More Release Date Clues

[Tbone]

The EA Earnings Conference Call yielded a couple of clues about the release date. It should be noted that these are projections and not set in stone facts.

2:49: Q: You said record preorders, could you elaborate on that? Also curious on the beta testers? EB: Sure, not going to give actual numbers. They are ahead of expecations, largest number that we have done with EA, the next closest title was Battlefield 3 and it was up from there. We have about thousands people in the beta right now, improving the quality on every new release. Purchase intent through third-party research is some of the highest they've ever seen. In the summer we're going to be ramping up our beta campaign and by around the time we get to September, we'll be in a position to call the ball and give the hard ship date.

2:59: Q: Regarding the Star Wars launch date, some idea of range of impacts depending on the launch date of the game, will there be any contribution later? JR: Focus is strongly on Q3 but maintained the guidance range. We have high expectations for the potential for the product, we want to be able to, if there's an issue to change the ship date. We're focused on driving hard towards Q3, until something is certain we're not announcing it. 4-8 weeks before launch is typical for a hard ship date.

Putting both of those things together, they hope to announce a release date in September, and would make that announcement 4-8 weeks before launch. That puts the release window closer to October/November, assuming all of these projections pan out of course...

[Mharz]

I'll echo the Holidays 2011 that was thrown out there a bunch of times in SD ComicCon.  Thanksgiving is essentially the start of that holiday season.  I would be not surprised at all if a November date was announced in September.

[Ketamininja]

I'll echo the Holidays 2011 that was thrown out there a bunch of times in SD ComicCon.  Thanksgiving is essentially the start of that holiday season.  I would be not surprised at all if a November date was announced in September.

Yep, that seems to lead to Thanksgiving in my mind...!
Sounds like what they have been aiming for for a while, with various statements. I hope that doesn't overrun, but I would like a polished product.

[Caydnn]

I was watching a Q/A they did and they said they will not release it until they feel it is ready because in their words "We are Bioware and we do not release crap."

[Amarantus]

They should have added an asterisk at the end of that and then quietly said, "Except Dragon Age 2."

[Keeloth]

They should have added an asterisk at the end of that and then quietly said, "Except Dragon Age 2."

*chuckle*

[Saint]

I didnt mind Dragon age 2

[Subb]

DA2 was good... except for the reuse of terrain... actually, that made it fucking unrepeatable.

[Amarantus]

And the fact that there was not a single choice that made any difference in the story.
The fact that you never left the same 3 areas for your entire 20+ hours of gameplay.
Or the fact that ninja's were the main bad guys but they didn't even look cool like ninjas!

[Saint]

ok so it wasnt perfect...

[Tbone]

I wish DA:O would have had DA2's combat. That would have been a good game!

[Keeloth]

ok so it wasnt perfect...

More like the fact that it just wasn't Bioware quality.  Even Bioware's "mediocre" game, Jade Empire, had a decent following, and most people enjoyed it even if it wasn't quite up to snuff.  DA2, though, was rushed out in a couple of years, drastically changed the formula, took a lot away from the story aspect...it made a lot of people very angry.  Myself, I was just disappointed.  

Fortunately, one thing we know about SWTOR is that it won't be rushed.  Much as we might like it to be...