How important to success is the timing of release?

Amathe · December 2006

Whereas 2006 was a dark patch for good new mmorpg releases, 2007 offers an avalanche of promising new games:

Age of Conan

Warhammer

Lord of the Rings Online

Chronicles of Spellborne

WoW's Burning Crusade expansion

and of course Vanguard, as well as others.

So the question is, even if Vanguard is a good game (which people can debte), will it get crushed in this frenzy of new releases?

Another related question is, how important is it for a game to be bug free and stable out of the gate, with so many choices? Will this be a best game wins scenario, or a best game at launch wins scenario?

anarchyart · December 2006

Originally posted by Amathe

Whereas 2006 was a dark patch for good new mmorpg releases, 2007 offers an avalanche of promising new games:
Age of Conan
Warhammer
Lord of the Rings Online
Chronicles of Spellborne
WoW's Burning Crusade expansion
and of course Vanguard, as well as others.
So the question is, even if Vanguard is a good game (which people can debte), will it get crushed in this frenzy of new releases?
Another related question is, how important is it for a game to be bug free and stable out of the gate, with so many choices? Will this be a best game wins scenario, or a best game at launch wins scenario?

I personally think that quality will win, but there are so many factors with consumers. If timing meant nothing, no game would have ever shipped in as poor condition as we all know many have. I believe that quality of product wins out in the end though.

vajuras · December 2006

Well Vanguard is an MMO so I would think its okay to have some bugs. An MMO is so massive- there will be bugs many players will never ever see. Sure, the hardcore players will find them but the majority *hopefully* wont

Timing is critical as we all know. However I'm not an expert on the MMO market. You want to be complete enough so that you maintain the initial base and good enough so that they'll convince their friends to play.

I just read the beta is goin up on fileplanet. I'll give it a try. This is a good time for me personally is all I really know cause I really dont have an MMO to play.

Ghatred · December 2006

Timing is important, it has to be. I am waiting for a few of those listed games to come out and if I like the one I get my hands on first I will probably stick with it. After 2 months of playing it's safe to say I'm addicted for a while and no new game can cure me. That is until the game get's old or turns out to be a flop.

Another thing about timing, recently a game was promised to be released on the 18th and it got delayed. I was ready to play it, took 2 days off work and then I got stuck with rl chores cause I had no game to play. I ended up not playing it.

ps : I'm hoping vanguard is the ONE.

Unknown · December 2006

If the game is good, you don't need to worry about timing. If you build it, they will come.

People will flock to you no matter what they are playing currently.

But if it's a crappy game and you have something to hide, then yes, timing is everything.

M1sf1t · December 2006

A bad launch can make or break a MMO. Look at Eq2 for example. It never recovered from it's bad launch even though now it is a very good MMO. Need another example ? Auto Assault is prime example of how not to launch a game. Or what about DnL ? Are there going to be problems during launch day ? Yes but if a MMO company has not nailed down the large and obvious bugs it does not matter what happens 6 months down the road.

gillvane1 · December 2006

Originally posted by Amathe

Whereas 2006 was a dark patch for good new mmorpg releases, 2007 offers an avalanche of promising new games:
Age of Conan
Warhammer
Lord of the Rings Online
Chronicles of Spellborne
WoW's Burning Crusade expansion
and of course Vanguard, as well as others.
So the question is, even if Vanguard is a good game (which people can debte), will it get crushed in this frenzy of new releases?
Another related question is, how important is it for a game to be bug free and stable out of the gate, with so many choices? Will this be a best game wins scenario, or a best game at launch wins scenario?

Timing couldn't be better. The MMORPG community is clamoring for a new A list game to play, and Vanguard will be the first to release so they are the only choice for something *new*. Something totally new is in a category by itself. I don't think expansions are that big of a deal. If you like your current game you'll stick with it, and expansions might keep you a little longer. But many gamers want to try something else and are not even playing an MMORPG at this time.

I'm done with EQ2 and the recent expansion tempted me for about 2 seconds and that's about it. Done with DAoC, and many players are after TOA. Never did like WoW, and many players felt the same, or are done with that game too, expansion or not.

Releasing first in the pack of new games coming out this year gives Vangaurd the chance to win loyal gamers before the rest. I'm willing to bet that more than one player will stick with Vanguaurd simply because they have invested in their character, and not purchase AoC or something else, at least fora while.

One thing Vanguard can't do is compete with Warhammer. It just doesn't have the PvP features a lot fo players are looking for, but that's OK since they obviously aren't going for this segment of the MMORPG market. Releasing a PvP server as a poor stepchild of the game is just throwing a bone to the PvP community, and they will jump at the chance for some new RvR in WAR.

But, when it comes to the PvE crowd, Vanguard has a great shot by releasing first. Unless of course they release a buggy mess that is void of content.

http://www.mmorpgmaker.com

Varcan · December 2006

Quality will win, though releasing around WoW's expansion could hurt any game in the MMO market. However, Vanguard doesn't have quality yet, and they're entering open beta in the next week or so. That would seem to be a double negative, but Im sure someone will say its a great game with so much potential being the keyword. But the market doesn't want potential, we pay for a product and we expect to get it, now, now, now. And if it doesn't deliver the market will look elsewere, and never look back. This appears to be Vanguards fate.

