The Release Hush

[coughas]

I am not a very active member of this board but i do follow what happens very closely as i am both a keen player and gamer. I just wanted to voice my opinion about the ridiculousness of the release position that Rugby Challenge 2006 is currently in. Let me first say that this is in NO WAY directed at Trev and the guys at Swordfish. In my opinion and from the sounds of it, you guys have done a great job. To even attempt a rugby game puts you in my good books but i am so frustrated by the fact that this game is getting such poor publicity treatment. Rugby is clearly a global sport and from a business perspective - if i were publishing this game - i would try and squeeze all the publicity i could out of it. Not only from a monetary perspective but also to benefit rugby as a sport worldwide.
I could go on and on but just wanted to say how awesome it is that we have guys like Swordfish developing a game that i love but it is so annoying that these publishers can treat it with such disrespect. its your game so you guys should be able to put what you want out there and disclose anything you deem necessary. its your baby

anyway thats my 2cents

 

[THE CHIROPRACTOR101]

very very solid point...proberly hard with all the publishing seeing the process that they had to go thru from a bankrupt company...

i saw the release date for this on gamespot..sayin it will be released novermber 14..like next week cool!

prolly isnt but what da hey

 

[Saint N Sinner]

Release dates have been flying in from all directions, it will probably come to the 13th and get changed again.

But I do hope it comes out soon, even though I can't afford it at least other people around the world will be enjoying it....

 

[kaftka]

Originally posted by saintsfan24_7@Nov 3 2005, 10:03 PM
even though I can't afford it at least other people around the world will be enjoying it....

Hmmm....That's a good point actually. I should start trying to hold on to a bit of money...

 

[BigTen]

I guess that it is exactly the same for any business:

If you want to build a base of extremely loyal and informed customers then you have to treat them, or at least make them feel, that they are your number one priority. If a game's company brings out a release date and then keeps on delaying this endlessly it will obviously hurt that customer loyalty and have some sort of effect on the total sales. I was initially excited about this game but my interest is slowly declining.

I didn't buy the original game of WCR and even though I am planning on buying the latest version I am beginning to question this. I may just rent it first and then make a decision.

I feel that this change of mind has been brought about by the delays of the game and the lack of information. I understand that gamed get delayed and that there is nothing that you cn do about it. And I would rather that games be delayed to fix any problems rather then being delivered on time but with problems.

I also think that as a potential customer I am perfectly within my rights to criticise companies that delay the game and then continue to keep delaying the game and refuse to give any more details. Although I must say that I have never actually come out and said anything bad about any game company other than EA Sports and they don't count as they never listen to customer feedback.

 

[coughas]

Originally posted by BigTen@Nov 4 2005, 04:48 PM
I guess that it is exactly the same for any business:

If you want to build a base of extremely loyal and informed customers then you have to treat them, or at least make them feel, that they are your number one priority. If a game's company brings out a release date and then keeps on delaying this endlessly it will obviously hurt that customer loyalty and have some sort of effect on the total sales. I was initially excited about this game but my interest is slowly declining.

I didn't buy the original game of WCR and even though I am planning on buying the latest version I am beginning to question this. I may just rent it first and then make a decision.

I feel that this change of mind has been brought about by the delays of the game and the lack of information. I understand that gamed get delayed and that there is nothing that you cn do about it. And I would rather that games be delayed to fix any problems rather then being delivered on time but with problems.

I also think that as a potential customer I am perfectly within my rights to criticise companies that delay the game and then continue to keep delaying the game and refuse to give any more details. Although I must say that I have never actually come out and said anything bad about any game company other than EA Sports and they don't count as they never listen to customer feedback.

i agree but this is ridiculous as the game is finished, so it isn't the game company/developer, its the publisher - an entirely different entity. so Swordfish have worked hard to keep us informed during the development process and now HES/Ubisoft are ruining it for us all. I am also feeling disheartened by the continual delays and veil of silence over why.

