Failure to Launch

(Image Courtesy of: gizmodo.co.uk)

Once the euphoria of a new console generation, and the hardware behind it, starts to fade, the focus shifts to software.  Nintendo’s Wii U launched in November of 2012 and the sales have been mildly disappointing to date.  The system itself was met with positive reviews and accolades, but the system lacked software titles that generated any excitement.  The system was off to a sluggish start due to poor launch titles.  They have rebounded a bit throughout 2013 with the release of games like Pikmin 3, Rayman Legends, and The Wonderful 101.  These three titles were promised to consumers during the launch window, but fell victim to various delays.  Sony and Microsoft looked to take advantage of Nintendo’s missteps with strong launch titles.  In a competitive industry, it is crucial to get off to a strong start and both companies looked primed to storm out of the gates.   That is, until this week’s announcements.

Two of the most anticipated launch titles have been delayed well into 2014.

Here we go, again.

(Image courtesy of: images.eurogamer.net)

Ubisoft, the company behind Rayman Legends’ disappearance from the launch of the Wii U, has delayed their highly anticipated open world action-adventure game, Watch Dogs.  The game was available for pre-order in bundles for both systems, the Xbox One and Playstation 4.  This game was billed as a system seller and has been advertised to the gaming public for several years.  The game has been made available as a demo at several conventions and was even featured in a playable fashion on a recent episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  The game follows the same structure as the massively successful Grand Theft Auto series and promised to take advantage of the new hardware to deliver an experience worthy of the investment in a new system.

 

(Image Courtesy of: insideplaystation.com)

The Playstation 4’s lineup took another hit when SCE Worldwide Studios and Evolution Studios delayed their racer, Drive Club.  The Playstation 4 has placed a focus on online gaming and social interaction between gamers.  This game looked to take advantage of those features from day one on the system.  Players can build up, customize and race against fellow car enthusiasts around the world.  The game featured graphics that blurred the line between fiction and reality.  Gamers were looking forward to owning a high-end sports car and racing it in numerous worldwide locales that are recreated in astonishing detail.

These were two of the marquee titles that were going to accompany the new systems onto store shelves.  The systems should still sell well to early adopters and those who have interest in other smaller titles, but these delays may hurt the initial sales.  This is beginning to look like the Wii U launch all over again.  By the time that the delayed Wii U titles finally saw the light of day, the system had already undergone a price drop and the damage was done.

If these games were on your radar, you might want to rethink that pre-order and wait for a better deal.