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Alpha Protocol delay to let game fulfill 'AAA potential'

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Oct 15, 2009 4:48 pm PT

Sega explains delay of Bourne/Bond/Bauer-style espionage RPG as both quality control and a strategic move; Obsidian expresses gratitude for extended deadline.

In late September, retailers began listing the espionage role-playing game Alpha Protocol as shipping next summer--over half a year past its announced October 6 release date. When launch day arrived, Sega's official site began listing it as arriving in "Spring 2010," confirming the delay.

See you in the spring.

Now, after several weeks of studied silence, Sega is commenting publicly on Alpha Protocol's move into next year. Unsurprisingly, it's being described as a good thing.

"Since the inception of Alpha Protocol, Sega has recognized the potential for the game to establish itself as an AAA title," said Masanao Maeda, Sega of America's newly installed COO and president. "We've worked in conjunction with Obsidian Entertainment in making the decision to move Alpha Protocol’s ship date to spring 2010 to ensure that we have the best game possible at launch."

Obsidian CEO and Black Isle Studio veteran Feargus Urquhart echoed those comments, expressing gratitude that Sega extended Alpha Protocol's deadline.

"Alpha Protocol is a new take on the RPG genre, and from day one the team has been working to make Alpha Protocol a truly unique game for players to experience," said Urquhart. "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."

While cheery on the surface, Sega and Obsidian's relationship was put under serious strain earlier this year. In February, the publisher indefinitely delayed Obsidian's unnamed role-playing game based on the Alien film series, before canceling it outright in June.

151 Comments

  • CoolKid006

    Posted Nov 2, 2009 4:16 pm PT

    I don't mind as long as the game is really good when it comes out.

  • sevendaydemon

    Posted Nov 1, 2009 3:42 am PT

    This is a good thing. If it came out a few days ago, it would get mediocre reviews and would be forgotten with all its issues, but since its been delayed it stands a chance of being one of the better games of the season. Its a shame a number of developers don't realise this before pushing out their products.

  • Mysterywriter

    Posted Oct 28, 2009 9:42 am PT

    After what they just did, This game BETTER be the most spectacular game ever released since Halo 3! This kind of thing has been happening A LOT lately.The whole gaming industry has been pulling the "Push it Back" because routine starting with The Zelda Twilight Princess game for GC. I waited 2 years for that one, all because of a little system that got a name change! Heck, it's been going on longer, that was just the first game to pop into my head..... think about it.

  • Gladestone1

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 10:25 am PT

    Very well and done guys..How ever they shouldve said this before the release date, not a week before..It was crap what they pulled..How about a month before it was going to be out the door..Or two months an just tell people we need more time..A week was crap, gamers where looking forward to this game for a reason..That leaves a bad impression on any fan of the game...Ill still buy it..Just thought it was bad stunt on there part...

  • BryanFury1087

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 10:25 am PT

    @Chronikas
    I agree, bought it on steam in like june lol. By now i think they owe me a game and some DLC right off the bat. But these things happen, hopefully after all this work the game wont be broken on shipping.

  • pidow

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 9:00 am PT

    Take your time and get it right the first time, no patches please.

  • Chronikas

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 7:46 am PT

    What really sucks is that I pre-ordered this game on steam months ago. I think they ought to pay me interest on this long-term loan!

  • spOOoOOn

    Posted Oct 20, 2009 1:04 am PT

    Heh... I guess every single game that's been shifted to spring 2010 to reach '4million A quality' rather than cower in fear for Modern Warfare 2...

  • shooters125

    Posted Oct 19, 2009 8:45 pm PT

    I dont mind delay. Rushed games are usually really REALLY BAD. However delaying games just means they wan to give the complete experience not just 80%.

  • teckim

    Posted Oct 19, 2009 5:03 pm PT

    This is not a triple A title, not even close

  • Exactlamento

    Posted Oct 19, 2009 7:50 am PT

    @mark_unix
    and one more thing...
    ...and the fact that a side by side comparison between the two yields not much difference, even tho Mass Effect was released 2 years ago, means that this game's graphics are nothing but dated...

  • Exactlamento

    Posted Oct 19, 2009 7:46 am PT

    @mark_unix
    wow just because they use the same graphics engine doesn't mean that they have the exact same graphics. It's how you utilize the system, another reason unreal 3 has been used so long. Mass Effect uses the system primarily in the texturing giving it a nice touch, this game...not so much. So yes...smart

  • TheHappyCamper

    Posted Oct 19, 2009 2:36 am PT

    I dont mind the delay so much as they way the news was delivered. Letting people know your game is delayed by saying nothing and quietly having retailers change the release date on their sites two weeks before the game is supposed to ship seems nutless at best, and disrespectful at worst. Id rather have Obsidian and/or Sega step up and say they need more time.

  • sircyrus

    Posted Oct 18, 2009 11:44 pm PT

    @DuncanM908
    "How was either of those games a bungle?"

    KOTOR2 was buggy and didn't get finished. Granted, that wasn't completely Obsidian's fault as LucasArts wanted the game released and wouldn't allow a delay. But Obsidian shouldn't have agreed to a schedule in the first place if there weren't sure they'd be able to meet the deadline.

    NWN2 was buggy, wasn't optimized very well, and had an absolutely horrible camera.

    NWN and KOTOR were AAA titles. NWN2 and KOTOR2 didn't live up to their predecessors, mainly due to a lack of polish on Obsidian's part.

  • akiwak

    Posted Oct 18, 2009 9:13 pm PT

    If this game is a success hopefully it will give them insentive to bring that Aliens game back to the drawing table.

  • Joe_Crow

    Posted Oct 18, 2009 10:42 am PT

    "A delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever"

  • DuncanM908

    Posted Oct 18, 2009 9:50 am PT

    @sircyrus
    How was either of those games a bungle?

  • childe_roland

    Posted Oct 18, 2009 3:27 am PT

    Still choked about the Alien RPG getting canned...

  • DJCartmell

    Posted Oct 18, 2009 2:19 am PT

    Needs more work definately but with the delay I think it will definately help Alpha Protocol become a potential classic!

  • sircyrus

    Posted Oct 17, 2009 10:46 pm PT

    Let's see if Obsidian can get one right after the bungled NWN2 and KOTOR2.

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