronic Arts announced on Tuesday that three of its big upcoming titles would be significantly delayed. EA CEO John Riccitiello did however give some “understandable” reasons for why gamers will have to wait.
The release of The Sims 3, which Riccitiello referred to as “one of the most important launches in our company’s history,” has been pushed back to June 2, 2009. EA’s CEO explained the game was delayed to allow them to make their marketing campaign more innovative and awe inspiring. Marketing campaign or not, The Sims 3 is going to sell like mad. Even the blind, deaf, one armed sherpa who lives at the top of Mount Everest has heard of The Sims. How amazing does the ad campaign really have to be?
The Godfather II was originally set to be released at the end of this month, but has been pushed back to a yet to be announced date. Apparently EA is figuring by delaying the title they can pick a more opportune time to release their game, free from the competition of games released at the end of 2008. Ok, I can see EA’s rationale here, but I was actually looking forward to playing this game at the end of the month, and knowing the game is ready to go only makes it worse. It’s just not as cool wearing a fedora when your playing GTA4.
The PC version of BioWare’s Dragon Age: Origins has been delayed until Q4 2009. The game was apparently delayed to allow for some extra polishing and to coincide with the release of the console versions. I’m all for extra polish, but I feel a bit sorry for console only gamers. With the PC version coming out first, gamers would have had the chance to see and hear if Dragon Age was any good (I have a feeling it is btw) before they considered picking it up. Given the bloody killing field that is the MMO market these days, nobody can really blame EA for wanting to hit the market hard on three fronts all at once though.
Of course delays suck, but I’m a much bigger fan of EA delaying titles (necessarily or not) than I was of their old “lets ruin a game by rushing it” behavior. It must be tempting for publishers, not just EA, to pump as many games out as possible to inflate short term revenue. Luckily, this has not happened…yet.
Source: GameSpot
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*sighs* My wife says its okay that Sims is delayed because inde Sim content creators haven’t made content for it yet. I don’t think they will until EA releases the games (unless they’re on the testing list, in which case they may have access to meshes and skins but EA has forbidden anything be published until June 3rd).
As for Bioware – really? I mean, I’m stoked, but that will mean two major releases on top of each other – Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2. Even if ME2 is delayed into Q1 or Q2 2010, that’s still pretty close. Ever since KOTOR 1, it seems any project they do is gold, so it will be worth the wait.
I love that “Haha… you play The Sims” in the graphic.
When it comes to delays, don’t forget that each delay of a game is published all across gaming websites. It’s just like free advertising.
does anybody know anything about GF2? Im going to be pissed if you cant get it until june