GameTap Drops Galactic Command: Echo Squad

[Andy Chalk]

GameTap Drops Galactic Command: Echo Squad

Online game provider Galactic Command: Echo Squad [http://www.gametap.com].

Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17391]reported the decision as part of an interview with GameTap Vice President of Content Ricardo Sanchez. Sanchez praised the game, but said that GameTap ultimately decided its audience wouldn't respond very strongly to a Derek Smart game.

"It was a good game, it was very solid, but as we were going through, it ended up not being the right title for our audience," he said. "It was a tough call. I think it's one of the strongest games ever made. We put a lot of effort into it... I honestly think it's one of Derek's strongest games."

"We could put a lot of promos behind it, but it wouldn't resonate too strongly with our audience," he added. "We thought it would succeed better with Derek's core base." Sanchez said Smart still plans to release the game, possibly over Xbox Live [http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live/].

Along with Galactic Command, the always-interesting Smart is also responsible for the Universal Combat [http://www.3000ad.com/site/bc3k/]series of games. Forum users worldwide have braced for his response.


Permalink

 

[MichaelAB]

Wonder how long before he starts posting profanity in some forum about them?

 

[3000ad]

The headline of the original Gamasutra story is false and misleading. Both GameTap and 3000AD have contacted the site editor regarding that interview. There is already a track back to Derek's commentary and official response.

http://www.3000ad.com/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=46000002&view=findpost&p=162691

There was nothing to cancel as it wasn't their's to cancel. They had a license to the title (which they paid for) and opted not to use it.

Basically this is no different from a network ordering a product, paying for it and then opting to not releasing it. That is no different from the 70+ titles which were removed from GameTap following the expiration of their licenses with the service. As in the case of Myst Online Uru Live, they canceled it because it was already on their service for about a year and under their branding. 3000AD, Inc owns all its products and licenses them out to various parties.