Kojima: There Is "No Greater Crime" Than Delaying Games

[Gladion]

Really? Is it a greater crime to delay a game or to release the game unfinished and unpolished?

I'm inclined to say it's the latter.

Looking at his own development times, he doesn't mind a game taking long to be developed.
He's only talking about delays AFTER you announced a release date, which you should only do when you're almost done.

The biggest offender of delaying besides Duke Nukem Forever is Level-5 with White Knight Chronicles. Who here remembered that this game was released today?

But we get a co-op mode for waiting!

 

[Russian_Assassin]

You hear this valve? Hint hint!

 

[NickCaligo42]

I want to argue with him, but when I think back to some of the delays that I feel screwed me the most, it's hard to come up with a counterpoint. More than a few games were supposed to come out in the summer but got pushed to fall, thus moving a convenient release during a period when I have nothing but time to play games to a release during which I'd be preparing for midterms. My sense of betrayal was never so extreme that I'd not buy the game, mostly because I had it in perspective that it was just a game and therefore not the end of the friggin' world, but it was a huge dick move every single time.

You hear this valve? Hint hint!

... And that!

 

[Woodscare]

I agree that it does break some level of trust, unless there was a decent reason, like one of the game developers had suddenly died or something

 

[Treblaine]

Kojima: "It probably takes a long time to earn back trust [from the fans] that has been lost."

Yeah, trust is an important thing. I mean you would never deceive your fans like oh, I don't know, advertising the much anticipated sequel to your hit game as you playing a certain popular protagonist only secretly he is replaced by a mincing emo-boy after the first 30 minutes of gameplay...

oh wait... metal gear solid 2.

A small reminder of the betrayal:

This - ladies and gentlemen - is a greater crime.

 

[AceDiamond]

I like how we've gone from the "when it's done" days of Blizzard, id, and Valve, to the "PUSH IT OUT THE DOOR NO MATTER WHAT" days. Because we all know that produced some illustrious titles like Neverwinter Nights 2, KOTOR2, and Tribes 2.

Wait, no, those were notoriously buggy and incomplete products that needed whole box-sets worth of patches to get running well.

While I agree with Kojima that it's bad to delay games, I think it's far worse to release a buggy and incomplete product. Kojima has been "guilty" of the latter but it wasn't his fault, instead having to bend to executive pressure (Snatcher, for example, was supposed to be 6 acts long instead of the 3 it ended up being).

And another thing, what about releasing games in a series you keep saying you're done with? Doesn't that break some level of trust?

 

[Fuhjem]

I get what he's trying to say. Developers have release dates to let the public know that the game isn't dead, but they usually set that date too early due to whichever and whatever reason. If you're a month away from finishing a game, then set the release date to three months away. That way if you finish early you can set the date to an earlier time and people will be happy. Also, if your game needs some more polishing, you have two extra months to finish it and then distribute it to stores.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I disagree. I think a greater crime is releasing a buggy unfinished game. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd rather have to wait an extra month or two if it meant not having to deal with a buggy mess that was supposed to be a game.

 

[MurderousToaster]

What about rape?

Murder?

High Treason?

Genocide?

 

[FoolKiller]

What does he know about releasing video games.... all he's done in the past decade is put out a series of interactive movies.

And I concur with several people. I rather wait for a great game than get a piece of crap on time. *crosses fingers that Splinter Cell: Conviction will be awesome*

 

[The Heik]

There is a much greater crime, Mr. Kojima.

Delaying a game, and then canceling it.

And I was so looking forward to that when they announced it

 

[oppp7]

I've got to side with Shigeru on this one.
I'd rather have a good game later than Two Worlds now.

 

[John Funk]

Kojima: "It probably takes a long time to earn back trust [from the fans] that has been lost."

Yeah, trust is an important thing. I mean you would never deceive your fans like oh, I don't know, advertising the much anticipated sequel to your hit game as you playing a certain popular protagonist only secretly he is replaced by a mincing emo-boy after the first 30 minutes of gameplay...

oh wait... metal gear solid 2.

A small reminder of the betrayal:

This - ladies and gentlemen - is a greater crime.

Raiden wasn't all that bad, honestly. Not if you knew beforehand you'd be getting him.

It was an interesting way to handle gameplay/plot discrepancies, actually. If you hear all about how Snake is this legendary soldier and spy, and then you're controlling him and WHOOPS ran straight into a security camera, it lessens that impact. Not only did playing as the rookie make it a lot more plausible when you (the player) screwed up, it meant that Kojima could properly portray Snake as this badass mentor figure. It worked really well.

 

[cainx10a]

At least it didn't get indefinitely delayed and canceled. Duke Nukem fooooooooreeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeeer! I wonder if a documentary about 3D Realms demise would be as tragic as the Titanic sinking (or was I supposed to be more emotional about Romeo & Juliet at sea?).

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

I can think of a far greater crime.
*Insert your own joke about the length of MGS4 cutscenes*

Ok

MGS4's cutscenes are a bigger crime because you are FORCED to watch them! They're taking away your free will D:

I was forced to see them.
Because they were very very good.
But abusively long.

 

[Skizle]

You hear this valve? Hint hint!

Well if this is a crime then I guess Valve is a Lifer!