Pre-ordering a copy of Warhammer Online will get you an invite to the open beta phase of WAR but no one knows when that will be (edit: we know now). We know you can start downloading the beta client somewhere around the 15th (edit: the 18th), but that doesn’t mean that is when the Open Beta will be starting. If you ask me, this is just another marketing ploy by a game company in an attempt to bolster pre-order sales and improve their stock value.
Am I biased? Yes, I’m a consumer - of course I am. I was really turned off to the pre-order idea thanks to the way Funcom handled the AoC Early Access program. Pay extra to get in early and don’t actually get any playtime due to server downtime. That’s not to say that Mythic is going to do the same thing, but they could. After their pre-order sales hit their target dollar mark, they may come out and say, “We’ll be starting the Open Beta program on September 15th”. Then again, they may start it earlier, but even if they do - do you really want to be there?
I know I don’t. Going into a game that you are looking forward to so much and seeing it in it’s buggy, needing polish ‘pre-release’ phase could really kill the magic for me. I want to start experiencing the game as it was intended to be and besides, playing a character that is going to end up getting wiped is not really appealing to me. I know a lot of power players see real benefit in the beta - they get a head start on the learning curve to the game so they can level faster.
Let’s face it, if you don’t get in a week or two before everyone else, two years from now is it really going to matter? This game isn’t going anywhere so what’s the hurry? Rush in, level up to the end game and then…bored? This just seems like far to much trouble for me. Then again I wasn’t planning on playing this title at release anyway, I want to give Mythic some time to work out the post launch jitters before I check it out. Like they say, ‘you only get one chance to make a first impression’.
Unless you bought the Collector’s Edition of the game you won’t be getting any real head start over anyone else anyway. CE guys get in the head start program which is an actual headstart, meaning they play their characters without getting them wiped. But that program won’t actually start until the Open Beta ends. And if it’s anything like Funcom’s issue, you’ll need to download a non-beta client (again) and the servers will probably not be fully available during the headstart while Mythic rushes to make emergency patches and prep the servers for the full launch. In short, getting in early = getting the shaft.
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3 comments so far
Gamestop says September 3rd for OPEN BETA.
I really feel that Mythic is going to do fine with this. After all, they brought us Dark Age of Camelot, and that game was awesome.
As for BETA, the game’s already packaged and ready to be shipped to stores everywhere. The OPEN BETA is more for people/reviews/etc to talk about the game, pre-release, so people can decide if they want to buy it or not.
I have friends who are actually IN the last branch of CLOSED BETA (started today) and they said it’s not buggy at all. We all know Funcom dropped the ball on AoC, and it was mega-bugged at release, but again, this is Mythic. Different company, with much more experience.
As for getting to end-game and getting bored, I really don’t see that happening. Just like in DAoC, there was a lot going on with the keep sieges and such. There was almost ALWAYS one going on, somewhere. So even end-game, there’s some ridiculous amounts of battle grounds, there’s dungeons, there’s keep sieges, and there’s city sieges. Sounds like there will be more than enough to do.
I think too many people compare Warhammer to Warcraft. It’s not Warcraft. End-game isn’t anything the same as Warcraft’s is.
And if I’m wrong, I’ll eat my words in this comment, as a whole. No mayo or bread or anything. Just straight up.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:09 am
I hope you are right, believe me! Yes, I felt that AoC’s buggy launch burned the game for me. It could be a shining example of an MMO now and I would still require arm twisting to give it another go.
I just didn’t want to have the same experience with WAR. Even though it’s packaged and ready to ship there will almost certainly be updates to download before you play. Some bugs you just can’t find with a few thousand testers, but when you throw a few hundred thousand players into the mix…
Let’s wait and see. I’m crossing my fingers you are right.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Oh trust me, I’ve got mine crossed, too. But I have faith.
Faith, I haz it.
August 14th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
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