Big News

[mitchgit]

Hey everyone,

We sent out a press release about this today but I wanted you to hear the news directly from me. Our studio, Harebrained Schemes, is working with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. to bring Necropolis to consoles.

Our plan is to self-publish the game on Steam and for BANDAI NAMCO to release NECROPOLIS on Xbox One and PS4. That’s a pretty big deal for us! First, getting that kind of recognition from the publisher of Dark Souls is kind of amazing and we hope it will raise the profile of the game. But more important than that, BANDAI NAMCO knows how to bring games to consoles. They know the technical certification requirements, they know how to work with the PSN and Xbox stores, and they know how to market games to reach the right audience. I’ve seen a lot of posts on this forum talking about how people have never heard of NECROPOLIS and how we have to step up our game to get the word out. Message received. We hope today’s update to the NECROPOLIS Steam page is a step in the right direction.

Now here’s the big change. All three versions of the game will release at the same time this summer. We’ll announce the new date as soon as everything’s solidified. And before it comes up, this wasn’t BANDAI NAMCO’s idea - it was ours. While I hate to slip our release date, I know from experience that doing a console release right adds a significant amount of dev work. It’s work that had to start right away (because consoles require a lot more lead-time for certification) but we didn’t want the console work to shift our focus away from launching on PC. So we believe this is absolutely the right decision, and that the additional time will make for an even better NECROPOLIS for consoles AND for PC.

So where does this leave people who have already pre-ordered? Well, there are two options: You can hang in there with us while we continue working on the game or, like all Steam pre-orders, you can cancel anytime before the game launches. But if you do go that route, I hope that you’ll give Necropolis a chance when it comes out this summer. It’s completely different than anything we’ve ever done before and I’m really proud of the team and the work.

I’ll be around to answer any questions you might have.

Mitch Gitelman
Studio Head, Harebrained Schemes

[Andrew]

Now I only have gazillion minus one games to play until summer. Oh, well :)

Anyway, good luck!

[321-]

"All three versions of the game will release at the same time this summer. We’ll announce the new date as soon as everything’s solidified. And before it comes up, this wasn’t BANDAI NAMCO’s idea - it was ours."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ harebrained, you were the chosen ones.

There were four companies in the last years that took a bigger role in the crpg revival. What they did afterwards interests me. Two of the companies released Wasteland 2 and Original Sin for PC. After pleading to PC gamers for money. Then they took the earnings given to them by the PC comunity - and used them to make console games. In Inxile's case, they put half the staff to work on the console version thus delaying Numenera for more than a year. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ sellouts.

Then you had Pillars of Eternity, who not only made a game designed specifically with consoles OUT of any consideration and strictly for mouse and keyboard, but they used their money from the very succcesfulll launch to make - MORE PC games. More - PC - games. Not console games. Massive respect.

Harebrained also made Returns, but damn it, they also made it for mobile. But then, you released Dragonfall DCut with specific PC interface changes. Then you ditched mobiles completely for Hong Kong. Respect. Then you went and revived Battletech and got 3 million dollars, for another hopefully thoroughbred, mouse and keyboard designed PC game.

All seemed good in the world and now this console bullsh|t. Delayed the finished game so it'll come out on consoles the same day. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, wont someone erase console from existence, for christs sake. Miserable pieces of sh|t that molest PC gaming time and time again.

[nAysik]

I am kinda sad, about the delay for the PC version, since it is almost complete. I was really looking forward to it. But hey, I get it, the game needs the publicity that it deserves.

Maybe time for additional content and features for the game? What about that Mitchgit? Pretty please :o)

[pen]

Any cross-platform play to extend it's life?

[Burgy]

Maybe do a discount for early adopters? Kind of a upset about the release date for PC being pushed back along with the console release. Was looking forward to the release in March.
Though I think you could make it up to me if you released some more details on the store page ;)

[mitchgit]

Ursprungligen skrivet av nAysik`:

I am kinda sad, about the delay for the PC version, since it is almost complete. I was really looking forward to it. But hey, I get it, the game needs the publicity that it deserves.

Maybe time for additional content and features for the game? What about that Mitchgit? Pretty please :o)

Awww, that politeness hits me in the feels...

No major new features or content to announce. That's a trap we're not gonna fall into. It's all about additional polish.

[mitchgit]

Ursprungligen skrivet av pen:

Any cross-platform play to extend it's life?

That would be one of those major features we're not adding.

[NoBrainFox]

I know that after a press release chances that you're going to take everything back and still release the game in a few weeks is low but I am still going to give you my opinion on this and I'll keep it simple.

I probably wont bother to buy your game in summer, aside from "The Division" there are no interesting or at least full price worthy games coming out right now. Necropolis was there to fill the spot because I'm sure Division can only keep my interest for 2-3 weeks.
But now this, I'm not angry or anything like that but I am kinda sad. I was pretty hyped for the game and was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and overlook some of the issues I've seen in recent trailers and gameplay (like sub par animations and effects) an and even was going as far as to ignore critique to the controls which is the heart of games like these. 27€ is also a rather big amount of money for a release of this kind.

You've killed it for me, my hype is dead and I have a lot planed for this summer. Like a lot of people I imagine, In terms of games and real life.
The delayed release has absolutely no advantage big enough to warrant a delay for an unspecific amount of time, I would even go so far that it has no advantage for PC players at all. If your passionate about your game you would have improved on it a lot more in these few months that it probably is going to take (I assume that you would not say summer 2016 if you know that it's only delayed for about a month) with all the feedback that you're ging to get after the game is released.

