Defiance - PC
Defiance is a case study in why it’s never a good idea to impose an unwavering launch date on an MMOG, regardless of the state the game is in once that proposed launch day comes knocking. A rocky start can be the death knell of even the most meticulously crafted online gaming experience, and Defiance has seen more than its share of stability issues, bugs, and general gameplay wonkiness.
Many of these things have been addressed in a series of patches and hotfixes post-launch, and Trion Worlds has even gone so far as to extend an apology and free virtual items to players for the state of the launch client. But even if Defiance had launched rock solid in the performance department, the game has long suffered a Tabula Rasa style personality crisis of sorts that permeates nearly all aspects of gameplay.
Were the Defiance MMOG intended as a standalone experience that might not bode well for its longevity on the market. In this case, however, certain blanks have been purposefully left to be filled in by the near simultaneous launch of the SyFy Channel television series that shares the setting, timeline, and even certain key NPC interactions with the MMOG.
The successful airing of the first episode of the TV series will no doubt drive plenty of interest in the MMOG, but at the end of the day Trion Worlds still has a ways to go before Defiance the game is truly ready for mass market consumption.
Defiance is a case study in why it’s never a good idea to impose an unwavering launch date on an MMOG, regardless of the state the game is in once that proposed launch day comes knocking. A rocky start can be the death knell of even the most meticulously crafted online gaming experience, and Defiance has seen more than its share of stability issues, bugs, and general gameplay wonkiness.
Many of these things have been addressed in a series of patches and hotfixes post-launch, and Trion Worlds has even gone so far as to extend an apology and free virtual items to players for the state of the launch client. But even if Defiance had launched rock solid in the performance department, the game has long suffered a Tabula Rasa style personality crisis of sorts that permeates nearly all aspects of gameplay.
Were the Defiance MMOG intended as a standalone experience that might not bode well for its longevity on the market. In this case, however, certain blanks have been purposefully left to be filled in by the near simultaneous launch of the SyFy Channel television series that shares the setting, timeline, and even certain key NPC interactions with the MMOG.
The successful airing of the first episode of the TV series will no doubt drive plenty of interest in the MMOG, but at the end of the day Trion Worlds still has a ways to go before Defiance the game is truly ready for mass market consumption.
