Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs will be out next month for current and next gen consoles, but the initial delay from November 2013 till early 2014 severely dented the publisher’s reputation, even if it was with the best intention. Massive Entertainment managing director David Polfeldt, who is currently working on Tom Clancy’s The Division recognizes it as much. However, in conversation with Examiner, Polfeldt said it was a good decision that ultimately told first party studios that management was on their side.
“It’s tremendously important for us as a developer studio, to know that the owner and the publisher are ready to take that hit, and [the Watch Dogs delay] was a massive hit. I think their shares fell 25 per cent on the day it was announced it was being delayed.
“It takes so much courage to live through that day and still think that was a good decision. So for us in the development [side of things], that’s an important message that ultimately the management will back up the goals that we have, which is the game has to be great. That’s ultimately the end goal and then it’s a million times better if it’s on time but if there is a choice between time and quality, then quality will win.”
Tom Clancy’s The Division is currently expected to release by late 2014 for PS4, PC and Xbox One, though rumours suggest it could be delayed into 2015.
