Gamespot is reporting that SCEE are currently considering changing the release date of Evolution’s MotorStorm Apocalypse after the events of late last week at the eleventh hour.
Following a delay of indeterminate length to the Japanese release of the game, Sony Europe have said that the UK release is “under discussion at the moment” without, at this point at least, confirmation either way. It was originally planned for this Friday.
Promotion for the game kicked up a notch recently with sponsorship deals on UK television, and it’s possible some retailers will already have copies ready for distribution. It’s not known whether other regions in Europe will be affected.
For our views on the Japanese earthquake and ensuing news, click here.
JoshHood
At this stage, it’d be pretty impossible to delay.
Stock is probably already at retailers (at least online ones) with pre-orders probably being sent out from tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest. Recalling is very expensive, and asking retailers to keep hold of stock would also be financial drain, as well as leading to plenty of copies heading out anyway. Supermarkets and the like probably wouldn’t even read the memo, and just put it straight out, like they do with releasing games early. It’s barely a day before the European release as it is.
Yes, the media will love it, but there’s not a whole lot Sony can do at this stage other than deal with the PR as well as possible, donate plenty of money, and highlight the delays in territories where it was not a logistical impossibility.
I’m not saying they shouldn’t delay it (three weeks or something – maybe in line with the US release), just that it’s probably likely that they can’t.
JoshHood
Not to mention promotion has already ramped up, including print media ads including the release date.
The Lone Steven
Yeah but Sony can recall them or put a ban on retailers from selling it although i think most retailers will have cancelled any plans of selling it
teflon
Well they didn’t in time for online retailers. My copy of the game’s already shipped, and in the EU, they’ll have posted on Monday, most likely.
DrNate86
They are also reporting Yakuza: The End is to be delayed, and a survival game set in a city suffering natural disasters (that I have completely forgotten the name of) has been cancelled.
I agree with the decision to be honest (of a delay, not cancelling a game unless it was only in the conceptual stages). The whole nation has been devastated, and it would be extremely insensitive to release anything resembling the actual event at this time.
jayjay119
I don’t see why a game should even be cancelled, if it is early enough in the dev cycle to be cancelled like that the chances are it would have a hope of seeing a release while any of this is going on.
I think a small delay is appropriate, as a sign of respect. Besides it’s not like Sony will lose out on promotion, people will remember that game that go put back because of the disaster in Japan.
As far as games that have already been shipped to retailers, there is nothing they can do about that now but sau ´those copies had already gone out, we’re delaying any further shipments/sales in light of…..´
BG Tips
oh FFS. The game has nothing to do with the things going on in japan.
oh well, at least from the demo it dosen’t seem as good as pacific rift.
moshi
You totally miss the point Sir
StevenHibs
Has anyone seen this shizzle?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UmotTE-VlY
unreal!
LycanGav
A delay, although understandable, could be unwise as the game leaked late last night/early this morning. If pirates can deliver a highly anticipated core Sony title more than a month before retailers, how many people might that sway?
Foxhound_Solid
Oh right I see, said the blind mice……
Pete_UK
Do what you need to Sony; matters of the home come first.