Bethesda to Release Brink Ahead of Schedule

Greg Tito

PR for Dungeons & Dragons
Sep 29, 2005
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Bethesda to Release Brink Ahead of Schedule



When was the last time you heard about a AAA shooter coming out before it was scheduled?

In this age of game delays leading to massive consumer disappointment, it certainly makes good marketing sense to buck that trend and say, 'Hey, at least our game is ready to go.' And that is exactly what Bethesda Softworks is doing by announcing that it will release the multiplayer shooter developed by Splash Damage, Brink, on May 10th as opposed to May 17th. Europeans will get to shoot each other on the self-sustaining island that is the game's setting [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108460-Brinks-Lead-Writer-Tells-How-to-Write-a-Multiplayer-Game] on May 13th, moved up from the 20th. Brink is made for Xbox 360, PS3 and the PC and all three versions will release simultaneously.

"Production wrapped on Brink earlier than we planned and we didn't see any reason to keep gamers from getting their hands on this highly anticipated game as soon as it was ready," said Pete Hines from Bethesda Softworks. "It's apparent from the tremendous reaction so far that people are eager to jump online and play, and if we can make that happen earlier - we're going to."

I'm sure that the decision to get Brink out the door a little quicker is an easy way to thumb a nose at Duke Nukem Forever's [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108753-Gearbox-Boss-Says-Duke-Nukem-Delay-Was-Unavoidable] (more) recent delays. Shooter fans have been waiting for that game for decades and for Splash Damage and Bethesda to release a competing game early is a clear statement of superiority. "Take that Gearbox!"

Or perhaps I'm just imagining that game development companies act like WWE wrestlers?

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VitusPrime

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Sep 26, 2008
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Awesome, been looking forward to have a go at this game. Now its coming out earlier means less time to wait!
 

Samwise137

J. Jonah Jameson
Aug 3, 2010
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The Gentleman said:
Does this classify as a sign of the coming Apocalypse?
Yah, dude, I think it may be a sign of ArMEGAddon. When games get released early, ArMEGAddon is coming.
 

Woodsey

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Aug 9, 2009
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Likely to steer clear of LA Noire and The Witcher 2, I imagine.

I'm quite interested in this, although I'll probably wait for the price to drop - I enjoy multiplayer games but I never stick at them for as long as I intend.
 

Skops

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Mar 9, 2010
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am I the only one a little worried they aren't taking that "extra time" to iron out some bugs and game breaking issues? This is game development, no product is perfect when released.
 

Hybridwolf

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Aug 14, 2009
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Good stuff. I'm still going to leave it regretably as I can't afford it, and beth games always seem to have a bug or two.
 

mjc0961

YOU'RE a pie chart.
Nov 30, 2009
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Greg Tito said:
Or perhaps I'm just imagining that game development companies act like WWE wrestlers?
All I can say is if any game devs start walking around in decorated tighty-whities and waving their hand in front of their face thinking it makes them tough like that John Cena idiot USA keeps parading in front of my screen whenever I watch shows on their channel, I will likely never buy another game from them again. :p

Skopintsev said:
am I the only one a little worried they aren't taking that "extra time" to iron out some bugs and game breaking issues? This is game development, no product is perfect when released.
I dunno. I mean it's only a week. For all an extra week is worth, they'd probably have to release any changes as a patch anyway.
 

Jonci

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Sep 15, 2009
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Skopintsev said:
am I the only one a little worried they aren't taking that "extra time" to iron out some bugs and game breaking issues? This is game development, no product is perfect when released.
I'm guessing they did that during the delay from August of last year, when the game was scheduled to release before. Or the delay from February after that.
 

The Wykydtron

"Emotions are very important!"
Sep 23, 2010
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Now the breaking question... Do i get it on launch day or wait an extra few days and get it for my birthday...

Skopintsev said:
am I the only one a little worried they aren't taking that "extra time" to iron out some bugs and game breaking issues? This is game development, no product is perfect when released.
I honestly don't think releasing a week(ish) early will cause them to miss game breaking issues, maybe they just finished the bug issues and just thought "fuck it let's just get it out of door now"
 

Radeonx

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Skopintsev said:
am I the only one a little worried they aren't taking that "extra time" to iron out some bugs and game breaking issues? This is game development, no product is perfect when released.
It is probably nearly finished in the development/bug testing stage anyways.
The last part of a game's stage is getting transferred to discs, packaged, and shipped to stores, and if they are ahead of schedule with that, there isn't a real reason to delay the game any longer.
 

MintyNinja

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Sep 17, 2009
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Woodsey said:
Likely to steer clear of LA Noire and The Witcher 2, I imagine.

I'm quite interested in this, although I'll probably wait for the price to drop - I enjoy multiplayer games but I never stick at them for as long as I intend.
I agree that it is to avoid releasing on the same day as Noire, but I'm still ecstatic about the news. All together now:

"BRINK! I love that."
 

Owlslayer

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Nov 26, 2009
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Skopintsev said:
am I the only one a little worried they aren't taking that "extra time" to iron out some bugs and game breaking issues? This is game development, no product is perfect when released.
You're not the only one, I thought about that for a bit, too.
But i just hope that they really are releasing it because they ironed out as much of the bugs they thought possible till the launch, not because something's making them hurry up.
Though, as you said, no game is ever perfect when released, no matter how hard the developers try.

I think that there shouldn't be any noticeable bugs that wouldn't be found if the game would be released a week later. Well, i hope, at least. And since it's a multiplayer game, the players will surely find all the bugs that the devs wouldn't stand a chance finding.

EDIT: woah, lots of people quoted you before me when i was writing. So i suppose i was ninja-d, in some way ? I dunno.
 

Jim-a-Lim

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Jan 10, 2009
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Tis' a good day to be a gamer. Really looking forward to this game, and now it's coming sooner. Wootage!