Obsidian Delays Pillars of Eternity

StewShearerOld

Geekdad News Writer
Jan 5, 2013
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Obsidian Delays Pillars of Eternity



Obsidian has confirmed that Pillars of Eternity will not be meeting its original Spring 2014 release target.

When Obsidian launched the <a href=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obsidian/project-eternity>Kickstarter for Pillars of Eternity (previously Project Eternity), the team had pegged the game with a Spring 2014 release target. That being the case, Obsidian has recently confirmed that the game's development will miss that target and that it's release is going to be delayed. The question, of course, is for how long?

While Obsidian was reluctant to pin down an exact release window, it confirmed that Pillars of Eternity is unlikely to release in the first half of 2014. The delay, according to project lead Josh Sawyer, can be blamed on the game's expanded ambitions following its massively successful funding campaign. "When we started with a million-dollar budget and a relatively modest game with five classes, that was assuming if we get $1 million we can make this game and we'll probably get it done by April," he said. "We got almost four-times as much money [as we expected] and that's a much bigger game." While some might argue that a bigger budget should speed up the process, Sawyer said that extra money "doesn't mean that immediately [you] just dump four-times as many people on it."

While this might disappoint backers and role-playing fans looking forward to the game, Sawyer has revealed that eager gamers will be able to play an Early Access version of the game at some point in the future. "We are going to be having a [beta] section of the game that the players can play through to get a feel for all the mechanics and style of character interactions and all that kind of stuff," he said.

Source: <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-02-05-when-is-pillars-of-eternity-coming-out>Eurogamer


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PedroSteckecilo

Mexican Fugitive
Feb 7, 2008
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I'd rather they get it done right than stay exactly true to their release timeline... this is Obsidian we're talking about afterall... the more QA the better.
 

Orange12345

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Aug 11, 2011
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unfortunate but expected with a lot of these kickstarters that get way more then they were asking for since they now have to account for all the stretch goals, on related note how many of these ultra successful kickstarters have actually released so far? does anyone know of any?
 

Nooners

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Sep 27, 2009
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While I'll be picking up Tides of Numenera instead of this, these guys have the right idea. Take the extra time to make a quality product. Right one.
 

Seneschal

Blessed are the righteous
Jun 27, 2009
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I'm a bit surprised the release date was supposed to be so soon. Then I saw the game was originally kickstarted in 2012. Wow, time flies.

It's not a surprise, I think I remember the first teaser trailer going "Coming out...when it's ready." This release date was probably for the bare-bones version, but given how many stretch goals they hit, I'd be surprised if it didn't come out in 2015.
 

Quellist

Migratory coconut
Oct 7, 2010
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I dont think anyone with experience of Obsidian expected it to be out on time. Almost universally their games, while excellent, are filled with bugs due to being released according to the publishers schedule. Part of the draw of this game for me was that i would finally see just how good Obsidian are when they dont have a fire lit under their asses to get the game out by a particular deadline.

Even since Xenogears my preference has been "When its Ready"
 

Ed130 The Vanguard

(Insert witty quote here)
Sep 10, 2008
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Orange12345 said:
unfortunate but expected with a lot of these kickstarters that get way more then they were asking for since they now have to account for all the stretch goals, on related note how many of these ultra successful kickstarters have actually released so far? does anyone know of any?
Of the top 10 (on Kickstarter only)

Torment: Tides of Numeria (Funded Apr 2013): Nothing

Project Eternity (Funded Oct 2012): Nothing

Mighty No9 (Funded Oct 2013): Nothing

Double Fine Adventure (Funded Mar 2012): First half of game on sale, second half to be released later.

Wasteland 2 (Funded Apr 2012): Beta released

Elite Dangerous (Funded Jan 2013): Alpha Released

Homestruck Adventure Game (Funded Oct 2012): Unknown, not released

Camalot Unchained (funded May 2013) Internal testing

Planetary Annihilation (Funded Sept 2012) Beta released

Star Citizen (Kickstarter Funded Nov 2012, still open to backers via website) Basic demo of hangar module

EDIT: Note some Alphas/Betas are only available to backers.
 

Sight Unseen

The North Remembers
Nov 18, 2009
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Another said:
At least it isn't Double Fine's "LOL we ran out of money!" excuse.
Except that that wasn't their "excuse" at all if you were a backer and actually paid attention to the game's development and not the rather spotty press coverage that it received.
 

toms

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Oct 23, 2008
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Meh, I'm not even keeping track of that. Just send me a download link wen you're done.
Butt why the flamberge would you want to play a beta of a single-player story-driven RPG?
 

Requia

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Apr 4, 2013
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Sight Unseen said:
Another said:
At least it isn't Double Fine's "LOL we ran out of money!" excuse.
Except that that wasn't their "excuse" at all if you were a backer and actually paid attention to the game's development and not the rather spotty press coverage that it received.
The press coverage all specified that backers weren't expected to pay more money, the readers just had literacy problems.
 

