From the XBLA delay to experiences with trade shows
Monaco is finally out, and if the reception so far is any indication, it’s doing well on PC. But as you may have heard, the game has been delayed on Xbox Live due to quality concerns. Founder of Pocketwatch Games, Andy Schatz, recently had a chat with Edge Online to hash over some concerns, and answer a few questions related to the delay, and the developmental process in general.
When asked if he thinks fans would have been more upset at a massive bug more-so than a delay, Schatz responded, “Of course. I think that the rational ones would be. I think that you’re going to have people who react poorly to bad news no matter what. There’s no question it’s bad news to have the game be delayed. That sucks for everyone. Fans are really excited about the game, and I told them when it was coming out, and now it’s not coming out.”
While it is a bummer, I think Schatz absolutely nails it with this point — “I think there’s a difference between being upset and being disappointed.” For the most part, he’s right: while it sucks that some of my friends won’t be able to enjoy the game now, at least they don’t feel like they wasted their money on a broken product. It’s a refreshing change of pace, and solves issues like the inability to patch your broken game.
Schatz also muses on the process of launching a game, speaking on topics like embargos, the choice to launch a sale, and when he actually wanted to release the game to the minute. The full interview has some pretty neat insight into the indie development scene, so check it out if you’re curious.
Andy Schatz [Edge]
