Square Enix’s ambitious open world action game Forspoken has already been subject to a handful of delays, and here’s another one: Ella Balinska’s Frey Holland will now need to wait until 24th January, 2023 to enter the fantasy world of Athia. The game had been scheduled to release on 11th October, 2022 – and was, at one point, due out on 24th May, 2022.
In a social media statement, the publisher said that it made a “strategic decision” to move the release date, and that it can’t wait to “share more” about the game later in the summer. While ultimately disappointing, the title has looked a little rough in recent showings, so a few more months polish can’t be a bad thing for what is an otherwise promising package.
Early next year it is…
[source twitter.com]
Comments 45
That's fine, let it bake. Looking forward!
Better not have any affect on FFXVI release
Im actually glad, you could tell this game was going to get lost if it was released in October.
Im also hoping they use this time to help show off the game better as i think a lot of people (myself included) are still a bit confused.
We know why ff 16 is coming in the summer now, I think this game is going to be overshadowed by re4.
I'm honestly a little surprised by this delay. Oh well.
The Fall is a lot more stacked than a lot of people think. The only real competition I can think of in January is the Dead Space remake which I doubt the audience for those two games will overlap too much so I think they made the right choice. It's looked more promising in more recent showings of the game so hopefully they stick the landing.
@Americansamurai1 Resident Evil 4 Remake comes out like two months after this new date for Forspoken, so I doubt it will overshadow it much. Now, it might get slightly overshadowed by the Dead Space Remake, which comes out that same week.
That a little rough, but I get it. I really want this game to be goid and to do well so I'm fine with waiting. At least 2023 will start with a bang.
SE does have quiet a lot of games coming out this year. So honestly expected to this to be moved.
Launching a new IP during that packed fall period (that continues to add more games) would have been a disaster for an untested IP. Also, the game still looks super rough to me though that Luminious engine just plain sucks so I don't know how great that will get it.
I'm okay with this. I wasn't going to get it at the old date of October 11, anyway, since it was too close to A Plague Tale: Requiem.
"ongoing discussions with key partners... "
Almost sounds like Sony wanted it pushed back to make way for Ragnarok
I wonder if Sony having marketing meant they had a say on the game's date. After would be both companies want it out around the time of GoW's release.
@Atreus97 I suppose it's possible, although they would have been a month apart.
This game looks bland. Next year belongs to Breath of the Wild 2.
I'm sure they're not remotely worried about sales of their fantasy action title being diminished by expectations for Ragnarok building over the course of its launch window...
@MasterVGuides yeah your right I was thinking it came out in January for some reason.
@Atreus97 I was thinking the same, but also more like they knew they needed more time, but they coordinated the announcement with Sony so it would come right after GoW when everyone is in a good mood.
I'm kind of glad. I love the look of this game, but it did seem to need more work. Hopefully it turns out to be a solid experience. The main character looks very cool, she needs a good game to do her justice.
Lots more time for QA testing and tweaks if it really is just a strategic delay too.
I'm hoping the ongoing discussions are Sony reminding them not to release a boring mess of a game around the same time as some big sellers, and them agreeing. And possibly getting some form of feedback they can act on?
If the story is half decent to good though, and the combat is actually fun then they are on to a winner, even if the world has looked a bit bland so far.
And I really hope this game doesn't suck because a new open world fantasy IP would be nice on PlayStation. Something that could potentially be a mix of Horizon, Infamous and Spiderman?
Thought it was too good to be true seeing all the great games coming out across Sep/Oct/Nov, wouldn't be surprised if a few more get delayed, especially hogwarts legacy
Also with this being delayed until January, I reckon the crisis core remake will definitely release in 2022
Makes complete sense. It was sandwiched between TLOU remake and GoW. I don't mind waiting 2 more months.
