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[radioheadrule83]

“Our development team has decided to take extra time to add some incredible new elements to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess,” a Nintendo of Europe statement explained. “As a result, the game will now launch in 2006 globally.

“We recognise there may be some disappointed fans, however we firmly believe this additional time will result in a much more enjoyable gaming experience.

“GameCube fans will have a variety of Nintendo games to choose from this Christmas, including Mario Smash Football, Battalion Wars, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness."

Seems its Nintendo of Europe disemminating this news... hence Edge knowing. Is the same thing true for the NOA and NOJ releases? I'd assume so what with the extended dev time ...damn.

Source: MCV UK

 

[demi]

idiot

 

[Rorschach]

kk

 

[CabbageRed]

Huh, I wonder if things were actually going quite well in a sense but it was becoming clear the game just wasn't as much fun as they had expected and needed something more.

 

[GoutPatrol]

So...they are adding Nintendogs to play with in thw wolf segments?

 

[Hyoushi]

...a Nintendo of Europe statement explained.

Owned

 

[bitwise]

Is the same thing true for the NOA and NOJ releases? I'd assume so what with the extended dev time ...damn.

"As a result, the game will now launch in 2006 globally"

 

[ZeMMiK]

Deja Vu ....Deja Vu..... and what a beautiful marketing slogan for a delay.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Wow. 4 whole games Gamecube fans can pick up this Christmas. Nintendo must have looked at all of those releases and said "We are flooding the market! Pull back Zelda!"

 

[Ranger X]

Possibilities:

1- The game wasn't good enough.
2- Developement problems, maybe some very bad bugs caused the schedule to change

The last minute idea is also possible but i would really doubt that's the reason of the delay.
This takes a weak design to change the schedule and add gameplay at the last minute believe me. I hope it's just devellopement problems, otherwise then my hype is going down a little.

 

[Ruzbeh]

Possibilities:

1- The game wasn't good enough.
2- Developement problems, maybe some very bad bugs caused the schedule to change

The last minute idea is also possible but i would really doubt that's the reason of the delay.
This takes a weak design to change the schedule and add gameplay at the last minute believe me. I hope it's just devellopement problems, otherwise then my hype is going down a little.

I think its point one. We've had enough GAFers bitching about how Wind Waker's ending sucked and how amazing it would be if it was finished properly and stuff. This delay ensures that it won't happen again. Which is good.

 

[Borys]

Something must have gone very bad with Zelda development. You don't miss Christmas sales (last Christmas for GameCube, last Christmas before PS3 - The Real Next Generation(TM), HUGE hype etc.) because of polish. Big bugs or maybe the game is just 50% done ATM. Certainly not "adding polish".

 

[shuri]

They saw the Shadow of Collosus trailer and realised it was more Zelda than their own game.

 

[Chipopo]

They saw the Shadow of Collosus trailer and realised it was more Zelda than their own game.

How so?

 

[Shaheed79]

RE4 all over again. Eh, plenty of other games to buy on other consoles plus there is Fire Emblem, Mario Strikers and Batallion Wars looks like it might be fun. If it lives up to OoT everyone will be pleased in the end.

 

[xabre]

That's a useful excuse. Every time a game is delayed just vary the theme -

"Incredible new elements"
"Wonderful new assets"
"Amazing new capabilities"
"Spectacular new additions"
"Outstanding new options"

and so on...

 

[dark10x]

It's actually true?

I guess my Cube will get no loving at all this Fall. Hopefully Zelda shows up early on in 2006...

Seems like a strange choice, though, as the Cube is rapidly approaching the end of its life.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

wow, bad timing.

 

[Mr. Spinnington]

It was going to be brilliant anyway! I would've been perfectly happy without knowing there were things I was missing out on...

This is just like that girl I had a crush on who was always coy at the last second, right until... well when I moved : (

 

[SantaC]

I hope it's not just delayed for voice acting...

 

[dark10x]

I hope it's not just delayed for voice acting...

What do you mean "just"? They aren't including VA are they? That would be a terrible idea...

 

[SantaC]

What do you mean "just"? They aren't including VA are they? That would be a terrible idea...

actually Aounuma said he toyed with the idea of voice acting....

 

[DECK'ARD]

It is an odd decision.

