Do you think LucasArts and BioWare announced The Old Republic too early? The game was announced in October 2008, and is scheduled for release in Spring 2011. Would you rather be blissfully ignorant of it until closer to its release, or have you enjoyed learning bits about the game every week?
They need the hype machine to run imo. WoW had plenty of advance notice, announced in 2001 and didn't release until 2004. Anticipation can only help draw in subscribers when the game does release.
This is a really good question.
I voted "no", because I'm enjoying getting the weekly updates and I am totally hyped/stoked for the game, but I can understand the other POV as well.
I noticed a drop-off in the general level of interest after the release target date announcement as I think most people were expecting a 2010 release date. With the game still a year (or more) away, I think it might deter a lot of fans from remaining avidly interested at this point.
That being said, I think the marketing team at BioWare/LA have done an amazing job so far. The hype for this game is almost palpable still, despite the delayed release date, and I think it has as much to do with the marketing techniques as it does the Star Wars franchise tag.
I guess it's part of the whole MMO deal. They need to establish as large a fanbase as possible, especially if you want to compete with World of Warcraft.
I guess I should vote 'no', since I'd rather be able to keep track of it all than to be overwhelmed with too much info at once and having the chance to miss some vital information. The build-up of the info given is vital, I think, because for an MMO that stresses the story part of the game, you need to create an extensive backstory, and it's easier to give future players bits and pieces over a large amount of time.
I voted 'Yes' but not because it's been a torture. I've more or less stopped following the game now (apart from occasional updates here), so my interest has fallen off over the time. If it had been announced then released a month or two later I wouldn't have thought too much about it. :lol:
yea, I have a short attention span, so I go like 3 months without even checking the site TBH, I'm like "Well its not like its playable, whatever", so yes, too early.
I like to see what they've been doing on this game. It sucked not knowing.
Not only am I happy they did announce it this early.. I think for any MMO coming in to the arena at this day & age, it is absolutely necessary to get a leg up and boost some interest in the gamer crowd.
I agree 100% with Miltiades :D
Far too many major players in the race nowadays to leave interest up to chance. We ALL know about gamer's and their whims.. ;) hehehe. Between Granddaddy WoW and the nuclear family of Everquest, Guild Wars, Lotro, DDO, etc. etc. ToR has their work cut out to compete.
Granted, if ToR hadn't updated the community in the ways (and frequency) it has to date, it would've been folly to announce it this early... but so far I think ToR has got their mind in the right zone. Loving what they're doing, and can't wait for this game to become a reality (and my wallet sink :xp: )
If this were any other MMO I'd say yes, but the early release means they get to grow a fanbase and adjust that fanbase to the story early on so that translation into the game is smoother.
Star Trek made the mistake of announcing real news way late, and people went in and found a game unlike anything promised or seen previously. It may have been better received if it was announced earlier, and fan impressions could have helped shape the game.
Think about the pringles lightsabres. If they had announced that much, much later they may of had almost no time to change anything, but early fan reactions gave them the opportunity early enough to redesign the look to the fan base's wants and needs. It also helps that an early announcement means the heat they got for not making K3 gets to boil down. Heat too close to the games release could have severely hurt its sales and may have ultimately destroyed it while it was young, but the boil down lets the base get used to the new look and feel which may be the key to making this a success.
If this were any other MMO I'd say yes, but the early release means they get to grow a fanbase and adjust that fanbase to the story early on so that translation into the game is smoother.
QFT. I think announcing it so early will rake in more cash also.
it was not announcded early perfect timing actually. The game has been in development since 2005.
In hindsight. I think my only concerns with the announcement were that it was an MMO, and that there were pringle can lightsabers and Clone trooper wannabe's, timing is irrelevant, you could put "Star Wars" on a piece of Dog crap and it would shift a million units (swg cough*)... I just want it out already lol
Well, I voted NO. Mainly, because they need hype and they know that. They need to keep hyping the people up so that people from other MMO will turn their heads to a new MMO. I'm talking about World of Warcraft here. They need to show WoW players that here is a beeter more exciting game to play. I personally am sold already because, I love Star Wars. I'm a geek, but for other WoW players, they need more hype. And they have a good amount of time to do it in. I think it was a good move, I hope all goes well with the game.
I thought it was way to early...i mean comon almost four years in advance???
they pretty much announced it when they started making it....
b0o0o0o0o00o0o0o!!!!!!
*Inject green fluid into truJedi*
Hush, hush...it'll be allright.
OT: They did this the right way. There had been rumors about a Kotor 3 for years. Kotor 2 came out late 2004 and in 2008 LA announced the game. Perfect to keep 'The Old Republic' era alive (the comics about Zayne kept the era interesting too, and now that they have a good TOR comic..).
Plus, so early in development, fans can influence stuff.
Nagging about pringle-can sized lightsabers works. Nagging about how imba the Jedi and Sith could be helped too...Bioware has shown that, as a Jedi/Sith, you'll be a padawan, where as a Smuggler etc, you'll be a hero like the DK role in WoW.
The way LA handled TFU 2 is (imo) rubbish. Their site is literally 1 big marketing campaign, where the TOR site includes fan friday articles, comics, forums, artwork to comment on, etc.
once again ....bbbb0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o .. no no just kidding :)
I have been waiting for this game forever, but it will be worth it.
I have been waiting for this game forever, but it will be worth it.
X2 :thmbup1:
Nope. Three years (
http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=34712) is common from announcement to launch.
I would wait another 10 years for this game, as long as I know it will eventually come out, and it will be perfect.
Yes, KotOR 3 should have been announced first :xp: