Spore playable at Leipzig

Will Wright's latest creation set to resurface later this month at the Games Convention 2007 in Germany.

When Electronic Arts held its press conference at this year's E3 Media and Business Summit in Santa Monica, one title was notably absent--Will Wright's Spore.

Seven years in the making so far, the epic game from the creator of the madly successful Sims series will be a life-simulation game where players grow a creature from a single-celled organism, create the creature's society, explore its world, and ultimately venture to other planets. It is currently set for a 2008 release, although EA CEO John Riccitiello recently said that, "its release will be right up [to] the bubble in Q4 [of fiscal '08], if not some time in early fiscal '09, so we don't feel comfortable in forecasting it."

While it won't be readily available for some time yet, Spore will have the chance to entertain Games Convention attendees. A slate of EA's titles at the Games Convention 2007 in Leipzig shows Spore will be playable by journalists for the first time at the event.

The Leipzig Games Convention is set for August 23-26. GameSpot will be providing full coverage from the show, so stay tuned for more on Spore and the rest of the games on display.

141 Comments

  • lenski

    Posted Sep 6, 2009 6:58 pm PT

    I HAVE SPORE I IT IS AWESOME IT PWNS AWESOME ITS ULTRA AWESOME

  • Machewking

    Posted Jan 27, 2008 9:20 am PT

    maybe if we all went into a coma we'd be alive by the time its out HOW LONG MUST WE WAIT FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • skidie

    Posted Dec 2, 2007 12:15 pm PT

    i cant wait any longer

  • bivouac_

    Posted Aug 30, 2007 6:12 pm PT

    they should put out a demo or at least some more vids

  • a_grunge_fan

    Posted Aug 26, 2007 7:15 am PT

    Game looks really good.

  • kelso999

    Posted Aug 23, 2007 7:05 am PT

    its goin to be a legend in so many ways!!!

  • ashyankee

    Posted Aug 22, 2007 1:29 pm PT

    8 years!!!!

  • thebubbleprince

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 7:13 pm PT

    Lets see some more videos!

  • Yit810

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 3:11 pm PT

    I'm getting a plane to Germany.

  • Titanicles

    Posted Aug 18, 2007 12:15 pm PT

    If it comes out any later than 2008 I probably won't get it. But I hope it doesn't.

  • thebubbleprince

    Posted Aug 16, 2007 1:02 pm PT

    I would go if i was able to, Only to play Spore. Anyone thats going get a video camera! I wanna see new videos besides the ones from Gamespot! (Not that i hate their videos) Hmm.... Spore might have been going on an upgrade when E3 was going on....

  • scorpion1980

    Posted Aug 16, 2007 10:56 am PT

    Wow!! Hope some kind of trial will come out from this convention!!

  • MogFromLeipzig

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 1:55 pm PT

    It was already playable last year, I hope the new demo shows different stuff.

  • ogretroll123

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 9:49 am PT

    I still don't think it's coming out...

  • vmfstorm1

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 9:42 am PT

    so that means that itll be out late Q1 or early Q2 '08...still kinda far away

  • Kent_B_Rong

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 9:26 pm PT

    @ Killermanjaro:

    Actually it was the Maxis VP who said that in an interview at E3.

  • Killermanjaro

    Posted Aug 12, 2007 9:20 pm PT

    i remember reading an update somewhere, might be on gamespot, that Will Wright was going to release the creature editor 3-6 weeks before the actual game comes out

  • LegionofClouds

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 6:03 pm PT

    You know they totally made it completely cartoonish now?
    The cell stage still looks pretty damn fun but the cartoon style kinda pisses me off for some reason
    And according to my observations of recent video and screenshots they also took out the blood and more graphic scenes of eating (tearing off a limb)
    The original version of the game was more mature and cool
    I'm sure the game is prolly still pretty damn good but the presentation of the actions compared to before ticks me off a bit

    I really hope they make those things they seem to have taken out an option to the player
    Well the cell level is prolly a lost cause but i hope they let me turn on blood and stuff

    Other than those small things, cant wait for this game
    On the other hand I will be getting 8 new games for the 360 so those can tide me over until this game from genius Will Wright hits those shelves

  • jdethadder

    Posted Aug 11, 2007 12:05 pm PT

    I really don't mind waiting for this game all that much as long as they release it polished, ever played a game that had a lot of potential but felt rushed and unfinished, I have a feeling that the 8 some odd years they'll put into this game are really going to pay off, though it would be nice for them to throw us a bone or something, maybe just the creature editor or something.