Trev seems to have dissapeared for a while as well, I assume because he cannot shed any light on this or anything else as HES have hushed him. How can a game developer be hushed - what a joke!!

i just cannot understand what they are doing....

 

[coughas]

I keeping saying HES but i think its actually HIP. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[Black|Raven]

Originally posted by coughas+Nov 4 2005, 08:10 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (coughas @ Nov 4 2005, 08:10 PM)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-BigTen

@Nov 4 2005, 04:48 PM
I guess that it is exactly the same for any business:

If you want to build a base of extremely loyal and informed customers then you have to treat them, or at least make them feel, that they are your number one priority.  If a game's company brings out a release date and then keeps on delaying this endlessly it will obviously hurt that customer loyalty and have some sort of effect on the total sales.  I was initially excited about this game but my interest is slowly declining.

I didn't buy the original game of WCR and even though I am planning on buying the latest version I am beginning to question this.  I may just rent it first and then make a decision.

I feel that this change of mind has been brought about by the delays of the game and the lack of information.  I understand that gamed get delayed and that there is nothing that you cn do about it.  And I would rather that games be delayed to fix any problems rather then being delivered on time but with problems.

I also think that as a potential customer I am perfectly within my rights to criticise companies that delay the game and then continue to keep delaying the game and refuse to give any more details.  Although I must say that I have never actually come out and said anything bad about any game company other than EA Sports and they don't count as they never listen to customer feedback.

i agree but this is ridiculous as the game is finished, so it isn't the game company/developer, its the publisher - an entirely different entity. so Swordfish have worked hard to keep us informed during the development process and now HES/Ubisoft are ruining it for us all. I am also feeling disheartened by the continual delays and veil of silence over why.

Trev seems to have dissapeared for a while as well, I assume because he cannot shed any light on this or anything else as HES have hushed him. How can a game developer be hushed - what a joke!!

i just cannot understand what they are doing.... [/b]

**** bro!

i'm with you 100%....why hush up something that could change rugby gaming?
i mean FFS! from what we've heard this game could set a benchmark for rugby gaming.

 

[Mr. Laxative]

Keep it quiet is a good idea. Keeping HB/EA on their toes is what these people are doing. Also they're not releasing many movies/screens, i'd say, so that if it is a poor game they don't disappoint their customers as much as if they were saying it was the best game....

...if you can understand what i'm saying.

 

[Saint N Sinner]

I agree, still this suspense is killing me, even though its making me want to play it more by the minute.

 

[kaftka]

Originally posted by Jacko@Nov 5 2005, 06:24 PM
Keep it quiet is a good idea. Keeping HB/EA on their toes is what these people are doing. Also they're not releasing many movies/screens, i'd say, so that if it is a poor game they don't disappoint their customers as much as if they were saying it was the best game....

...if you can understand what i'm saying.

But that would mean less money, and therefore less funding for the next game....I just think it's because RC2006 is low on the priority list at UBI

 

[Bullitt]

For a company that produces stuff like Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six, are you really supprised?

 

[Mr. Laxative]

You can still advertise a game well without using many screens and movies/demos. Maybe there budget is low and can't afford this, but still I think it is to ensure that fans don't get too disappointed if it is a poor game.

No matter the level of greatness people will probably go for this series above EA's unless of course, EA buy out Hip and Ubisoft and get hold of the Swordfish engine for their Cricket and Rugby games, even their Fifa games could be improved with Swordfish's technology.

Maybe EA know something that we don't... for example, HB are going broke?

 

[kaftka]

Originally posted by Teh Mite@Nov 5 2005, 09:59 PM
For a company that produces stuff like Splinter Cell and Rainbow Six, are you really supprised?

Absolutely not. There is no way in hell that a company such as Ubisoft is going to pour too much money into a game with a relatively limited market, when all they've got to base it on is a very medicore prequel.

...However, considering the lack of competition, and the sales of Rugby 2005, now could be a good time to promote which many (locksley and knowsley) consider to be the greatest rugby game of alltime!!

