Tobold's Blog
Friday, August 01, 2008
 
WAR release date

I've read all of the news snippets in the last weeks: Paul Barnett saying that Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is in principle ready to ship, and just being polished more. Various rumors of a WAR release date on September 23, with head-start access starting on September 18. And I can only advise you to stop hyperventilating. Yes, it is *possible* that WAR releases on September 23. But it is far from certain. Let's wait at least for the official release date announcement before asking your boss for a week off end of September. :)

I am strangely reluctant to play in the WAR beta. Not because I don't like the game. But for the same reasons that I don't want to do quests in Northrend in the WotLK beta: I want to keep all that new content for the release version. I played enough of WAR to know I like it, and I pre-ordered the collector's edition. I know what race / class I want to play first. But I don't want to spoil WAR for me by already playing that class and then getting bored by doing it again in the release version. And I'd rather play in the release version with my guild than in the beta alone. So although I already have access to the game, I can't wait for the release. I'm just not willing to get overly excited about a rumored release date now, just to get disappointed later. And because Mythic already has problems with having promised more than they could eventually deliver, they would be wise to only announce the release date when they are absolutely certain they can make it.

Where the 23rd September date is coming from? Here is one possible scenario:
Underpaid low-level grunt at some website needs to fill out a web form to create the product page for WAR. The web form has a field for release date. He asks his boss what the release date is. Boss replies "Fall 2008", which is the official version. Web form doesn't accept "Fall 2008" because some bloody programmer formatted the field to accept only dates. Grunt looks up "Fall" in the dictionary, and finds that the astronomical start of autumn is on 23 September. Thus he enters 23 September into the web form and pushes enter, not aware what a rumor mill he just started.
Comments:
The more authoritative EA website stated 23 September last week, though that has now changed to just September 08.
 
I'm starting to think that this is becoming the worst kept secret of them all.
 
Waiting for long time..
 
The interview with Paul Barnett was told to be untrue by Mark Jacobs after talking to Paul. Apparently he was misquoted pretty badly and asked some pretty amazingly stupid questions.

The latest in "rumour dates" are September 18. It's what Gamestop gave as official in a awfully detailed email. But until Mythic go out with the official I would take everything with a mountain of salt.
 
Well after being in the beta for the last 6 months I can categorically say it wont be ready, if they release it then it will be AoC all over again.
 
The september 23 date is from a promotional e-mail sent out by Gamestop, an ad placed by Gamestop, and the official EA website. Its most definitely NOT some code monkey making up a date, as gamestop doesn't spend money to publish those dates and mail them out to past customers.

Rumors are pointing to it being even earlier than the 23rd, and that's coming from a developer post on the beta boards that may or may not be accurate.

ghiesuk - categorically? In your opinion, more like. There are hundreds of other testers who'd disagree.
 
I'm in the beta and the game is very near completion. You have to remember what the beta testers are currently playing is usually one or two full builds behind what the internal testers are playing. Being a veteran of many beta tests, I'm going to guess they make a "gone gold" announcement within the next two weeks. That will be followed with work on a day one patch and probably a stress test event leading up to retail release.
 
"Well after being in the beta for the last 6 months I can categorically say it wont be ready, if they release it then it will be AoC all over again"

You just proved you aren't in the beta as far as I'm concerned. Game is way more finished than AOC is even now 3 months after release.
 
Well considering blizzard just announced WotLK to hit between oct-dec, you damn well better believe WAR is going to be out ASAP.

WAR needs a head start to compete with WOTLK. Two-Three months probably isn't going to be enough. I'm going to get WAR, and I'm going to stop playing as soon as WotLK hits(unless WAR is something super special). I will probably keep both subscriptions for a while, unless WAR is a disappointment. I think that is what EA is banking on as well.

If I was EA I would finish all their classes, and the whole game. MAKE THIS THING SUPER F**KING GOOD. Then release WAR 6 months after WotLK. I gaurente they would do much better in the long run. They would get 1.5 years of not having to battle a WoW expansion. I'm sure this would benifit the player more as well.
 
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