There is a term that comes to video games in regards to their development. If a game takes so long to make, it’s referred to as “developmental heck” (insert stronger language there). Or, in simpler terms, limbo. This is because despite hype, intentions, and even good will, the game just won’t release for one reason or another. This leaves many gamers thinking one of two things.
One, will the game ever release? And two, will it be good when it does?
There have been several titles, both big and small, that have had this “issue”. The latest one is a very high-profile game called The Last Guardian. The game has been in limbo since 2007, when it first started production. It was unveiled in 2009, and then slated to release in 2011. Since then, the game has had several delays. Today, developer SIE Japan revealed that the game would be pushed back to December of this year, rather than October.
So what does this mean for The Last Guardian? Can it still be good after such a long development?
The Difference Between Delays, and Destruction
It’s easy to think that the main reason behind a games delay is because the game is bad in some form or another. For example, the reason behind the latest Last Guardians delay was indeed because of bugs plaguing the title, and the team refused to release the game with such problems. However, that doesn’t mean the game itself is bad.
When a developer delays a game, it’s often to try and preserve it and make it better. Yes, more delays equals frustrations for fans, but, if the game is great because of the time put into it, wasn’t it worth it?
The other key thing here is what happens behind the scenes, something that often gets missed. After all, a game is beginning to be made, then the studio behind it has to close, is it really the games fault?
This happened recently with Phantom Dust on the Xbox One, it was meant to be a reboot of the cult classic series. But then the developer shut down, and now it’s in limbo. It could still be made, but right now, it’s uncertain whether it’ll ever be made.
For Last Guardian, though it did undergo a team change, it’s always been in development. Two of the major problems for it was personnel, many core team members left the studio during the development of the game, and then hardware. The Last Guardian was supposed to release on PS3, but then it was realized that the technology of the console just wouldn’t help the game live up to its full potential. Thus, in 2012, it was forced to transition to the PS4.
This transition was apparently a blessing in disguise, as it allowed the team to work in even greater detail, and thus make sure the game was what they wanted it to be.
Delays can be bad, for sure. But as other developers have proven, delays can work in their favor. Look at Nintendo with The Legend of Zelda series. Both Skyward Sword, and the upcoming Breath of the Wild were delayed heavily during development. But, for Skyward Sword, its release was big in every way possible. Earning big sales and many nominations and awards. When Breath of the Wild debuted at E3 this year, it blew everyone away.
Time can work in ones favor, as long as its used well. Last Guardian will have to be good in order to prove it used its time well.
The Team Leads The Way
Now let’s look at two games “in limbo” that were very much in the same place as Last Guardian. Duke Nukem Forever, and Kingdom Hearts III. Duke Nukem Forever was meant to the continuation of the fan-favorite first person shooter series. Yet, it got put in limbo, and was in developer for over a decade.
Eventually, Gearbox picked it up and tried to make it work. Unfortunately, the quality of the game, along with a lot of other things, didn’t work, or looked WAY too old for its place in the generation of titles it was in. For whatever reason, Gearbox didn’t lead the way to make the game great. So it failed.
With Kingdom Hearts III, fans have been waiting for that for a decade as well. When it was finally announced, and gameplay was shown, fans were happy. Why? Because it looked, sound, and felt like the Kingdom Hearts they had always known. Square Enix could be trusted to make the game work, and though it hasn’t released yet, many speculate it will be as good as many hope.
So where does that leave Last Guardian? Well, it’s headed up by Sony’s Japan Studio, but is lead by many of the members of Team Ico, who made Ico and Shadow of the Colossus on PS2, some of the consoles best titles. They clearly known what they’re doing, and Sony definitely wants this game to be released, so the combination of these two could make it still great. A game is only as good as the team that develops it, The Last Guardian definitely has that team, but will they follow through? Only time will tell.
In the end, it really is up to the fans themselves to determine whether The Last Guardian will be good or not. That being said, one shouldn’t dismiss the title because of the delays. If at any point Sony thought the game wouldn’t hold up, they would’ve cancelled it without a second thought. They see something in this clearly to invest so much time and money in it. So at the very least, we should give them a chance. This last delay was only 5 weeks, not years like previous delays. So let’s see what they give us, then determine whether it was worth it or not.
