Don't expect a release date by the 10th

[Deleted]

And if you don't do it, you get into the game later than everyone else. (Cup half empty vs. half full, I know, but it's true)

Not necessarily. If you think that all people are going to be doing in the betas is going to be erased, and the fact that the pre-purchase isn't going to close until the game is actually out, you can just pre-purchase when the release date is announced/closer and you'll still get the three days head-start as everyone else.
Unless you are looking for boxed CE copies, I don't think digital is going to disappear randomly, and you can only pre-purchase now. If you're uncomfortable with it... just don't pre-purchase (which I'm assuming you know already).
To me the pre-purchase comes in handy as I got enough money atm to get myself a CE, if perhaps I waited and it came out in a more expensive heavy month, I wouldn't be able to afford it.

[Cornicer]

Just because there doing stress testing doesn't mean there is months and months of testing to still do. It's pretty obvious were going to see it june/july. Selling a game in April then releasing it in September no offence is a really stupid idea.

June is not going to happen. Late July is the absolute earliest I can see them releasing the game, but I seriously doubt it. Expect an August/September release if we're lucky.


If they were only doing stress testing with the BWEs, it would have to be a completely catastrophic test for them to be unable to fix server issues within two months assuming a late June launch. They're not giving a date because, quite frankly, the game isn't close to being done. They're likely expecting to see serious bugs and gameplay issues arise that go beyond servers and balancing issues. I'd also question how many zones are actually done, since I don't buy the "we don't want to spoil you!" line they've been giving.

[Gsara]

More than likely everythings done, and roughly ready - and it is time for the Stress Testing. These pre-purchases with the added beta weekends to EVERYONE who pre-purchases(because frankly - 90% of the people who'll be buying the game on release ALREADY know it by this point) will allow for some serious stress testing. Stress testing is usually the last thing a game does before releasing (this is why open betas are almost always last, or closed betas allow in more and more and more people in towards the end).

Needing large groups of people probably also means that the smaller groups aren't finding that many errors. These coming beta weekends should be pretty close to what the game will release with.

Lastly - and this is probably the biggest - With this setup, they could release the real game whenever they want now. The game officially releases in stores April 10th. That is the day you can pay, for full, for a product - and get that product(in the form of a code). It's more like limited access rather than pre-purchases. If all goes well I imagine we'll see a release date - or possibly even a release by april 30th.

There wont be a release anytime before july/aug.

For those not sure, Pre-order does not get beta weekend access(monthly) pre-purchase gets the beta access. This isnt a full time beta access btw, it is just once a month when they open it up for pre-purchase buyers.

[Repefe]

It's not panic or anything, it's just kinda annoying to have a business tell you that you have to pay full price for something now - which is essentially the player base giving them an interest free loan for probably 60 million dollars or more for an undisclosed period of time, wish someone would do that for me - and not have any clue on when you'll actually get the product. And if you don't do it, you get into the game later than everyone else. (Cup half empty vs. half full, I know, but it's true)

So you are saying ANET giving something to players who decide to support them is annoying, because you would like to get the same treatment without doing anything. Hm hm hm. Not to mention if you need to know the release date you can still pre purchase after they announce it and get early access. So hm.

[sacrypheyes]

http://www.reddit.com/user/Mike-OBrien-ArenaNet



(That was in reply to someone speculating that a release date would be announced on the 10th or the 11th due to pre-purchases starting)

Personally I'm not especially happy about this, though I've been critical from the start with Anet using beta incentives with pre-purchases rather than pre-orders (unlike almost every other game company) even though there is no official release date. However, I'm hesitantly optimistic that we should definitely have a release date by the end of April after the first BWE (as long as it goes well) so I'm happy in that regard.

what is so hard to understand in "when it's ready"?

if they release it too soon with too much bugs/glitches, they'll get flamed because the game sucks.
and whatever date they may give -that is if they could give one-, people would complain it's taking too much time anyways so why bother?

[DrakeWurrum]

Where did I say that, hm hm hm? All I stated is that - in essence - they found a way to get a sixty million dollar loan from players at zero interest. Hm hm hm.

Personally, even though I know it doesn't really affect me at all, there's something distasteful about the idea. I'm not bashing your choice to do it, so getting defensive doesn't serve any purpose, it's just something I'm choosing not to do.

Guaranteed beta access sounds like interest to me.

[charlieprince]

Somehow it feels incredible stupid to buy a prepurchase when they still won't announce a release date.

Is there any information how long the prepurchase-sales last?

yyour post makes no sense whatsoever..

how's it feel incredibly stupid to you? seriously? i cannot even follow ANY logic to your thinking and I'm seriously trying here

let me break it down for you in terms so simple a child will understand

....pre-purchase secures your copy of the game

again, how's that stupid??

[charlieprince]

Buying a copy when it's released - or heck, when a date is announced - "secures" a copy as well. Not sure where you're going with that.

he said that it feels incredibly stupid to pre-purchase when there's no release date..

maybe that makes sense to you, please, educate us all as to why so

for me, his comment/thought of it being incredibly stupid to pre-purchase makes no sense whatsoever

and I seriously tried to understand his train of thought so since it obviously makes perfect sense to you

educate us

and before you say "well you don't have to pre-purchase the game".. if you're getting the game on release day, regardless of when that may be, then there's absolutely NO LOGIC in not pre-purchasing it.. Pre-Purchasing is a horrible decision ONLY IF you think this is some type of scam by arenanet off to steal your money and there's really no game and you've dreamt this all up. Just saying..

[DrakeWurrum]

Buying a copy when it's released - or heck, when a date is announced - "secures" a copy as well. Not sure where you're going with that.

Where he's going is that pre-purchase and regular purchasing aren't any different.

