Quote Originally Posted by Atomisk View Post
So at the end of May, before P3 hits we will have an official release date.

It is my WISH that they would not give one. No matter how confident you are. I Thought, Yoshi origionally stated he would not give out a release date until ffxiv:arr officially hit the shelves. Same day notice that Today is release day, and it is on the shelves today. You want Early Access? Sign up for Beta, I'm doubt anyone is getting denied in phase 4, which will roll over to official release.

If you don't understand why some people are weery and leery of a release date being given. It is more likely than not because of how 1.0 alpha/beta/launch went. Or maybe that is just my feelings. I was in 1.0 alpha and did not get into 1.0 beta until it was open beta. When i got to open beta nothing seemed to have changed from alpha. . . With announcements on beta forums saying don't worry, it's only beta. Official release tomorrow will be better. Just my theory's. Even throughout ffxi the later expansions seemed timed to release just before Blizzard came out with some other expansion for WoW. The release of ffxiv 1.0 just felt like they were only trying to beat out WoW expansion release (Cataclysm), and worrying about quality later.

So yes, when they say they are going to give a release date, and sounds like it is gonna happen right before TESO release date, I do worry that SE is again rushing to try and beat some other companies release date. There will always be more than 1 good to play mmorpg out there at the same time. And it is the quality of the game, and experiences, not the release date that hold players in the game.
Ever hear of a game called Age of the Beast? It's (presumably) being developed by Senile Team, an indie 2.5 fighting game system that looked to be light years ahead of its previous iteration, Beats of Rage. Unlike its predecessor, Age of the Beast was supposed to be an original game, with its own system and ways to mod into other products. the most recent video of its gameplay from YouTube was from 2006.

7 years later, and it has no release date. The game might not be dead, but the interest sure is, and Senile Team is currently a lost memory of gaming, with no expectations,and little hope.

You need to get over 1.0's release, because time does not wait for any company. The business needs to perform the launch with confidence; if they release it in secret or as a surprise, then it will affect sales and the subsequent launch experience. The release date for a product matters significantly from a business standpoint as it gives the product time to act through the market without interference from another product's release, perhaps even affecting the success of competitors.(like TESO, for example)

It could be the best game since sliced bread, but if it takes till doomsday before you want to release it, you'll have missed success altogether.