Unless the game was just really far from completion I can't see imagine they'd do it. Not when their entire Christmas as far as GC was concerned was riding on it in all 3 territories.

Makes me wonder if this is more to do with Revolution slipping, than Zelda. And they've just spread it out and are making use of the extra time to add stuff.

 

[.hacked]

The GC is worthless.

Is Nintendo even aware that Sony and Microsoft make games too?

Never seen a company so oblivious to the competition.

 

[Azelover]

Possibilities:

1- The game wasn't good enough.
2- Developement problems, maybe some very bad bugs caused the schedule to change

Probably neither. Aonuma has been quite vocal on how easy the development of this game was compared to Wind Waker and Majora's Mask. He's talked about how the team could come up with better ideas for an adult Link and an adult theme for Zelda and everything seemed to fall into place. He also said that from a technical perpective the realistic look was much easier to work on than the cel shaded tech(they've already spend more time on it than they did for TWW). So that leads me to believe they just want to take the game higher really, for whatever reason.

 

[SantaC]

The GC is worthless.

Is Nintendo even aware that Sony and Microsoft make games too?

Never seen a company so oblivious to the competition.

two of my anticipated games delaye dinto 2006 now. Zelda and FFXII

 

[Dragona Akehi]

It's actually true?

I guess my Cube will get no loving at all this Fall. Hopefully Zelda shows up early on in 2006...

Seems like a strange choice, though, as the Cube is rapidly approaching the end of its life.

BUY FIRE EMBLEM.


FE > Zelda! THIS IS THE TRUTH!

 

[Tritroid]

The 'Incredible new elements' could also mean actually finishing a couple dungeons so they make it in the final game. We don't want another Wind Waker incident where 2 of the last few dungeons are cut due to time constraints.

But ya know, people would bitch if there was a lack of dungeons, and the same people would bitch if the game got delayed. Damned if ya do damned if ya don't.

 

[jenov4]

No Zelda means Shadow of the Collossus is definitely the GOTY!

 

[Fuzzy]

Nintendo said the delay came at the request of the development team, which wanted to add new levels and more polish to the game.

Source: http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/16/technology/personaltech/nintendo/index.htm

 

[xabre]

Try Resident Evil 4 and I'm prepared to pencil in Oblivion as runner up.

 

[Tarazet]

May 15, 2002 - IGNcube has learned that Nintendo's GameCube version of Legend of Zelda [Wind Waker] is going to see a release delay. The title, formerly set to ship this holiday -- in December, more specifically, according to major retailers, is being pushed by Nintendo into next year. It will debut February 2003, according to sources.

Legend of Zelda, the next in designer Shigeru Miyamoto's popular and critically acclaimed series, takes Link and characters into a stylized, cel-shaded 3D world complete with beautiful cartoon-like animation, and challenges players to an epic quest. The title's gameplay mechanics, from snippets of early video previewed, seem directly influenced by the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask before it.

No reasons have been given for the delay, but it is thought that Nintendo's team at Entertainment, Analysis and Development simply requires more time to adequately polish the gargantuan 3D adventure.

The absence of Zelda as a 2002 release puts a significant dent in Nintendo's overall lineup for this year, though with solid entries such as Mario Sunshine and Metroid Prime, the cast of games is still strong.

An official announcement about the delay is expected to be made at the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2002, or shortly there afterward.

Nintendo of America could not be reached for comment.

-1 Sales. Permanently.

 

[OG_Original Gamer]

I want better texutres, give me a resolution increase.

 

[Stinkles]

I predict Zelda will move to Revolution. Two reasons.

1. It's already too late.
2. They're not going to waste their best franchise on an aborted platform.

I am completely serious.

>ducks<

 

[.hacked]

maybe Nintendo had licensing issues using Reirom likeness in the game?

 

[.hacked]

I predict Zelda will move to Revolution. Two reasons.

1. It's already too late.
2. They're not going to waste their best franchise on an aborted platform.

I am completely serious.

>ducks<

At this point I'd prefer that to happen.

 

[SantaC]

I predict Zelda will move to Revolution. Two reasons.

1. It's already too late.
2. They're not going to waste their best franchise on an aborted platform.

I am completely serious.

