Actually from what I have gathered about this game, this has become Will's baby, meaning he probably won't release it till its working the way he wants. This isn't the first time the game's been delayed its part of a long cycle which indicates to me Will keeps expanding the scope of the game (everytime it's delayed the next time the game is shown off it's bigger than ever) and he wants everything to work well.
Personally I wish he'd release the game and work on a sequel with everything else he keeps thinking of.
I don't see any indication that this delay is any different than the last delays.
Funny...I posted the same info yesterday on the DS version and there is little downwards movement...to me this title would have less chance of working on a DS than a PC so isn't the DS version under even more threat?
There is too much content for it to fall completely into Vaporware. I doubt that the videos that Will showed were pre-renders, so we can only assume that much of the game is completed as far as underlying code.
My guess is that they're trying to release it concurrently with a few platforms and they're pushing the PC date so they can have others ready at the same time. Bad move, guys.
The other possibility, and one I actually find more plausable, is that they're trying to put TOO MUCH content in. This is already a gigantic game as far as content, but I'm guessing that they're trying to include all kinds of quests and goals and such. My suggestion would be to wrap up the current things they're on and get it releaseable, then add on additional content later through downloads.
I'd have to cry if this went the way of Duke Nukem Forever.
The latest Game Informer reports that Spore has been "delayed indefinitely", but reached for comment today, Electronic Arts says that "Spore has slipped out of fiscal 08 and into fiscal 09". Either way you cut it, it means that the game we've all been waiting to play on our computers isn't coming anytime soon.
I think this stock is a HUGE question mark until we can get some hands-on previews.
It has AMAZING potential and if it delivers on all its promises, it'll revolutionize PC gaming. However, I'm a bit jaded when it comes to game-boasting by developers.
If it can truly deliver on all their claims and be both engaging and accessible at the same time, I think the stock price could nudge a bit higher. But there's too much risk in it right now. The price seems too high for such an ambitious project. I hope it lives up to its own hype and that we'll see some hands-on previews at this year's E3 (that last more than a few minutes).
I have to disagree here. I think that there is alot of potential for this game to sell really well. Simply based upon how The Sims was treated by the national media, I'd have to say that SPORE is looking to repeat that kind of success.
I foresee this game becoming popular with "new" markets (much like the Wii has done). If it were limited solely to "gamers", I'd say 2-4 million would be an accurate prediction; however, if the marketing of this game gets going to the point at which I think it will we may be looking at a considerably larger market penetration.
There are several stocks on TSE whose value is based more on hype, then an actual estimated sales. This clearly being one of them.
I closed out all my positions on this stock months ago, back when it was in the 400's. Back then I thought it was absurdely high. It has now reached the point of lunacy.
Up until a few years ago the all time best selling PC game was Starcraft with 9.5 million sold. The Sims came a little later and slaughtered that amount, mostly because it appealed to a very large audience. Spore lacks a little of that, but one could fairly argue the game still has a fairly broad audience. That said, there are very few PC Games that have sold more then 5 million copies. Infact, you could probably count them on your hands.
I do think this game will do stellarly... but that means in the 2 - 4 million range, rather then the current 6 million estimated amount.
Hidden in the middle of a Forbes article on EA's fiscal reports...
[i]One of the most highly anticipated upcoming titles in the gaming world is "Spore," by "Sims" developer Will Wright, considered one of the gaming industry's most creative artists.
Through its Maxis Software brand, EA had expected to release "Spore" - an interactive world where players evolve from single-celled organisms into intelligent beings - later this year. But on Tuesday, Riccitiello warned that the launch could be as late as spring 2008.[/i]
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Actually from what I have gathered about this game, this has become Will's baby, meaning he probably won't release it till its working the way he wants. This isn't the first time the game's been delayed its part of a long cycle which indicates to me Will keeps expanding the scope of the game (everytime it's delayed the next time the game is shown off it's bigger than ever) and he wants everything to work well.
Personally I wish he'd release the game and work on a sequel with everything else he keeps thinking of.
I don't see any indication that this delay is any different than the last delays.