Far too often in this whirlwind of new releases and bad press we know as the gaming industry, a game will release in an unfinished, unsatisfying state. Patches may eventually come, sometimes on launch day, but that doesn’t stop the game from having a little black mark against it that can never properly be rubbed away.
Outlast 2 is a game that many gamers have been crying out for since they managed to escape the horrors found in the asylum. The original Outlast was one of the most refreshingly taut, smart horror games to come out for some time and has cultivated itself a strong fanbase and more than its fair share of copycats being released on Steam nigh on every day.
So, when Red Barrels announced that they were delaying Outlast 2 until next year, I was initially pretty peeved as one of those fans, but if they get it right, they can take all the time they need.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Red Barrels said:
“We want you to know that we listen to your feedback, we see your excitement and we know you care about our work. Our mission as an indie studio is to deliver to you the best, most terrifying, most fulfilling experiences possible. That’s why we’re taking just a little bit more time to make sure our vision for Outlast 2 is in no way compromised and is the experience you deserve.”
And good on them for being upfront about it. Even though they’re a small-time player, they don’t want to make small-time mistakes, or even those that the big publishers seem to constantly bumble towards. History shows that when developers are under undue pressure to meet deadlines, priorities can go out of the window, especially if you’re working on the latest yearly release in a big franchise. QA testing? Forget about it.
Recent history has also shown that game delays have been for the better with the most high profile example being Uncharted 4, a game that’s extra polish no doubt contributed towards us giving it a rare 10 out of 10. No Man’s Sky has also recently been pushed back, which is something you almost want to see to ensure that we can visit these quintillion planets without everything exploding. If you give a developer your patience, they will more or less deliver.
Unless it’s Mighty No.9, but we don’t want to talk about that.
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