Sega actually confirms Alpha Protocol delay
by JC Fletcher 
{ Oct 15th 2009 at 3:00PM } 
Obsidian's Feargus Urquhart has come forward to speak on the delay. "We're very happy that Sega has made the decision to hold back the shipment of the game in order to give it the best chance at becoming the publishing success that we at Obsidian and our partners at Sega are striving for," Urquhart told CVG.
Sega Europe managing director Alan Pritchard, the first person at Sega to officially acknowledge the Alpha Protocol release date change, added, "By pushing Alpha Protocol to Spring 2010, we can ensure that the game will be released in the best commercial release window possible and will also receive the focus this true AAA title deserves."
While we question Spring 2010's status as "the best commercial release window possible" (given the preponderance of publishers of other games that decided the exact same thing), we're relieved that we can finally stop haranguing that Gamestop salesperson about our pre-ordered Alpha Protocol that still hasn't arrived.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joshua @ Oct 15th 2009 3:12PM
Wasn't rpg enough
dreamcast to psn confirmed!
TriviumSuffocationTheBlackDahliaMurderLambOfGod @ Oct 15th 2009 3:12PM
It's about damn time. Alpha Protocol has been one of my most anticipated titles and I felt dicked around when the original release date went by with no release. Then the 27th, which was the latest release, is about to go by. Now we hear that it's been delayed 7 more months. I'm sorry, I love Obsidian, but I feel that there's something seriously wrong with this game. I hope I'm wrong, though.
Maybe they just delayed it to get out of of holiday 2009 and the first few months of 2010, so that their new IP can maybe have some success. I still see this as troublesome, though. How will Alpha Protocol be received in a post-Mass Effect 2 world? I'll be interested in finding out.
Freakwincy42 @ Oct 16th 2009 2:40AM
I'm much more interested in this game than Mass Effect 2. not that ME2 won't be good, no no, it will be great. but this one appeals to me far more. it's the semi-real world aspect. like a Jason Bourne/ James Bond RPG. exciting, if they get it right.
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 15th 2009 3:14PM
Sega. Disappointing fans since 2001.
Shadowfax (PSN: u2fan4894) @ Oct 15th 2009 3:15PM
Meh. I'm looking forward to Agent more...
nd15c @ Oct 15th 2009 3:16PM
I agree with the guy who has the longest handle in the world. If this game really is ready to go, bringing it out now was the right move. I really hope that whatever is wrong with it gets fixed. Hopefully, they think its got the potential to become a franchise so that's why they're being extra cautious with it.
yaya(: @ Oct 15th 2009 3:18PM
Wow
D @ Oct 15th 2009 3:43PM
The sad thing is this game is surely already completely done. Now they're working on taking things out of the game to package into DLC packs.
Andrew Timson @ Oct 15th 2009 9:26PM
Already done? An RPG? From Obsidian? That's a good one. *bursts out laughing*
AoE @ Oct 15th 2009 9:47PM
First time playing an Obsidian-developed rpg I take it? Have a seat over here while I 'splain to ya how the world works.
Obsidian is more famous for making buggy games than they are for making RPGs... and RPGs are all they make. Well, RPGs full of game-breaking bugs. Every pushback of an Obsidian-developed title you can be sure occurred because they tried to ship it full of bugs, and the publisher (in this case, Sega) pushed back. Likely it's because it's a new franchise for Sega, a company not exactly known for quality themselves these days, and they don't want to kill it in the nest (which bad reviews because of massive bugs would surely do). I might be willing to put on one of those nice tin-foil hats you've got myself, except it's Obsidian we're talking about.
Now, on to the subject of "taking out features" to make DLC? I can safely assume you don't know the first thing about software development and possibly don't even know what "programming" is, correct? I ask because if you knew even a tiny, tiny bit about how software is produced, you would know that would be the least efficient, most ridiculous way to develop DLC. DLC is indeed sometimes planned form the start, but it's never a feature or content that was going to be in the game but then they decided it should be DLC instead... rather it's planned from the start to be DLC. You see, after a game first goes on sale, there is a 3-6 month sweet spot, give or take depending on the game/genre, where most people who bought the game are still playing it, or still interested enough that they'd be inclined to buy some DLC for it. So to make sure they hit that time-window with DLC, developers have to frequently begin DLC development long before the game itself actually ships. Sometimes before game development is even finished just to ensure it gets into the testing/certification pipeline in time to release in a timely manor.
That said, your tinfoil hat DOES look fetching on you!
Akashic @ Oct 15th 2009 3:54PM
Haha D, thats fun to think of.
Kinda like what they did with Resident evil 5.
ObiBen @ Oct 15th 2009 3:54PM
If I ever create a World of Warcraft account my character name will be Feargus Urquhart. That name is awesome!
ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Oct 15th 2009 4:05PM
Nah, I'd say keep annoying the people at GameStop - they annoy me whenever I'm there, so why not give it right back to them?
Ryan @ Oct 15th 2009 4:39PM
about damn time.
ScottG13 @ Oct 15th 2009 4:59PM
Sega continues to fail at being a professional game publisher. HIRE SOMEONE IN MARKETING PLEASE.
Freakwincy42 @ Oct 15th 2009 5:21PM
yeah, good work Sega... it's ok, this game looks badass. then again, the new release window places Agent Thornton a little too close to a certain other secret agent, whose name might be a little more familiar to gamers... still, i'm keeping a close eye on this.
AoE @ Oct 15th 2009 9:51PM
I dunno about you, but I have no trouble with the thought of playing an RPG and an action game at the same time. And frankly, except for multiplayer Splinter Cell will be over in a flash if it's like the others in the franchise/follows the trend of modern games in general. If memory serves it's campaign isn't longer than 10 hours... I figure 4 playthroughs max to get everything spot-on perfect, which leaves plenty of time for Alpha Protocol! ;)
Freakwincy42 @ Oct 16th 2009 2:35AM
no, i feel the same. I can certainly play those 2 games back to back. I'm just worried about the effect this might have on overall sales, as the average gamer will probably throw their money @ splinter cell before Alpha Protocol, on name recognition/ series loyalty alone. which could mean this game doesn't get a sequel (if it ends up deserving one).
Scotto @ Oct 15th 2009 5:36PM
Was there any apology from Sega or Obsidian, for essentially letting the game's release date come and go without so much as a peep as to what the fuck was going on?
I'm sure the people that pre-ordered the game felt really appreciated, wondering where their game was.
Sega are a joke. Probably their most anticipated title this year or next, and they can't be bothered to let their customers know what's up.
They must be allergic to money these days.
- Scott
D @ Oct 15th 2009 10:01PM
I can safely assume you're a fat guy.
TriviumSuffocationTheBlackDahliaMurderLambOfGod @ Oct 16th 2009 12:38PM
I'm really interested in all of that, too. Also, the fact that it's written by the mind behind Planescape: Torment helps.
I'm just worried about the overall quality of the title.
Mass Effect 2 is improving upon all the faults in the first game. Alpha Protocol will be the first and it may have such faults, and when put up against something that has had the time to grow and improve, like a Mass Effect 2, I'm worried Alpha Protocol could be critically panned.
TriviumSuffocationTheBlackDahliaMurderLambOfGod @ Oct 16th 2009 12:39PM
^In response to Freakwincy42. My apologies.
Freakwincy42 @ Oct 17th 2009 1:41AM
it's all good, i've had this problem sometimes too. anyway, that makes sense, ME2 is a big-budget sequel improving on an already excellent game, while this is a new IP that has been delayed more than once, has suffered marketing problems, and is from a developer known for less than perfect games. still, i'm optimistic.