  • Sub-Zero_SUCKS

    Posted Aug 10, 2007 9:47 am PT

    spore - expect it on shelves before Y3k (maybe)

  • drew38930

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 5:14 pm PT

    Good to finally see some news about Spore. It kind of dropped off the map after E3 last year except for a few little demos from Will. And even those were basically the same build that was at E3 06. Good to see development is finally back on track. Also, I think this is a critical point for Spore on whether it will become a big hit or not with this being the first time people can actually play the game. Can't wait until it comes out!

  • Generic_Dude posted Aug 9, 2007 6:30 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Generic_Dude

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 6:30 am PT (hide)

    This puzzles me... the only thing we've really heard on this game is Will Wright telling us how great he is... I mean, he's made some great games and done some interesting things for the industry, but I think a whole lot of people are setting themselves up for a big let down. It's a video game, people, not the Rapture.

  • minos30 posted Aug 9, 2007 12:20 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    minos30

    Posted Aug 9, 2007 12:20 am PT (hide)

    this game is at a point where it is very possible it will fail terribly, just like the movie waterworld at its time.

  • RTSownFPS

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 11:14 pm PT

    I laugh/cry when I hear people act so enthusiastic about a game that they go into denial about when games like this are coming out. I've heard people think that it will come out as early as the company says it may (March 1, 08 ) and even that WW will "surprise everyone" and have it pushed backwards in the date book . Just face it, this is a huge game, and it's going to take some time to enhance, render and debug. It may come out at the end of their estimate, or it may even be set back again, so get ready for the long haul.

  • horrowhip

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 5:29 pm PT

    I hate how EA always uses Fiscal terms... It really confuses people. Just for anyone who does not know, Late Fiscal 2008-Early Fiscal 2009 translates to March 2008-April 2009. Expect Spore to hit shelves around then.

  • angelofdeath630

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 5:05 pm PT

    this is probably one of the greatest game concept out there. i cant wait for it to come out early 2008. from what i see no other game will be as fun as this one.

  • pugkiller

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 5:03 pm PT

    Is it possible that this game was simply pushed back to avoid the already overcrowded holiday season this year?

    Q1 of 2009 is really fall of 2008, which would make this an early holiday release for next year. It seems to me that EA is just spreading around its AAA titles in order to make the most money.

  • ryanstoy91

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:00 pm PT

    This looks like it is going to take The Sims place.

  • Dark_Nexus3367

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 3:05 pm PT

    It is rather horrible to see Spore pushed back so much,considering how polished the game is.Regardless,this game will be awesome when it comes out and I will definitely be playing it

  • mismajor99

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 2:31 pm PT

    River_horse: Are you crazy? Spore will be one if not the biggest game of 2008, right next to starcraft 2.

  • River_Horse posted Aug 8, 2007 10:16 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    River_Horse

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 10:16 am PT (hide)

    This game wont survive the market in Q2 next year, theres so many other games thats way better than this one. Still cant wait till the release date of this game.

  • We_Who_Fork

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:21 am PT

    Correct me if I'm wrong, a fiscal year and a year are two different things. Fiscal 09 starts in 08, so what they're saying is that it should be out by the end of next year. Not early 2009. Not that it makes a staggering difference at this point.

  • awesomeboy05

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 9:16 am PT

    good to see that spore development is back on track, even if it has been pushed back alot

  • quietguy

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:58 am PT

    Of course EA is allowing Will to take his time with this game... It's the prized jewel of the company's product line for the past decade.

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:26 am PT

    By the time this thing releases it will be outdated. They better be doing some real interesting stuff with this. It would be disappointing to have a Viva Piniata-like game that takes this long and promises so much more.

  • SirWeymont

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 8:12 am PT

    getting up there with Duke. at least there are previews for it. why don't the developers of Duke release and sort of previews for the game?

  • Sypher213

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 7:20 am PT

    Late 08 early 09? Crap. Last I remember they said around late 07. Oh well.
    Someone leak the demo for us

  • Xgouse

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 6:17 am PT

    I look at it this way from what I've heard about this game there's no end unless you die... if they are constantly updating your game with new content made by other peoples stuff... Then you will never finish this game.. Plus they have it so you can go out to the milky way and go to different zones of it too... all of it is totally exploratory... So duh it's going to take along time to make something so innovating... It's Will Wright... People he's the greatest mind game creater there is... Im sure that when this game comes out it's going to blow away your mind at how long it is... It's got a reverse arcuture to it also... You actually learn the game and be forced to live in danger constantly... before you get to go to the sandbox mode... of traveling to different galaxies... I'm so in line for this one when it comes out... I'll be at my Local EB (Gamestop) ... when it launches... Laterz....

