Uncharted 4 has gone gold

[Max King of the Wild]

I'm confused. Do you think they actually needed that much extra time to make copies of the game or is that what you think makes no sense?

No, they definitely needed more time to produce copies for a global launch.

[Raven]

No, they definitely needed more time to produce copies for a global launch.

That seems like way too much time. I agree with Colin Moriarty. Even for a global release for millions of copies, well over a month seems like way too long. Plenty of games went gold and were on store shelves a couple weeks later. Uncharted 4 isn't going to sell like Call of Duty Day 1.

[DerNebel]

That seems like way too much time. I agree with Colin Moriarty. Even for a global release for millions of copies, well over a month seems like way too long. Plenty of games went gold and were on store shelves a couple weeks later. Uncharted 4 isn't going to sell like Call of Duty Day 1.

Yes and those games put out their printing orders in time, so the manufacturers could adjust to them. If Sony really just realized 2 1/2 weeks ago, that they need over a million copies or so more than they initially expected, then I can easily imagine that that's not something the manufacturers and distributors would be prepared to handle in the amount of time that they were initially expected to do it.

Or maybe Sony just wants to give R&C some breathing room.

[Raven]

Yes and those games put out their printing orders in time, so the manufacturers could adjust to them. If Sony really just realized 2 1/2 weeks ago, that they need over a million copies or so more than they initially expected, then I can easily imagine that that's not something the manufacturers and distributors would be prepared to handle in the amount of time that they were initially expected to do it.

Or maybe Sony just wants to give R&C some breathing room.

That's the part I'm having the most trouble believing. That Sony didn't realize what they'd need until just recently. Looking back at previous sales of the franchise and reactions to this game, surely they knew a long time ago that they would need several millions. I can't imagine that they came to a sudden realization that they'd need so many more that it would cause issues with the manufacture and distribution of the game. It's their biggest current franchise, commercially, outside of Gran Turismo. If that is indeed what happened, it was a pretty silly foul up on their part. I'm more inclined to believe it had something to do with a last minute development scare or, as you pointed out, that they were afraid releasing it the same month as Ratchet & Clank would have killed that game.

[ethomaz]

That's the part I'm having the most trouble believing. That Sony didn't realize what they'd need until just recently. Looking back at previous sales of the franchise and reactions to this game, surely they knew a long time ago that they would need several millions. I can't imagine that they came to a sudden realization that they'd need so many more that it would cause issues with the manufacture and distribution of the game. It's their biggest current franchise, commercially, outside of Gran Turismo. If that is indeed what happened, it was a pretty silly foul up on their part. I'm more inclined to believe it had something to do with a last minute development scare or, as you pointed out, that they were afraid releasing it the same month as Ratchet & Clank would have killed that game.

U3 shipped day one 3.2m units.
I can see Sony being surprised by a demand from retails at over 5m.

And yes makes perfect sense the need for more 2 weeks.

[Raven]

U3 shipped day one 3.2m units.
I can see Sony being surprised by a demand from retails at over 5m.

And yes makes perfect sense the need for more 2 weeks.

If you say so.

[ethomaz]

If you say so.

for me it makes sense and I explained why in the other thread.

You can't make your partners produce 2m+ units when they planned 3m only.

[Legend]

If it wasn't a manufacturing delay, then they'd use the extra time for more bug testing if they finished early. No dev runs out of things they could work on.

[Xevross]

also, that line where bruce stanley thinks UC4 is the most visually stunning game ever created is exciting. cant wait to see how it looks on my screen! i wonder if they will manage to beat The Order 1886. because from what i seen, The Order 1886 looks slightly better. but i been on a media black out for months, so i havent seen much or anything of the latest footage.

I agree with Bruce. Everything I've seen from it is incredibly sexy. I've never seen a game like it.

This is all very fishy to me but what's obvious is that demand is higher than expected and it's releasing on may 10th.

What's done is done, stop thinking about the delay and get hyped!

If it wasn't a manufacturing delay, then they'd use the extra time for more bug testing if they finished early. No dev runs out of things they could work on.

Yeah it could well be that ND wanted the extra time but are being super sneaky about it and doing the extra work in the form of a large day one patch

[BananaKing]

That seems like way too much time. I agree with Colin Moriarty. Even for a global release for millions of copies, well over a month seems like way too long. Plenty of games went gold and were on store shelves a couple weeks later. Uncharted 4 isn't going to sell like Call of Duty Day 1.

im with you on this.

The advent of the CD completely changed the business model. Burining ROMs for Sega and Nintendo cartridges had very high minimum orders of 140-150,000 copies, which made it risky. With CDs, you could pretty much print any quantity you wanted, and orders were filled very quickly, with a turnaround of about seven days.

Shawn Layden himself said that. somehow sony cant print more CD's with over a months time, when it turn around only takes seven days?

it doesnt add up. maybe they knew they would finish the game, but the servers needed more time?

http://www.dualshockers.com/2016/03/12/playstation-america-boss-has-been-preparing-for-e3-for-three-months-lots-to-talk-about-on-ps-vr-at-gdc/

[the-pi-guy]

Giving another game more breathing room probably is the most sensical thing.  Otherwise maybe they were having issues with manufacture.  

[DerNebel]

im with you on this.

The advent of the CD completely changed the business model. Burining ROMs for Sega and Nintendo cartridges had very high minimum orders of 140-150,000 copies, which made it risky. With CDs, you could pretty much print any quantity you wanted, and orders were filled very quickly, with a turnaround of about seven days.

Shawn Layden himself said that. somehow sony cant print more CD's with over a months time, when it turn around only takes seven days?

it doesnt add up. maybe they knew they would finish the game, but the servers needed more time?

http://www.dualshockers.com/2016/03/12/playstation-america-boss-has-been-preparing-for-e3-for-three-months-lots-to-talk-about-on-ps-vr-at-gdc/

Non of the above discredits the possibility of a sudden raise in the ordered quantity of discs resulting in more needed manufacturing and distirbution time.

[Max King of the Wild]

With CD's you could print... Okay, what about ordering, producing, supplying, printing and shipping. How long does that take? Maybe twice as long? Like... Two weeks.... Like the delay?

[Raven]

You have one side that honestly believes Sony somehow didn't realize they'd need a ton of copies and the other side that doesn't buy it. It doesn't take over a month to make several millions of copies and distribute them. You can do that in three weeks. This game went gold almost two months before release. Even if it did take another two weeks to get everything going, you honestly believe that would end up running up to almost two months? That means you believe it was going to take about 5 weeks, over a month, to print and distribute the original amount. That's Call of Duty level of sales. Uncharted doesn't sell that way. This is also happening in May. The dead time of the year for game sales. Not in the usual November release. Which means Uncharted 4 won't have the usual holiday rush to boost sales.

[Legend]

You have one side that honestly believes Sony somehow didn't realize they'd need a ton of copies and the other side that doesn't buy it. It doesn't take over a month to make several millions of copies and distribute them. You can do that in three weeks. This game went gold almost two months before release. Even if it did take another two weeks to get everything going, you honestly believe that would end up running up to almost two months? That means you believe it was going to take about 5 weeks, over a month, to print and distribute the original amount. That's Call of Duty level of sales. Uncharted doesn't sell that way. This is also happening in May. The dead time of the year for game sales. Not in the usual November release. Which means Uncharted 4 won't have the usual holiday rush to boost sales.

So then what's your reasoning for the game already being gold?