Early Access Let The Speculation Begin.
It came in an instant we received the release date E-Mail and the posts went up on the SWTOR forums about when the early access would begin.
Now normally early access to MMO’s have been anything between 3 and 10 days before the release date or there about’s. As far as I know no other high profile games are being released at the same time. This gives BioWare a nice window so they do not have to push it out early and they can concentrate on just getting the game right. Without the fear of another MMO breathing down TOR’s neck.
So what would be an ideal time to start the early access party going ?
First I don’t think we will get more than a week head start when TOR arrives. Though I have nothing to base this off it’s just a gut feeling. I’m guessing it’s going to be more like 3-5 days or so.
This would give us a date from Thu 15th – Sat 17th Dec.
Yet one date in this stands out above all and that’s the 15th, this is the day SWG comes to a bitter end. This is most likely just a huge coincidence but what better way to start the new Star Wars MMO when the old one has just ended ?
For this reason along my bets are going to be a mid-day release on Friday 16th Dec when at long last we will be set free on TOR. And unlike the release date there will be no need to have a staggered launch. The norm here is that the EU will have an extra two days of early access before the rest of the masses gets in on the action.
It would work out great for BioWare, they have changed a three staged release that of early access and the release dates on the 20th and 22nd into a four stage launch. Many people have already got the pre-order in, some will be getting box sets on the 20th and 22nd respectfully some will be getting TOR as a Christmas gift. What could be better for a smooth launch that having splitting your launch over four individual milestones.
It could end up as one of the best business moves in gaming history.
Well that’s me I say 16th just as SWG ends TOR begins.
So until Next Time, MrWarlock signing off.
5 Responses to “Early Access Let The Speculation Begin.”
If they keep with their staggered early release plan, we might see a 3-4 day window of different people getting in. 16th makes the most sense because it is Friday and the initial wave will get to start playing. Take a way 3 days for the last preorders and you get Sunday for a 3 day early release. All sounds perfect except for a cushion for hiccups. That is why I think initial preorders will start on the 13th. I’m always wrong, but I can hope 🙂
Hope you are right, unrelated to Swtor I got my Holidays starting on that Friday ^^
“As far as I know no other high profile games are being released at the same time.”
Well, Blizzard is releasing his new Content patch 4.3 in this window, they even canceld their “filler” content just so they can bring forward the really interesting content “deathwing”.
diablo 3 got a early 2012 release date and the next sc2 addon also got a 2012 release date, blizzard is doing everything to keep the players away from SW:TOR
Tuesday.
Wednesday or Thursday is my prediction, but I hope it’s earlier. BW might give enough of a damn to let SWG have their swan song and come out after they shut off the SWG servers, or they might not. They might choose to let those people who preordered very early have a truly meaningful head start over those who preorder on Dec. 10th!
Did you make a July preorder? You should get 1 week+ Early Access. August Preorder? You get maybe 5 days. September or October? 4 days. November/December gets 3 days (Saturday morning) Early Access. Yeah that seems pretty fair to me, but then I had my code registered within 6 hours of preorders going live. 😉
Here’s hoping they have a mostly bug-free client three weeks in advance and they decide that SWG is already dead and let those of us who already put our money down for the game get in extra early to start our Heroic Journey. I’ll be both surprised and ecstatic if I get 5+ days Early Access. If it’s a week or more I’m going to need more vacation time from work! 😀