Q2 = AoC + WAR?
January 22, 2008 – 11:53 am
What may seem a complicated algebraic expression is actually pretty easy to understand once you read this Massively article, telling us of an 8-week delay to Funcom’s highly anticipated MMORPG, and WAR competitor, Age of Conan.
It seems like “polish” is the excuse of the year when it comes to MMORPG development delays. I agree that launching a game too early can be a death sentence and delaying it for polish is the lesser of two evils, but seriously… how long can you tug at your fans’ heart strings? Sure, that sounds emo, but you’re bound to lose interest the longer and longer you keep your fans waiting because they’ll eventually move on to other things, like knitting, wood-carving, or Lite-Brite. You know… all the crazy hobbies kids have these days.
Launching 2 months before WAR seemed like a pretty good strategy if you ask me, but launching around the same time as WAR? Not so much. Barring another delay by EA Mythic, these two MMOs will likely launch a few weeks apart, which will definitely build up the competition on both fronts.
Arguably, many hardcore AOC fans would never touch WAR and vice versa, but at the core, they are still MMOs of the same genre–PvP–and if one game doesn’t nail it just right, people may head on over and give the alternative a try. The one thing stopping people from doing is a greater span of time between releases, as it will give people more time to become immersed, rather than feeling rushed because they don’t want to miss out on the WAR train.
This is all speculation of course, but hey… when all the good MMOs are being delayed left, right, and centre, all the fans can do IS speculate at this point! 
3 Responses to “Q2 = AoC + WAR?”
hmmm, I do not think we will see WAR before Q4 and AoC will be delayed Q3…
/speculation
By armedbushido on Jan 22, 2008
Everything keeps getting delayed. In the last week i’ve heard about both Conan being delayed, and the reason I bought a Wii, Smash Bros, also, yet again, and again, being delayed.
WoW sat in development for 3 and a half years (officially anyway) and built off the WCIII graphics engine.
Mythic has been working on WAR since May of 2005, but had plenty of ideas and experience to go off of… WAR should be out in Q2, at least I hope.
By Knash on Jan 22, 2008
Aye I saw Funcom lose half its customers when they prematurily launched Anarchy Online. Vanguard another example.
By josewales on Jan 22, 2008