Erttheking

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Oct 5, 2011
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Is it sad that I'm pretty much taking a company delaying a game as a sign that I can trust them nowadays?
 

triorph

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Aug 5, 2008
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Kickstarter rewards are pretty much always delayed. I didn't back this one, but I did back torment and will probably buy this when its out. I'm glad they're taking their time to make it a good game.
 

Canadish

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Jul 15, 2010
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Is anyone surprised here? Most folks said that sounded ambitious as soon as they told us.

Not much to add that hasn't been already, this is Obsidian, they need all the time they can get to do their Q&A right. I'm happy for them to delay a bit if it means getting the job done properly. This is their big chance to prove that it wasn't a publisher sabotaging all their previous titles with outrageous deadlines.

Was there any indication on how long it might be? I'm assuming 6 months to a year.
 

LordMonty

Badgerlord
Jul 2, 2008
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Just make it good or i'll do terrible things... to stuff!!!

I don't care about delays as long as i get a good game at the end of it.
 

BrotherRool

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Oct 31, 2008
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In other news the sun is hot and Jim Sterling has opinions on videogames. I never once expected this game to release on time and I'd been assuming at least a 2015 date ever since they made their pile of cash. I mean look how much longer Wasteland 2 is taking.

They still have money, they're still making the game. That's what's important.

Now imagine how long Torment: Tides of Numeria is going to take =D
 

Knight Captain Kerr

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May 27, 2011
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To be honest I wasn't expecting it to be out in Spring 2014. Anyway I'm okay with this. The game should come out when it is ready. I think everyone would prefer a delayed game that is good over a rushed game that is poor.
 

Quiet Stranger

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Feb 4, 2006
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Can someone please answer a question for me please?

While we're on the topic of kick starter, there are two games I've been wondering about for a while and the Escapist talked about them but I can't even remember their names, (they might be on kick starter) one seems to be about an Astronaut lost (or maybe he's not) on Mars or what looks to be like Mars and I believe it's a top down perspective. I've seen very few screen shots of it but it looks really cool!

The second game you play a teenage boy (I think he's teenage) who lives in a Yurt (I think it's a Yurt) with a female android as a companion (though she's not fully built) and outside the Yurt seems to be a wasteland, well there doesn't seem to be any other humans, just grass and I think an empty theme park that is run down.

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Back on topic, Pillars of Eternity, is that the sequel project for that Eternal Darkness game on the Gamecube? And wasn't it canceled?
 

Therumancer

Citation Needed
Nov 28, 2007
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Hmmm, well I'm a natural cynic. On one hand it's very true that Obsidian rarely releases on time and needs the extra bug hunting if any company does, on the other hand I can't help but wonder if this is a cash grab. Looking at say "Wasteland 2", and what people have been willing to dish out for early access, either through STEAM, or by paying an extra $10 (when the window opens if it hasn't already) to attach beta access to a backer pledge that didn't have some kind of access deal to begin with, I'd imagine a lot of developers are lining up to monetize this. Jim Sterling has even done some stuff about it here on The Escapist. This kind of thing represents pure profit especially when coming from anxious backers who can't wait to play something despite already owning a copy for all intents and purposes. I'm wondering if it's becoming a "thing" where development isn't ever going to finish until every penny has been wrung out of early access sale and backer additions that can be.

I could be wrong, but if we haven't already seen it, I'm pretty much expecting a Project Eternity early access sale before too long.

I'll also say that I find it interesting that this game is supposed to be far enough along that Inexile apparently just bought technology from "Project Eternity" to use as part of developing Tides Of Numenerra (I'm a backer of both Wasteland 2 and Tides). One some levels that makes sense since they are both spiritually successors to old "Infinity Engine" games and thus trying to do the same thing, it does however seem odd that something close enough to done to sell it's assets to other developers, is now going under a release delay.

I've heard a bit of bellyaching (discussions in MMOs, some comments on the Inexile TWITCH channel, etc..) from people irritated about Inexile's pimping of early access and such the way they have been doing it, and some not-so-subtle innuendos that people suspect they might be dragging their feet to suck up the extra money. I have no way of telling if it's justified or not (all I care about is new versions/spiritual sequels to some of my favorite games), but I find it uncanny that right after a business dealing with Inexile where they probably talked, Obsidian announces a big delay and upcoming early access version... which to be fair we don't know is going to be monetized yet... but it seems possible.

At the end of the day it doesn't much matter, but honestly nowadays when I hear "Early Access" it comes with instinctive negative connotations in my mind. Strangely I'd be less suspicious if it was just a delay with no mention of early access.
 

CardinalPiggles

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Jun 24, 2010
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Wait wait, Early Access implies that you have to buy the game, Beta implies that you get a kind of demo for a limited time for free. Which is it?