Ubisoft recently announced a delay in the release of Assassin’s Creed . Instead of October 28, the game will now hit the shelves on November 11. This is hardly a big delay, and it is really a good thing. Lately, big publishers seem to be willing to delay major triple A releases. Considering what gamers have to invest for this game, it is good news that Ubisoft is taking more time to fix the bugs and deliver the most polished game possible.
In the past, I used to grumble and get annoyed by delays. However, as time went on, I realized that some games I was very excited about could probably benefit from delays to fix problems. Big publishers would rush games out to meet their release quotas, even though the final products were clearly not ready to be played. Delays are not such a bad thing. In the last few weeks of a game’s development, the game is polished, bugs are worked out and the game gets an extra layer of spit-shine. One title that had to deal with a rushed release date that led to troublesome game-breaking glitches was Batman: Arkham Origins. Actually, Arkham Origins was not a bad game, but the glitches and bugs were a major sticking point for players and critics. It left a bad first impression.
Case in point: Warner Bros. Interactive appears to have learned its lesson from Arkham Origins. The game was originally aiming for a fall 2014 launch. Then it was eventually delayed to later in 2015. The game still does not yet have a firm release date. Obviously, this is a major, highly anticipated release for Rocksteady Games and Warner Bros. Interactive. Why rush what could be Rocksteady’s magnum opus in the Arkham franchise? As a fan, I want the game now. However, if it means getting a product as smooth and polished as Arkham City, the extra wait is not so bad.
A two-week delay is not very concerning for Unity. It just means that the developers will have more time to give the game an extra layer of polish. For the first impression of Assassin’s Creed on the new generation of consoles, that is a smart move.
Delays are not always a sign that things are peachy. Some titles seem to be delayed into oblivion, like The Last Guardian or The Agent. However, delaying a major game a few months is preferable to delivering players a flawed product for $60 or more, considering downloadable content, season passes and other various extras. I am fine with waiting an extra two weeks for Unity if it means the final product is smooth as velvet and polished up nice and shiny.
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