Nevrax delays The Saga of Ryzom

France-based Nevrax announced that it has delayed the release of The Saga of Ryzom, which was originally slated for this month. Now expected to launch in September, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game has been in beta testing since April. Nevrax CEO David Cohen explained the reasons for the delay in a letter sent out to the game's playerbase:

"The Saga of Ryzom went into open beta this April with an internal target to launch in June 2004…. While we were on schedule for our launch date, over the course of testing, we determined that The Saga of Ryzom would be a more fun and enjoyable experience for its players if we put a few more months of development and testing into the game prior to launch."

"In the past, due to financial and marketing reasons, many online games have shipped when they would actually have been better off staying in development for a few more months. Fortunately, we here at Nevrax are supported by visionary investors and trusted partners who are enabling us take the right steps for our game. Therefore, we have decided to reschedule Ryzom’s launch until September."

Nevrax has also decided to close the current beta test on June 7 in favor of further development and focused testing. Those who have been participating in the Saga of Ryzom beta test will have the option to take part in a number of weekend events over the next three months, and also to rejoin the game for its final beta stage.

Nevrax's partners in North America and Europe support its decision to delay The Saga of Ryzom, and they will be providing managed testing and quality assurance throughout the summer.