The success of a game can very much be related to when it is released. Publishers don’t want games coming out the same day. And long delays can crush demand for once anticipated titles.
Traditionally, November has been a huge month for game releases. The thinking is that titles need to be released in time for the holiday season.
That thinking, though, was based on the idea that the vast majority of these games were being bought for kids. But time has proven that that isn’t necessarily true.
Many developers have also run into issues by pushing games to hit specific dates without taking the time to make sure their games are complete or at least playable without constant glitches. But having been burned in the past, most games now come out when they are ready.
An example of this was Cyberpunk 2077 which was pulled from the Sony store because it wasn’t even close to being ready for primetime.
Industry analyst Michael Pachter explains, “I think the debacle of ‘Cyberpunk’ taught people better to keep a game until it’s ready rather than to rush it out for holiday.”
As a result of these new practices, hot games can be released at any time. And February of 2022 is looking to be a huge month as Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, Saints Row, and Destiny 2: The Witch Queen will debut.
At least one of these games, Destiny 2, was pushed back due to the pandemic. Assistant game director Joe Blackburn noted, “With covid-19 keeping us away from the office, and the large amount of work on our plates, we needed to move the date in order to make sure that both this year’s updates and ‘The Witch Queen’ were both delivered at the quality we strive for, and on a schedule that made sense for everyone involved.”