@Gloamin FF16 is scheduled for Summer 2023
I had a feeling it would happen so I'm not shocked. It did seem to be a bit rough and bland so it wasn't the best time for releasing it. It's already very packed this year so there would be too much competition going on so I think it wouldn't gain big success while it's going up against other great games at the same time (think of Titanfall 2 being in between Battlefield and CoD).
They could really benefit the extra time. Best time to launch it is when all the big names have staretd to die down and it's quieter. Still looking forward to it.
Good good, I get the feeling I would have had to skip until then anyway, as the games I really want to pick up in the second half of '22 are taking shape.
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Oh sod. I only preordered that last week. Oh well, if it makes it a more finished game..........and I don't have to shell out for two games in one pay month XD (I preordered it and one other game out in that month....)
@KidBoruto @Grumblevolcano I feel like we expected this to be delayed since it never looked done and with Star Ocean being dated for this year but I can't actually recall. No one is surprised by thus the though, right? 🤷
I think the "discussion with key partners" basically means sony, they didn't want two major exclusives to launch within 28 days, plus most playstation gamers would buy god of war over forspoken, plus the many other big games releasing around that time such as hogwarts legacy, Sonic frontiers, skull and bones and possibly the avatar game. It wouldn't stand a chance against those.
So moving it to January which is a quiet month will do the game wonders and will be more gamers wanting something new to play and forspoken will be the only choice
Kinda disappointed it's only January. From what we've seen of this game, it needs a lot more time in the oven. I'd rather them have said they're delaying it a year or so to really revamp and polish it. Everything about it feels like it's going to stumble out of the gate. It also makes sense as a business decision, but, the game really seems pretty rough still.
Good call. The game looked a lot better last time it was shown off but new IP, it needs to be the best possible and even with the massive improvement it still looked a bit rough last time.
I mean it looked dreadful so I don't really care
October was stacked.
@rjejr It sounds like a Sony thing rather than because of the crazy Square Enix lineup from the sounds of the announcement. GoW Ragnarok is permanently PS console exclusive meanwhile Forspoken is 2 years timed PS console exclusive so by delaying Forspoken it's blocked from Xbox even longer.
I KNEW IT! Was super hyped for this
Is it just me or does the main character look "designed by committee" rather than an artist's creative output?
Something just seems off about her.
Another delay. This game is not looking good. People think it's nice to see delays. But delays are a telltale sign of internal issues within the company. To happen this constant especially is not good.
I've been more excited about Forspoken than a good amount of people, as people seemed really quick to write it off, but even I'm ok with this release. I would have pushed some other games aside to play this, but now I don't have to. It'll be a bit less crowded at the beginning of the year since once the calendar flips to October, the flood begins.
@BartoxTharglod It only ran the risk of being lost in the shuffle if they stuck to the last release date before this delay. All the games you listed come out before the end of the year, and games like God of War Ragnarok come out two months before Forspoken now. This was actually smart for them to get this out of the ridiculously crowded final few months of the year.
@Grumblevolcano "so by delaying Forspoken it's blocked from Xbox even longer."
Thanks Grumble. If that's what gaming has come to, delaying a game's release so it's delayed longer on another console, well, I hope you were joking, but I suppose I wouldn't be surprised.
Forspoken was going to get buried though, probably for the best.
Damn shame but as others have mentioned, not all that surprising!
Hopefully January doesn't become crammed with games now...
@rjejr Personally I just see it as them moving Forspoken so it's not buried by the other big heavy hitters releasing in October & November.
I'd rather play this than Hogwarts or Gotham Knights. I thought people wanted new IP?
😒
Disappointing news for me, but I'm sure I won't struggle for things to play until it is released. Maybe we'll all be Dead Spaced-out by Jan after playing Callisto Protocol in Dec, and what something different to play. Could do very well in Jan.
I'm fine with it getting pushed back. It's funny seeing some people get really heated over delays. Cyberpunk kinda suffered through all its delays but I still liked what was there tbh. The backlog continues to grow.
I'm ok with this delay. Gives me time to find a PS5. This is the first game I wanna play anyway. So hyped!
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