Anofalye · December 2006

The release date might be problematic, depending close to which title you release.

But I think the DESIGN and the peoples you are catering to will impact more. Each and every of their competitor was convinced, somehow, that catering to FoHish players was the way to go. In such a reality, catering to ANY other player group would be better.

Personnally, I would release 1 or 2 months after WoW BC, would go flashy with "Raid-free servers" as to make sure nobody miss it; and slam WoW hard, into disgrunted players that are absolutely hating the raiding focus in WoW, provided by FoH players themselves. DAoC did the same with PvP servers against EQ disgrunted players, and I would think that getting WoW disgrunted players is beyond Brad's wildest dream. Been to WoW what DAoC was to EQ sound like an appealing future atm...But that is me, and who am I to talk or suggest? Bah, I will go get myself some beer instead!

vajuras · December 2006

Originally posted by M1sf1t

A bad launch can make or break a MMO. Look at Eq2 for example. It never recovered from it's bad launch even though now it is a very good MMO. Need another example ? Auto Assault is prime example of how not to launch a game. Or what about DnL ? Are there going to be problems during launch day ? Yes but if a MMO company has not nailed down the large and obvious bugs it does not matter what happens 6 months down the road.

THis is so true. I played EQ2 at launch for bout 2 months. Had a bad experience with it and never looked back even though ive had friends tell me its improved vastly

NeuroXl · December 2006

I honestly dont think release plays as large a role as people think it does ... when it comes to a new game , The most subs imho dont occur at its onset but a few months afterwards, when hype builds up ...

Vanguard doesnt really have a marketing machine going .. just fan hype ... and most people are going to wait before buying this one .. because of the ill decision to go with sony ... the companies past ( newly formed, bad history with verant abandoning EQ) .. and the rumours coming from beta testers ..not saying any of these concerns are legitimate or the game will suck, .. but these concerns are legitimately causing soome people to wait before buying ...

i honestly believe a LOT of people are going to test the waters before buying this game by listening to what people have to say about it before dishing out the $$$ .. because of this .. its release date doesnt really matter ...if sigil was smart they would prolong the release date as LONG as possible in order to get the game as perfected as possible so that those waiting on the sidelines to BUY, wont be hearing negative things fromt he people who bought right away ...

Lastera · December 2006

The longer Vanguard/Sigil waits, the more likely a MMORPG will come out with features that will make them yesterdays news.

Wizardry · December 2006

Timing is everything and it's not just about timing as per say dates or seasonal.It has alot to do with timing as in the market being stale or begging for something new.WOW is a prime example as being the first real Americanized giant MMO game that really had no competition as UO was old school graphics and FFXI EQ were games based to flavour to asians.EQ ran rampant for quite some time because at the time it had little or no competition.The release and strat of sony to change a few things ticked alot of old school EQ players off,making the timing of WOW even more relevant.Then you add in minor things like christmas release and free trials you can get a pretty large player base in a hurry.Add to the fact a brand new game offers many players the chance to jump ship and establish bragging rights as kings of there server,believe me this is a huge factor as i have seen it first hand in free to play games such as SILKROAD.

I just touched on a bit ,i was trying to elude to the fact that timing has alot of factors that are more than just actual dates/times.Right now as we are on this topic i would say the timing is again right for the next giant to emerge.People are tired of eq2/wow/FFXI/EVE/anarchy and so on.There is one obstacle the next giant has to overcome ,to wich WOW did not have to do and that is market flooding.Tons of developers are buying up rights to great game engines such as unreal3 in hopes this will bring them the next big thing.The real factor that might turn the corner for a game may be as simple as the console it is released on.PS3 is the next big thing so games coming out on it are gonna be big sellers.Most of the mechanics that lure in potential players have already been done in one game or another so now its about wich game can offer it all and still look good doing it,while finding the perfect/lucky time to release it.

Ethanael · December 2006

A highly polished game will obviously encounter less friction between the players that play and the players who are curious about playing it. e.g. There will be less, "zomg, this thing doesn't work!!" threads. That said, It is -very- -very- difficult for a game of this size to come out of the gates perfectly bug free or polished. This game is massive, with a LOT of moving parts with class selection, race selection, the unique feel for each and race, crafting, diplomacy, questing, raiding, sheer world size, etc. You must look at all of this and wrap it in your mind as a work in progress for a LONG time, as is any MMO out on the playing field.

The major competition will be from Warhammer. I highly doubt that the WoW expansion will hurt the release of VG at all and Vanguard sits rather pretty for people looking for a concept change from WoW.

To answer your final question: it is very important for a game to be -stable-. It must be able to take the load of the unknown right out of the gate. Bug free, I wouldn't hold your breath on any game being bug free out of the gate. MMO's, they're massive and it is hard to crush every problem with them.

Case in point: Keep an open mind.

Regards,

kingkong10 · December 2006

Originally posted by Ethanael

A highly polished game will obviously encounter less friction between the players that play and the players who are curious about playing it. e.g.

It is all about execution.

The reason WoW did so well is their 1-20 leveling. Unbelievably polished and accessible.

I bought WoW to some of my friends in the above 40 age group who never played a single computer game before!!!! and they become addicted to it.

that's the genius of Blizzard

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