Rayman Creator Joins Legends Protest

[Marshall Honorof]

Rayman Creator Joins Legends Protest

Michael Ancel is also upset that Rayman Legends was delayed.

Protests and boycotts and righteous anger are the order of the day for gamers expressing dissatisfaction with a company. Less common is when the developers decide to do the same thing. Following the postponement of Rayman Legends on the Wii U, the team that developed the game joined fans in asking Ubisoft to release the completed Wii U version ahead of its still-in-development 360 and PS3 counterparts. The dev team now has an unlikely and potentially powerful new ally: Michael Ancel, the man who created Rayman.

A photograph of Ancel along with two of the two of the Ubisoft Montpellier developers shows him behind a sign depicting a hand-drawn Rayman face in tears. "Relase Rayman," the poster urges (in French, naturally). "Support Ubisoft Montpellier." Rayman himself sports a speech bubble with "Please!" penned in, and finds himself backed by crowds of adoring fans with "Wii U" and "28/02/13" (the game's original release date in charming European style) flags.

So far, Ubisoft has promised another Wii U Rayman Legends demo to pacify fans, but with Ancel stepping in, the publisher may have to respond with something a little heftier. Ancel and the Montpellier developers are taking a big risk by standing at odds with their publisher, but they obviously feel strongly about their work releasing in its original timeframe. Whether they succeed, we'll know one way or another by February 28.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-02-12-michel-ancel-and-rayman-dev-team-appear-in-protest-at-ubisofts-decision-to-delay-rayman-legends]

Image: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-02-12-michel-ancel-and-rayman-dev-team-appear-in-protest-at-ubisofts-decision-to-delay-rayman-legends]

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[dragongit]

Yea, it sucks the game is delayed. You know what doesn't suck though? Not being forced to buy a Wii U in order to play it. Multi Platform games are usually better off in the long run for third party publishers then trying to be a console exclusive outside of their main brands. I understand though Legends was Designed with the touch controller in mind, so the framework of the game will be altered quite a bit for the other consoles.I understand the double edge sword here though, wait too long and people may loose interest.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Good on the developers for standing up for themselves, they're the ones who are really getting the raw end of Ubisoft's decision. I'd imagine if I'd work massive amounts of overtime to get project out for release, only to have the bosses delay the project by 7 months 2 weeks before it was due out, I'd be furious too. I just hope there are no repercussions for these guys.

 

[Aircross]

Is it even finished? Otherwise this seems like a pretty stupid idea rushing the release.

It's gone gold for Wii U, but not for other consoles.

 

[Amnesiac Pigeon]

Seriously? This is a thing? Grow up. I mean, seriously, if the game is good why do you care if it's played now or in six months. They should be happy more people get to play their game. Now or six months from now, it doesn't matter.

They would have been in crunch mode for months to get it out of the door in time.

Then once its completed Ubisoft just turns round and says "You half killed yourself for no reason whatsoever. It releases in 7 months. So all that time neglecting your family and personal life was for naught. Have fun."

I'd be furious too.

 

[Yopaz]

Seriously? This is a thing? Grow up. I mean, seriously, if the game is good why do you care if it's played now or in six months. They should be happy more people get to play their game. Now or six months from now, it doesn't matter.

Considering how many games are out for Wii U I right now can you blame them? This was supposed to be released shortly after the Wii U. They delayed it, but they promised they would keep it within the launch window. The Wii U needed this title right now, the game is completed, I am not too broken up about this, but I understand those who feel betrayed.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Seriously? This is a thing? Grow up. I mean, seriously, if the game is good why do you care if it's played now or in six months. They should be happy more people get to play their game. Now or six months from now, it doesn't matter.

1. The Wii U version is ready to release now, the developers obviously are upset because they have likely been crunching to get the game ready for a February release only at the last minute to find that all that crunching was not necessary and now they're sitting on a finished game until the ports are done.

2. From a business point September is going to be a competitive month with GTA V, Wind Waker HD and many others likely This means Rayman is essentially in a David & Goliath type situation sales wise, except this time Goliath uses a pebble to wipe off the remains of David from the sole of his sandals. However if they released the Wii U version now they can essentially get the attention of the entire Wii U market with virtually no competition. Plus if the game is recieved well then word of mouth about the quality of the game may help the ports garner a few more sales during the difficult September release, which may deliver better sales overall.