>ducks<

I agree, but I am not sure a this gen game on a next gen system is the right thing to do.

 

[Tritroid]

Majora's Mask launched the same day as PS2. Well after the N64 was already proclaimed 'dead'.

How is this any different?

 

[Chittagong]

Maybe they're making Reirom a playable character

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

-1 Sales. Permanently.

The difference was...Zelda was still released in 2002. Just not in North America. I believe it was released in Japan that holiday season.

 

[DECK'ARD]

Can't see it moving to Revolution, and I think that it would lose some of it's impact if it did. I don't want an Eternal Darkness situation.

Revolution-enhanced is a possibility though, what with the whole backwards-compatible thing. Maybe supporting the Revolution's controller for extra gameplay features? Miyamoto did bring up the Zelda games when talking about the controller in that recent interview.

I'm sure Revolution comes into this whole decision somewhere though, even if it doesn't directly affect Zelda.

 

[Scotch]

It's going online on Revolution.

Zelda Deathmatch. You read it here first.

 

[Fuzzy]

The difference was...Zelda was still released in 2002. Just not in North America. I believe it was released in Japan that holiday season.

Yeah it was released 12/13/02 in Japan.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Majora's Mask launched the same day as PS2. Well after the N64 was already proclaimed 'dead'.

How is this any different?

It's different because the N64 wasn't nearly as dead as the GC will be by then. The N64 still had high profile games coming out by then like Perfect Dark, Paper Mario, Banjo Tooie ect.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

maybe Nintendo had licensing issues using Reirom likeness in the game?

:lol

 

[Ranger X]

Probably neither. Aonuma has been quite vocal on how easy the development of this game was compared to Wind Waker and Majora's Mask. He's talked about how the team could come up with better ideas for an adult Link and an adult theme for Zelda and everything seemed to fall into place. He also said that from a technical perpective the realistic look was much easier to work on than the cel shaded tech(they've already spend more time on it than they did for TWW). So that leads me to believe they just want to take the game higher really, for whatever reason.

During most game devellopement time shit happen. Nintendo doesn't have any big guns for the GC this year (yeah yeah Fire Emblem whatever).
Nintendo can't really delay Twilight Princess, they are going to be crushed even more by Sony and Microsoft in the holiday season. Chances are that they had an important regression in their versions lately or they found a critical bug that is going to take alot of time to correct. It's mainly the only reason a game is delayed from holiday season (the last thing you want to do as a publisher).
I offered another possibility about the design or polishing but it's very unlikely. The game look polished already and a game isn't delayed from holiday season for "polishing" anyway.

 

[Idioteque]

Online am play?

 

[acidviper]

The 'Incredible new elements' could also mean actually finishing a couple dungeons so they make it in the final game. We don't want another Wind Waker incident where 2 of the last few dungeons are cut due to time constraints.

But ya know, people would bitch if there was a lack of dungeons, and the same people would bitch if the game got delayed. Damned if ya do damned if ya don't.

LOL your avatar must be changed. It teh lies.

Look its a 70 hour game I'm sure a lot of work has to go into it. But if it launches on Revolution I'm fine with that too. Just make sure it comes with a good pack-in gift. IE Wind Waker with Maturelda engine.

 

[Zeo]

I just want it to move to Revolution now.

Imagine a launch with new Zelda, SSB Online, and a new Mario?

That'd be fun times.

 

[Crazymoogle]

During most game devellopement time shit happen. Nintendo doesn't have any big guns for the GC this year (yeah yeah Fire Emblem whatever).
Nintendo can't really delay Twilight Princess, they are going to be crushed even more by Sony and Microsoft in the holiday season. Chances are that they had an important regression in their versions lately or they found a critical bug that is going to take alot of time to correct. It's mainly the only reason a game is delayed from holiday season (the last thing you want to do as a publisher).
I offered another possibility about the design or polishing but it's very unlikely. The game look polished already and a game isn't delayed from holiday season for "polishing" anyway.

There is no bug at all that would force a pre-emptive, more than six month delay. Period. I've seen some pretty silly delay reasoning before but hell, most of that wouldn't even wash in Nintendo's case.

Either the game is well behind schedule and clearly isn't done, or they weren't happy and decided to add more content/gameplay as needed.