Somebody dropped the ball at Blizzard.

Otto_Manic · October 2004

Well there we go, SOE just gave an official press release with the ship date for EQII. This has got to be one of the most interesting game face-offs ever. Can't wait to see how Blizzard responds to this!

I'm looking for some friends that I lost contact with over the years...

EQ: Horlain (Firiona Vie)
DAOC: Kaizur (Guinevere)

dougfrippon · October 2004

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm?loadnews=2392

Not official but almost..

Rikimaru_X · October 2004

Originally posted by Otto_Manic
Well there we go, SOE just gave an official press release with the ship date for EQII. This has got to be one of the most interesting game face-offs ever. Can't wait to see how Blizzard responds to this!

. . . So . . . I dout Blizzard cares about their offical press release. Blizzard is doing their own thing.

metalcore · October 2004

Seems like Blizzard don't give a damn when EQ2 comes out.

RogueSilence · October 2004

Blizzard always has something up their sleeve and i have to agree it looks as if they really dont give a damn. You know why? becuase they know that all these people saying there gonna switch to EQ2 are a bunch of hypocrites... they won't switch they're just saying that in hopes that Blizzard will actually listen to them, get scared, and release open beta, thing is there is no point on realeasing beta if people are just gonna play like crazy and not help actually test the game...

khas001 · October 2004

Maybe it's jsut me but I think it shows Blizzards confidence. They don't look like they are intimidated by the press release, and they are not letting SOE push them into an early release in some half assed attempt to steal users.

To me EQ2's early release jsut shows how insecure SOE is about their game and that they really do fear WoW and Blizzard with good reason.

*three cheers for Blizzard*

*hip hip hurray!!!!!!*

Hope is a waking dream.
-Aristotle [384 BC - 322 BC]

Otto_Manic · October 2004

You're sadly mistaken, these two games have copied the hell out of each other, even jacking features from each other in an effort to come out on top. So, contrary to what you think, these two companies are concerned with what's going on in the opposite corner. This holiday season, people are going to have pretty much two choices, EQ2 or WoW, insofar as MMO's go.

Edit: I do agree with the rest of you who are saying that you see SOE as being intimidated and trying to rush EQ2 out the door in an effort to gain some users with a half-assed game. However, I still disagree that Blizzard isn't concerned by this.

I'm looking for some friends that I lost contact with over the years...

EQ: Horlain (Firiona Vie)
DAOC: Kaizur (Guinevere)

Neas · October 2004

IF EQ2 is really worried about WoW release then if WoW said they release a day before EQ2 (new date) would EQ2 then go and put theres further back.

Its like a bidding war.... only stops when one side has nothing more to give.

Problem with this is that blizzard aint playing by EQ2 rules, its giving them the pervebial "Up Yours" and sticking to its release date. Just as it should as honestly it IS THE BETTER GAME.

Beta Tested: Lineage 2, Ryzom, City of Heroes, RYL, World Of Warcraft European
Truly Loved: World of Warcraft

Realmreaver · October 2004

Originally posted by khas001

Maybe it's jsut me but I think it shows Blizzards confidence. They don't look like they are intimidated by the press release, and they are not letting SOE push them into an early release in some half assed attempt to steal users.
To me EQ2's early release jsut shows how insecure SOE is about their game and that they really do fear WoW and Blizzard with good reason.
*three cheers for Blizzard*
*hip hip hurray!!!!!!*

Hope is a waking dream.
-Aristotle [384 BC - 322 BC]

Also shows they have wayy to much faith in the common man who could care less if it says SOE or Blizzard... just that it's a new game for them to play.

Won't hurt either side.... Unless Blizz's parent company thinks they just lost ALOT of accounts due to Blizzard.

Well.. least they get to go on an extended vacation with their loved ones....

"love how they make an announcement saying open beta will be coming soon, then turn around and say it won't be here for a while.. its like poetry, only it sucks.. " -About Blizzard and their concept of 'soon'

rathma · October 2004

It just shows that Blizzard would rather push it back a week or so to polish the game up, add in a few things.... While SOE just wants to throw it on the shelves no matter what the condition.

"The Crimes of the Servers are No Servers ONline and BLIZZARD KNOWS this! We play to beta test to WOW play the game that we Tested... FOR THEM!! Why then to the Devs give us excuses for the Servers of Delays on their DElays. CRIMES! I'm a Elf and need levels because I couldn't Play THURsday. I couldn't play FIRDAY either because Ther servers DOWN and Today's Friday!" - Catavari

Otto_Manic · October 2004

I hear what you're saying, but it really doesn't make all that much sense. If you read the WoW Beta boards, pretty much all the testers are saying that was more ready for launch 2 months ago than any other MMO at its release.

I'm not in beta, so I don't know for sure, but when a good 85%< of the testers are saying that it's ready for OB, then it might be a good idea to hook it up. Considering, like others have said that a lot of people really don't care about Blizzard vs. SOE, they're just bored out of their minds with what they're playing right now and want something new.

I'm looking for some friends that I lost contact with over the years...

EQ: Horlain (Firiona Vie)
DAOC: Kaizur (Guinevere)

froby1kinobi · October 2004

Perhaps this is all a ploy by Blizzard. Blizzard might plan to start OB a mere days before EQ2 releases, therefore swooping in and preoccupying all those who are on the fence until WoW is ready for release.

Those Blizzard people might be craftier than we think.

tephys · October 2004

I think that's exactly what might happen froby. Blizzard will open the beta when EQ2 releases. People will have a choice between a free trial of WoW or spending $50 to buy an unknown EQ2 game.