 

[Mr. Laxative]

Again i press my point. EA are getting negative feedback for their rugby games, swordfish are so far getting great feedback. I think this has something to do with advertising. When we saw the R2005 trailer, we thought that it was going to be a great game and now the 'fans' are disgruntled. Swordfish/Hip/Ubi do not want disgruntled fans so they limit there promotional opportunities.

 

[Saint N Sinner]

Too be honest I only heard about WCR because I heard about it of a freind, no advertising, no nothing.

They are obviousley placing there trust in this game, they need to keep it under wraps so that, if someone see's that it doesn't look right then they will immediately think it is completely un-salvagable. Only time will tell, but my confidence is in the hands of Ubisoft/Swordfish at the moment.

 

[kaftka]

Originally posted by Jacko@Nov 5 2005, 10:07 PM
Again i press my point. EA are getting negative feedback for their rugby games, swordfish are so far getting great feedback. I think this has something to do with advertising. When we saw the R2005 trailer, we thought that it was going to be a great game and now the 'fans' are disgruntled. Swordfish/Hip/Ubi do not want disgruntled fans so they limit there promotional opportunities.

Again, I disagree, Rugby 2004 was very ****... But it sold friggen well, which is why they could afford to make it all over again, but with pretty graphics, which they then advertised and promoted, therefore picked up a lot of preorders, and a lot of sales, which therefore means they can afford to throw their money back into it for another mediocre rugby game. Unfortunately, EA/HB aren't very good listeners, but they are very good at deception, which means they'll be giving us orgasms over their pretty new graphics, and 'big hits' and all the while disregarding whatever we say needs improving, and throw us another lemon scented trash heap, which we will all again be clamouring for....Meanwhile, little old Swordfish/UBI, will be creating a little gem called Rugby Challenge 2006, getting minimal public attention, therefore meaning only the hardcore Rugby Game fans who are following its progress will actually go out and purchase it initially, and maybe a few may hire out the only copy at Video Ezy, because all ten EA Sports Rugby 2006 have been hired out.
Swordfish will have been outsold by a mediocre game. Do you see the problem?

There is a very very small market for rugby gaming, and now is the perfect chance to take advantage of that, and promote their game. If they want to stand any chance with a multi-billion dollar, monopolising, ****** organisation (EA), then they have to get more people to buy their games, and less to buy EA's. The only way to to that is to out-promote Rugby 2006.


I believe the reason they aren't doing that, is because Rugby Challenge 2006 is not high on the priority list over at Ubisoft, and the only reason they decided to save it is because it will mean just that little bit of extra money for them in the longrun. They don't really care much for rugby games, but they realise there is a market for it (however small it may be) and decided that they may as well just do it.

 

[Bullitt]

Rugby 2004 only sold because of the world cup.

And while 2005 had a lot of room for improvement, it wasn't that bad.

 

[Trev@Swordfish]

Originally posted by .:kaftka:.@Nov 5 2005, 10:28 PM
I believe the reason they aren't doing that, is because Rugby Challenge 2006 is not high on the priority list over at Ubisoft, and the only reason they decided to save it is because it will mean just that little bit of extra money for them in the longrun. They don't really care much for rugby games, but they realise there is a market for it (however small it may be) and decided that they may as well just do it.

That's a very interesting hypothesis Kaftka ... and pretty much on the money.

It's no coincidence that the UK MD for Ubisoft was Sales Director at Codemasters when they released JLR.

I actually hope Ubi make a ton of money out of RC2006 - they have helped us to get it to market - but reality is they will just make a bit.

 

[kaftka]

Originally posted by Trev@Swordfish@Nov 5 2005, 11:57 PM
I actually hope Ubi make a ton of money out of RC2006 - they have helped us to get it to market - but reality is they will just make a bit.

Which is why they aren't promoting it as much as a small-time publisher may be?....Or a moneybags giant like EA?

Just wouldn't be worth the gamble I suppose.

...And Teh Mite, Rugby 2005 certainly wasn't bad, sure, but it has no lasting appeal, and just reeks of shortcuts. I didn't play it for as long as I'd hoped I would.