The Hardline Day One Launch - Brokenfield or Battlefield?

MWEB GameZone writes: "Over the weekend, Battlefield: Hardline developer Visceral Games promised the game will work at launch. The fact that they even needed to say that is just utterly ridiculous. Hardline is being developed by a studio with a lot of games in their portfolio and being published by a house with an even longer portfolio (EA). A few years ago, asking either one of those organisations if their game would work on launch day wouldn't even have occurred to anyone.

For a lot of Battlefield fans the disappointments from Battlefield 4 are still too fresh. Let's take a look at why Visceral Games and EA think the concerns are unfounded and why we think it's not."

[HanCilliers]

Very interesting read.I agree with the writer that it SHOULDN'T be necessary to make the promise that a game will work on launch day. It's ridiculous to say the least, but then again, given EA's rep for delivering broken games, I guess it's needed.

If I was a fan, I would most definitely not pre-order BFH.

[knifefight]

I agree that the question about it working really shouldn't even HAVE to be asked....

But maybe the fact that it is being asked...and the fact that it's getting such a response from the internet, can help wake EA the heck up.

It's about time someone went in with some friggin' balls and asked a tough question about the real issue that all the customers will be wondering. Instead of just asking "So how AWESOME is your new game!?" I'm not about that.

[plut0nash]

There are a few games out there where can ask how awesome they really are: Lords of the Fallen for one. The new Doom looks great, and so did Wolfenstein. Hell I said the same for a few games that came this year, including Forza Horizon 2. The difference comes in the way the community is engaged.

[HanCilliers]

I agree, I think all the media coverage about it has gotten the right attention.

[lord zaid]

That is a very interesting perspective. And I think you right. If we put pressure on company's to fulfill these standards, it does act as a safeguard.

It still ridiculous that that has to be the case, though.

[XBLSkull]

Yep

A. Why risk it
B. This game isn't Battlefield, it just borrows the title to sell you a copy

[BX81]

This reminds me of the xb1 announcement but ms had time to change things before launch. In the end they still felt the unhappy co sumer sting. With bf4 many of us already paid for the game then found out it was broken. I expect to see very little pre order numbers for this game and a lot less sold in the first 2 months. I hope gamers stick to their guns and dont pick this game up right away. Its one thing to complain on forums non stop about bf4.......at that point they already had our money. Now we get to speak with our wallets right from the start.

[bmf7364]

Visceral may be a very talented developer, but Battlefield is a much bigger project than anything they have done. I greatly respect them for their efforts put into Hardline, especially with them delaying it, (I'm buying it on day one) but games always have problems on launch. Battlefield 4 was simply not finished because EA wanted to compete against COD: Ghosts. Well this year, they're not competing with Advanced Warfare so they have 3-5 months more time to complete the game to a satisfactory level.

[lord zaid]

But that's the point. Is it really asking for too much for games to work. To be functioning products on the day you buy them? I don't think that is unreasonable.

[Detoxx]

I've got faith in Hardline after yesterdays BF4 patch. The game feels like a BF3/BF4/Hardline fusion now, I love it.

[plut0nash]

Ok so here's my take: If EA hasn't learned it yet, they're screwed if Hardline doesn't work. Also - does Hardline really stand a chance in the face of other great games coming this year? It's hardly innovative - despite being potentially fun.

[lord zaid]

You are spot on. Whether Hardline is a good game or not is almost irrelevent.

If this game tanks because of bugs, I reckon we get a riot. Or not.

Gamers are fickle with their rage.

[HanCilliers]

If Hardline has a buggy launch, it's over for EA and all BF games

[lord zaid]

For BF, perhaps. It may just take the MOH route.
But EA has FIFA and Madded. Those two franchises will keep them going forever.

[CongoKyle]

Meh, not really interested. I think the only way to save the Battlefield franchise now is to create a remastered 1942 on the new engine! Now that's a game I'd play.

[dreamed]

Ea think our concerns are unfounded!!!!

that statement alone would stop me preordering.

[HanCilliers]

I don't think EA said that exactly. They are trying to convince customers that BFH won't have the same launch day problems as BF4

[KyRo]

I love the way the media act as if BF4 was a complete disaster when it was far from it. Pretty much every games multiplayer has a ropey start yet it's BF that takes all the flak. It had a lot of bugs, what game don't?

Hardline has been using the data from the CTE servers to insure certain mistakes are not made again.

[HanCilliers]

But EA was the only company which has several lawsuits against them over Battlefield 4. There's also a big difference between a ropey start and unplayable - which was the case with BF4 on several platforms.

However, I don't think Visceral is going to make the same mistakes.

[daBUSHwhaka]

Battlefield/EA Games = EPIC FAIL.......

[DragoonsScaleLegends]

Since the beta was even more buggy than the BF4 beta I don't expect much from it.

[Gamerbeyond]

god have mercy on anyones soul that spends $60 on this EXPANSION pack,

[DxTrixterz]

Unless EA will listen to us for once and tell DICE to make BF Bad Company 3 for me BF is lost and dead. Remember last great BF game was Bad Company 2.