  • maxmax1234

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:39 am PT

    he's working on this for 2 years, isn't even a demo finished?

  • swmeek

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:54 pm PT

    As much as I hate to wait on games like this I can wait for them to debug it and make it polished and pretty so a patch isn't extremely necessary as soon as i install it out of the box! Take the time to make it right the first time. I can keep playing Oblivion and a few other games until then.

  • crazy1pumpkins

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:41 pm PT

    Um, yeah.. what he said.
    ||
    V

  • Binarynova

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 9:09 pm PT

    It's been in Will Wright's mind for seven years, not necessarily in full development. I think that it's on a pretty decent schedule considering that Wright basically had to hire a bunch of people new to the commercial game development scene (programmers from the demo scene). He had to present to them his idea, convince them that it was a good one, and get a basic engine built.

    This is a completely different kind of commercial game. However, I don't think it's outside the realm of Will Wright's bounds. I've listened to interviews and conferences (not just searching for gameplay footage, but actually listening to him) and he knows exactly what he's going for and he knows exactly what it takes to get there.

    Also, the game is now in a fully-playable alpha stage. Essentially, all the hard work (when you consider what it took to get there) is done. It's now all about polishing this thing so that it's smooth and beautiful. It's about fixing bugs that are in the system. It's about making the game run on a variety of systems. That still takes time.

    I sometimes complain about how gaming is now an 'industry' but I find myself amazed and pleasantly surprised that even 'money hungry' companies like EA can employ a person like Will Wright and basically say, "You know what, do whatever it takes, we know what you're capable of and we respect you, so it's not like we're going to fire you." He has free reign to make this game.

    Also, matok30... this game looks great. The latest gameplay footage and screenies show that this game uses our current graphics tech to its fullest. Refinement will come with polishing, as I said before. The fact that it looks 'cute' or 'humouristic' is not the fault of the graphics engine, that's the art style. And also, don't forget, the creatures will be as 'organic', 'streamlined', 'exaggerated, or 'realistic' as you make them.

    Hmm, can anyone tell that I'm really excited about this game and looking forward to it? I remember when I used to sit and play SimEarth on my SNES for hours on end, day after day. Not long after the 3D revolution I dreamed that one day, maybe, Will Wright would re-invent what I considered to be a masterpiece. Spore is just about perfect for me.

  • matok30

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 8:13 pm PT

    Better graphics - please!

    Is it not even with current graphic technology possible to make the invironments and creatures look more organic and streamlined? It realy needs refinement. It's not enough that the creatures and the design looks cute or humouristic if it looks damn silly. The idea is basically brilliant though, but in a couple of years people will expect much much more.

  • whitey3221

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 7:32 pm PT

    I disagree with the people that say that EA is going to rush this release(simulord). I mean they have given wright seven years already and they say that they aren't even comfortable forecasting it for fiscal year 08...which means that it may be a holiday title next year, but also could mean that it's a summer title in '09...which is two more years. If a game isn't finished and bug free after 9 years of work then the game should be scrapped until technology and the developers can handle it.

    Will, I know you are brilliant, but maybe, just maybe you overstepped your bounds this time.

  • SimuLord

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:55 pm PT

    So far we've had a seven-year development cycle with no end in sight, a who's-who of names dropped (Soren Johnson? Seriously?) and gameplay features hinted at, a bunch of preview coverage...all that's missing is the full-page ad in PC Gamer saying "Will Wright Is Gonna Make You His *****" and all the ingredients will be in place for a buggy, "just release the ****ing thing and patch it later" mess that will earn a 5.0 unless EA makes with the bribes.

  • Rob_101

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:30 pm PT

    I hope this game gets leaked I want to play it that much >_> But seriously it will be really nice to get an updated look at Spore. I'm sure lots has been improved since last time we saw it, I can't wait!

  • XDaJokermanX

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:21 pm PT

    I hope a bunch of new footage is released from the Convention. I can't believe I gotta wait till 2008. For this and GTA4. I wanna play Spore already. Oh well the longer it takes the more fresh it's gonna be.

  • Killermanjaro

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 6:16 pm PT

    hey shinedown220, average for gaming is better than extremely sucky for gaming

  • FallenMatrix

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 5:54 pm PT

    I choose to forget about it.. a watched pot never boils.

  • Maeros4

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 5:01 pm PT

    for journalist only? so that means that it will be playable on the first day and not on the days after that when it is open to the public or am i wrong?

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