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Forums - General Discussion - Why do game companies always keep release dates secret?

I know that it takes time to make a videogame but where ever I look, I can't get a specific date for releases. It's always Q4 or a month. Then more often then not, the company changes the release date to even further away.

Am I the only one who gets outraged every time a release date is pushed back?

 

I was so tired of this, I even created a blog for my friends to know when definite release dates are pinned down so they don't always go chasing for a game only to be let down. That's how frustrating this whole thing has become.



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Because they themselves aren't entirely sure when the game will be finished.



By life end:

  • Wii- 100 million+
  • Xbox360- 35~40 million
  • PS3- 30 million
  • PSP- 30~32 million ------------- FAILURE
  • NDS- 85~90 million (Skeptical)  - FAILURE
  • NDS- 100 million+ (Optimistic) -- Success!

 

 

I work in an industry dependant on precise dates, and let me tell you, even those are up for changing. There's no telling when a wrench is thrown into development, or QA, or a big decision from the people who make the big decisions. It is much safer to give a guesstimate to the public, while behind closed doors they have specific dates they target, but may not always hit.



And when a developer announces a date for a game...then has to push it back...thus begins the speculation as to what was wrong with the game...will it be fixed, etc.



It generally can be dissapointing for people when a release date gets pushed back many times, I think it mainly stems from wanting to avoid that disappointment, so developers try to stay vague until they're sure of a solid date for release.

Waiting for Half-Life 2 was a fine example of setting dates too early.



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jasond said:

Am I the only one who gets outraged every time a release date is pushed back?


No.  That's why they keep release dates secret.



Publishers will pick a best case date to announce. That means if there are no problems or changes, they will have it finished by that time. If the chose a date later "just to be on the safe side" and finished early. They would not be able to release the game early and would have to sit on it until the release date.



Because they're mean.



a.l.e.x59 said:
Because they're mean.

Another great post from the great a.l.e.x59



jasond said:

I know that it takes time to make a videogame but where ever I look, I can't get a specific date for releases. It's always Q4 or a month. Then more often then not, the company changes the release date to even further away.

Am I the only one who gets outraged every time a release date is pushed back?

 

I was so tired of this, I even created a blog for my friends to know when definite release dates are pinned down so they don't always go chasing for a game only to be let down. That's how frustrating this whole thing has become.


Look at it this way.  You want the game to be the best game possible, do you not?  This takes a lot of work and then a lot of testing and then a lot more work.  Developers don't know when new bugs will be discovered or something needs to be fixed/modified.  Would you rather have a game that is screwed up and doesn't work properly, or has bugs that cause you problems at certain points in the game?  Or would you rather have a finished, final product that has passed through rigorous quality assurance?  I, for one, would prefer the latter by far.  Companies shipping buggy games (or even beta versions) and later correcting the problem via the Internet is not what I call a good idea.



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