You're just purchasing it now instead of later... and get some extra benefits for doing so.

That's it.

[sacrypheyes]

Actually, I have the feeling we might be buying GW2 in April and playing around September.

as long as it doesn't take a whole year, i should be fine.
anywhere around now and december should be ok depending on what i see in the BWE(s).

[Repefe]

Where did I say that, hm hm hm? All I stated is that - in essence - they found a way to get a sixty million dollar loan from players at zero interest. Hm hm hm.

Personally, even though I know it doesn't really affect me at all, there's something distasteful about the idea. I'm not bashing your choice to do it, so getting defensive doesn't serve any purpose, it's just something I'm choosing not to do.

I was not getting defensive on my account. But seems like you are bashing on a victimless crime. There are ANET fans who want to help the developer, the developer in return wants to give something back. Neither beta access, nor 3 day head start is a big deal. Personally I am not even sure I will participate in the beta and most likely I will not rush to play the game the second I get head start access. If you have problem with pre purchase, you can just sit back, relax and get your copy once the game launches, the difference is really minimal.

[Midnight Man]

Buying a copy when it's released - or heck, when a date is announced - "secures" a copy as well. Not sure where you're going with that.

Except if you're looking for a CE. I would NOT want to bet there will be CE's on the shelf by the time we get an official release date from ArenaNet.

My personal suspicion is that apart from an odd copy here or there - perhaps in an out-of-the-way location, most CE's will have walked off the shelves and into player's hands by the 12th of April, if not earlier.

Of course, if normal, or Digital Deluxe is what you want, I would agree, the choice to wait for a release date is in the hands of the player - though you may miss out on one or more BWE's by doing so.

[Deleted]

http://www.reddit.com/user/Mike-OBrien-ArenaNet



(That was in reply to someone speculating that a release date would be announced on the 10th or the 11th due to pre-purchases starting)

Personally I'm not especially happy about this, though I've been critical from the start with Anet using beta incentives with pre-purchases rather than pre-orders (unlike almost every other game company) even though there is no official release date. However, I'm hesitantly optimistic that we should definitely have a release date by the end of April after the first BWE (as long as it goes well) so I'm happy in that regard.

Hehe GL people buying the game that has no release date. They should just have had preorder for a smaller fee like most other games.
Ah well, might be a smart move... cut down on some of pre-ordering people and have an easier time finding room in beta for those who do prebuy it.
And maybe room for some of us, that wont prebuy but signed up for beta testing willingness =)

[VincentWolf]

To be perfectly honest, all this GW2 crap is going seriously out of hand. Bet they'll release it early next year, exactly when ppl will understand what a huge piece of shit MoP is and start looking for a new mmo. But if they do that, they can take their GW2 and put it where there's no sunlight...

[Deleted]

The fun thing is, how many boxes do they need to sell to get the profit needed? or, get the game paid?
Imagine if they get enough people to pre-purchase to get enough money to get the game paid, and then release it buggy and not smooth at all?=) Wouldn't really be any worries for them, and they will get some additional boxes sold by release... added to profit, and they can take their time on "fixing" things... have a "big fix" patch when "it's ready" and get a bunch of more people buying the game.
Hehe, they can do it in our faces if they want to :P I mean, get people buying a game that they don't know when it will be released, that's good marketing :P

[Rapti]

Well would be nice to know the release date soon, need to plan vacation in advance .

[Deleted]

At this point, ArenaNet will have a specific window in mind for release and will be actively pushing towards meeting that, but considering how early the beta cycle is and how much has still to be tested/polished it's no shock that ANet will be keeping that date close to their chest for the time being considering anything can turn up which would push that date. I'd rather have a concrete date in a couple of months than a circumstantial one now.

[Davisdoesdallas]

http://www.reddit.com/user/Mike-OBrien-ArenaNet



(That was in reply to someone speculating that a release date would be announced on the 10th or the 11th due to pre-purchases starting)

Personally I'm not especially happy about this, though I've been critical from the start with Anet using beta incentives with pre-purchases rather than pre-orders (unlike almost every other game company) even though there is no official release date. However, I'm hesitantly optimistic that we should definitely have a release date by the end of April after the first BWE (as long as it goes well) so I'm happy in that regard.

I'm sorry but many games use beta access for only pre-purchase.


Medal of Honor(new one) had both alpha and beta access for pre-purchasing. L4D/L4D2 had some prepurchase rewards if I'm not mistaken.

Many game companies use the pre-purchase to gauge interest months ahead of launch. This forces this HR/Advertising departments to find campaigns that focus on those who haven't heard of or pre-purchased the game.


BTW... $60 and you can just dispute the charge if you think GW 2 sucks. If you don't have that maybe you should focus on working instead of video games.

[Kadeth]

Many game companies use the pre-purchase to gauge interest months ahead of launch. This forces this HR/Advertising departments to find campaigns that focus on those who haven't heard of or pre-purchased the game.

Additionally, and I know this paints Anet as being greedy, but it makes a lot of sense to offer these incentives to prepurchasers instead of preorderers. You can preorder for little or no money, get your access to whatever beta, then still have the opportunity to cancel up to the day before the game comes out if you so choose to and lose/give virtually nothing. With a subscription based game they could probably eat that loss and recoup it in a few months from those who stay subscribed, but with b2p it would be like giving away your game for free ahead of time. That doesn't seem like it'd be wise for them. This way people can't take advantage of the system (as easily).

[aevitas]

Which is strange, seeing as the closest I can find to saying that was.. let me find the exact quote..

See, it's funny, I could have sworn he said 'probably'.


Said likely, and it was to shareholders not to the public.


Confirmation. Said publicly.

Owned, this was exactly what I read aswell.. Started to doubt myself for a moment but thanks.