And don't get me started on the starved Dark Souls players that are going to suck up any similar gaming content in the time before the release of Dark souls 3.

Thank you for time and please let it go through your head a few times.

Tl;dr:
You're wasting a in my opinion good release date and killed the hype, all for a rather bad release time and disappointed a lot of your PC fans.

[pen]

Ursprungligen skrivet av NoBrainFox:

I know that after a press release chances that you're going to take everything back and still release the game in a few weeks is low but I am still going to give you my opinion on this and I'll keep it simple.

I probably wont bother to buy your game in summer, aside from "The Division" there are no interesting or at least full price worthy games coming out right now. Necropolis was there to fill the spot because I'm sure Division can only keep my interest for 2-3 weeks.
But now this, I'm not angry or anything like that but I am kinda sad. I was pretty hyped for the game and was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and overlook some of the issues I've seen in recent trailers and gameplay (like sub par animations and effects) an and even was going as far as to ignore critique to the controls which is the heart of games like these. 27€ is also a rather big amount of money for a release of this kind.

You've killed it for me, my hype is dead and I have a lot planed for this summer. Like a lot of people I imagine, In terms of games and real life.
The delayed release has absolutely no advantage big enough to warrant a delay for an unspecific amount of time, I would even go so far that it has no advantage for PC players at all. If your passionate about your game you would have improved on it a lot more in these few months that it probably is going to take (I assume that you would not say summer 2016 if you know that it's only delayed for about a month) with all the feedback that you're ging to get after the game is released.

And don't get me started on the starved Dark Souls players that are going to suck up any similar gaming content in the time before the release of Dark souls 3.

Thank you for time and please let it go through your head a few times.

Tl;dr:
You're wasting a in my opinion good release date and killed the hype, all for a rather bad release time and disappointed a lot of your PC fans.

Nah, they should keep the course. If they signed with Bandai, stick with their ideas. They know better and maybe some additional polish will help. If we still want it then, we'll get it then. This stuff happens.

[Jarinex]

Good lord the entitlement in this thread is hilarious.

I think it's a great thing for HBS to get their game on many platforms, so I am happy for this opportunity they have.

[Kurp ♥]

Ursprungligen skrivet av mitchgit:

we didn’t want the console work to shift our focus away from launching on PC

I think that is 100% fair. I'm happy to hear consoles are getting to play as well. Can't wait for the game.

[caliban]

I have to say Im pretty dissappointed with this decision.
Delaying a game that is pretty much finished, from what I heard,just for the sake of releasing it with a console version that wasn´t even planned does not sound very promising to me.

If the game wasnt finished and buggy piece of sh*t,okay. If you would add more content,okay. But this is just going to frustrate all the people that were going to buy your game.

[NoBrainFox]

Ursprungligen skrivet av pen:

Ursprungligen skrivet av NoBrainFox:

I know that after a press release chances that you're going to take everything back and still release the game in a few weeks is low but I am still going to give you my opinion on this and I'll keep it simple.

I probably wont bother to buy your game in summer, aside from "The Division" there are no interesting or at least full price worthy games coming out right now. Necropolis was there to fill the spot because I'm sure Division can only keep my interest for 2-3 weeks.
But now this, I'm not angry or anything like that but I am kinda sad. I was pretty hyped for the game and was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and overlook some of the issues I've seen in recent trailers and gameplay (like sub par animations and effects) an and even was going as far as to ignore critique to the controls which is the heart of games like these. 27€ is also a rather big amount of money for a release of this kind.

You've killed it for me, my hype is dead and I have a lot planed for this summer. Like a lot of people I imagine, In terms of games and real life.
The delayed release has absolutely no advantage big enough to warrant a delay for an unspecific amount of time, I would even go so far that it has no advantage for PC players at all. If your passionate about your game you would have improved on it a lot more in these few months that it probably is going to take (I assume that you would not say summer 2016 if you know that it's only delayed for about a month) with all the feedback that you're ging to get after the game is released.

And don't get me started on the starved Dark Souls players that are going to suck up any similar gaming content in the time before the release of Dark souls 3.

Thank you for time and please let it go through your head a few times.

Tl;dr:
You're wasting a in my opinion good release date and killed the hype, all for a rather bad release time and disappointed a lot of your PC fans.

Nah, they should keep the course. If they signed with Bandai, stick with their ideas. They know better and maybe some additional polish will help. If we still want it then, we'll get it then. This stuff happens.

I know, and kudos to you guys if you've stick with your choice. It really takes a lot to keep your own ideals when a whole bunch of guys are whining about why you're doing this and that.

I also have to apologize if i came across a as bit butthurt, thats propably because i am. With all the school stress going on for me this anouncement really kinda was a low blow because i was incredibly excited for this game.
Im still going to stick to my argument though, simply because i am probably really not going to bother with this game in the summer,

[Lametta]

hai the game is gonna release soon but why not throw the pc gamer community under the bus to make them wait for half a year. *cough*sellout*cough*

[Lametta]

Ursprungligen skrivet av NoBrainFox:

I know, and kudos to you guys if you've stick with your choice. It really takes a lot to keep your own ideals when a whole bunch of huys are whining about why youre doing this and that.

keeping or selling your own ideals LOL