 

[Scribblesense]

Seriously? This is a thing? Grow up. I mean, seriously, if the game is good why do you care if it's played now or in six months. They should be happy more people get to play their game. Now or six months from now, it doesn't matter.

Considering how many games are out for Wii U I right now can you blame them? This was supposed to be released shortly after the Wii U. They delayed it, but they promised they would keep it within the launch window. The Wii U needed this title right now, the game is completed, I am not too broken up about this, but I understand those who feel betrayed.

Seriously? This is a thing? Grow up. I mean, seriously, if the game is good why do you care if it's played now or in six months. They should be happy more people get to play their game. Now or six months from now, it doesn't matter.

The game was to be released in two weeks. The game IS finished (for Wii U), but being forced to wait HALF A YEAR for a game that is ALREADY FINISHED pisses quite a few people off for good reason. Fans don't care if the game is being delayed for good reasons, but being forced to wait half a year for two ports and no new gameplay is annoying as shit.

Not to mention that the developers went through basic crunch-time hell for the past few weeks to get the game released on time, only to find out that all that work they did was utterly pointless (they said as much).

This was a huge kick in the balls to both fans and the developers themselves for this delay.

Shit happens. There've been plenty of games have gone through longer crunch time then that and even then never made it to release for one reason or another. You roll with the punches, remember you did a good job and got paid for it, and move on. Being frustrated is one thing, an understandable thing, but all they're doing is appearing childish with this protest.

Adults are allowed to have emotions. I'd even say it's a requirement in any creative industry. If a game designer wasn't passionate about his work and wanting as many people to see it as soon as possible, then he wouldn't be a very good game designer.

 

[Yopaz]

Shit happens. There've been plenty of games have gone through longer crunch time then that and even then never made it to release for one reason or another. You roll with the punches, remember you did a good job and got paid for it, and move on. Being frustrated is one thing, an understandable thing, but all they're doing is appearing childish with this protest.

Sure, this isn't the worst thing to happen, the game is still being released and all that. I am glad it gets multiplatform release since I know how annoying it is to not get the game you want.

However you fail to understand how important this release was right now. This was going to be the 4th Wii U exclusive. Currently there are only 3 games released specifically for Wii U. This game was going to be 25% of the entire library.

How is that insignificant?

Games have had bigger time crunches, sure. Take Duke Nukem Forever, but time crunches should be because the game needs more time. Name one game that has been delayed 6 months after its completion.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Seriously? This is a thing? Grow up. I mean, seriously, if the game is good why do you care if it's played now or in six months. They should be happy more people get to play their game. Now or six months from now, it doesn't matter.

1. The Wii U version is ready to release now, the developers obviously are upset because they have likely been crunching to get the game ready for a February release only at the last minute to find that all that crunching was not necessary and now they're sitting on a finished game until the ports are done.

2. From a business point September is going to be a competitive month with GTA V, Wind Waker HD and many others likely This means Rayman is essentially in a David & Goliath type situation sales wise, except this time Goliath uses a pebble to wipe off the remains of David from the sole of his sandals. However if they released the Wii U version now they can essentially get the attention of the entire Wii U market with virtually no competition. Plus if the game is received well then word of mouth about the quality of the game may help the ports garner a few more sales during the difficult September release, which may deliver better sales overall.

They got paid to make the game. They did that. Excluding patching, and potential DLC, their relationship with the game ends there. It's not their job to decide when to release it or when it will be most successful. And I may be mistaken, but since they're an in-house developer, they don't live from one commission to the next, like Obsidian or other independent developers. They gain nothing from this silly little protest.

Just because they got paid for it does not mean they don't have the right to air their grievances and offer feedback to to their employers. And there are legitimate grievances here. The developers are essentially saying why should they work 110% to get a game out there if the whims of those in charge can move the goal post at a moments notice. Granted we don't know all teh facts about when the developers where made aware of Ubisoft's new decision, though given the developer's reactions it can't have been that long before it was made public.