SOE might have beaten Blizzard to the release punch but Blizzard will try to make it as painful for them as possible. ::::18::

Coldmeat · October 2004

Not too mention that SOE is adding a ton of stuff to the game 1 week before it ships, which means it will be effectively untested, so expect huge nerfs to certain classes/races ala CH nerfs in the first month of SWG.

There are still lingering stability issues, which is pretty par for the course, but the pounding the servers will take when they go live will magnify them, nevermind pathing issues, mobs that fall through the geometry, broken quests for key things, and it all adds up. With SOE's less than stellar reputation within the MMO community, they will need to have a CoH smooth launch, or they will be catching major flack.

linkeq2002 · October 2004

Originally posted by Otto_Manic

You're sadly mistaken, these two games have copied the hell out of each other, even jacking features from each other in an effort to come out on top. So, contrary to what you think, these two companies are concerned with what's going on in the opposite corner. This holiday season, people are going to have pretty much two choices, EQ2 or WoW, insofar as MMO's go.

Edit: I do agree with the rest of you who are saying that you see SOE as being intimidated and trying to rush EQ2 out the door in an effort to gain some users with a half-assed game. However, I still disagree that Blizzard isn't concerned by this.

I'm looking for some friends that I lost contact with over the years...
EQ: Horlain (Firiona Vie)
DAOC: Kaizur (Guinevere)

I have to say that your some what mistaken when you say that people have only two choices. With the release of Dark Age of Camelot Catacombs, a very well made and now somewhat graphically equal (with Catacombs) game with WoW and EQ2, Dark Age is going to do well. It seems everyone who is actually switching is saying that EVERYONE is switching, which isn't true by any stretch of the imagination. I know a ton of people who aren't switching and a tiny minute amount that actually are. Yes I myself will probably switch or at least run both of them until my free month runs out on WoW then make a decision, but as of now I personally think Dark Age AND SWG could steal tons of subscribers away from what gonna be a Buggy as Hell Everquest 2 launch and WoW which is gonna be very good IMO.

"Sony Customer Service is like Santa Clause, people say they've seen them but they don't really exist"

Xanthorn · October 2004

Originally posted by tephys

I think that's exactly what might happen froby. Blizzard will open the beta when EQ2 releases. People will have a choice between a free trial of WoW or spending $50 to buy an unknown EQ2 game.
SOE might have beaten Blizzard to the release punch but Blizzard will try to make it as painful for them as possible.

Except for the fact that most people preorder the game they want to play, so if Blizzard is really waiting to announce OB at the time of release, they are making a mistake. IMHO

Xanthorn

http://www.otsguild.com/ -- Future WoW guild upon release, check it out! If you want access, please put refered by Xanthorn on mmorpg.com. Thanks, Xanthorn.

Coldmeat · October 2004

Originally posted by Xanthorn
Originally posted by tephys
I think that's exactly what might happen froby. Blizzard will open the beta when EQ2 releases. People will have a choice between a free trial of WoW or spending $50 to buy an unknown EQ2 game.
SOE might have beaten Blizzard to the release punch but Blizzard will try to make it as painful for them as possible. Except for the fact that most people preorder the game they want to play, so if Blizzard is really waiting to announce OB at the time of release, they are making a mistake. IMHO
Xanthornhttp://www.otsguild.com/ -- Future WoW guild upon release, check it out! If you want access, please put refered by Xanthorn on mmorpg.com. Thanks, Xanthorn.

That might be applicable to us lifeless bastards who sit around on forums like this, but the average joe gamer? He'll hear "Try World of Warcraft free for 2/3 weeks!!" and based on name recognition, give it a try. Everquest just doesn't have the name recogition outside of the MMOG community that Warcraft does. That's what they're banking on for the open beta, which will get the fence sitters, and people new to the MMOG scene.

Brambey · October 2004

My guess is that Blizzard will release the signups for the Open Beta (they already announced they would come before the OB launch) maybe a week or so before EQ2 releases. Maybe even announce the date of the signups a week before that. So, up to 2 weeks before EQ2 releases everyone will get to make a decision... try WoW for free or buy the unknown EQ2 for 50 bucks. Open Beta isnt REALLY for testing as much as it is a publicity stunt... its a free trial before release.

I dont know about you guys but I know I'd much rather play a trial for one game then buy one completely unawares as to gameplay. The reason EQ2 wont have an OB is because their game sucks, and they know it. Blizzard is proud of their creation and are 100% willing to show it off a couple weeks before release and reel in all the people who are still on the fence.

With MMO's, I wont buy before I try. I tried WoW in ST and will again in OB and love it sofar. With games like FFXI (huge disappointment that I bought) and SWG (huge disappointment that I WOULD have bought if I wasnt invited to the stage1 beta)... you just never know what you'll get with MMOs. So you really need to try em first.

Also, EQ2 does look bad to me... honestly... from the beta boards it is apparently far from ready and perhaps worse than SWG at release (thats bad) and just judging from SOE's track record with SWG etc I would be very hesitant to buy EQ2 without trying it first. If there is a free trial later on, I'll give EQ2 a shot... until then they wont get my business. ((or maybe I'll try it if one of my friends buys it, ya never know)).

I also dont really like the graphics style used in EQ2 and I hear the requirements are steep. I really like the cartoony look and smooth engine of WoW better than the graphics I've seen from EQ2 thus far.

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Somebody dropped the ball at Blizzard.

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