Uncharted 4 Director Discusses Recent Delay
By Kyle Sledge 26 February 2016
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End director Neil Druckmann discusses the game’s recent delay, saying that waiting an additional two weeks will be beneficial for everyone.
After Naughty Dog and Sony announced yesterday that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will have its release date delayed again, many fans were understandably disappointed, but the title’s director, Neil Druckmann, took to his official Twitter account to assure folks that the wait will be “worth it in the end”. After thanking the game’s fans for their patience, the long-time creator for Naughty Dog echoed the sentiments of PlayStation president Shawn Layden, who said that the delay was due in part to the publisher’s need for more time to manufacture game discs to meet demand, with Druckmann stating the delay would help promote a “smooth worldwide launch”.
Uncharted 4: A Thief‘s End was originally slated to be released in 2015, but was later pushed back to March 2016 in order to boost its quality to meet fans’ expectations, then to April 2016 for additional polishing, and now here we are with its availability set for May of this year. Although Uncharted 4 has been a long time coming, as seen in Druckmann’s tweet below, the director promises the final product will be everything that fans want out of Nathan Drake’s last game.
This'll make for a smooth worldwide launch. Thanks for your patience... It'll be worth it at the end. Promise. https://t.co/UZwCjFEDIW— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) March 2, 2016
While an extra two weeks’ wait has been tacked on to the previous release date for Uncharted 4, fans shouldn’t be too upset, for they can at least experience what the title’s multiplayer component has to offer this weekend with the action-adventure game’s open beta lasting from March 4 through March 6. For those unaware, Naughty Dog is describing the event as a stress test, and the developer has confirmed that a PlayStation Plus membership is not required in order to take part.
Considering that Uncharted 4 is being touted as the final game in the series, it makes plenty of sense for Druckmann to want to take his time with its development to make sure that the franchise goes out with a bang, at least under his watch. Plus, with him having developed for the Uncharted games since their inception — Druckmann was a game designer on Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune — fans can probably rest easy by heeding his assurance that the delay is necessary to ensure a solid, if not stellar release.
However, taking into account the fact that Uncharted 4‘s release has encountered multiple hindrances since its debut trailer at E3 2014, it wouldn’t be completely surprising if yet another delay is announced after the most recent one, especially with expectations for the game being so high. After all, many folks are calling it one of the most anticipated games of 2016. Even Microsoft’s Xbox boss Phil Spencer came out to say that he thought it was going to be a great title. With any luck, though, Uncharted 4‘s availability for May will be the last schedule change for the game.
What do you think about Neil Druckmann’s take on the most recent delay of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End? Should we take him at his word, or do you believe its best to digest his explanation with a grain of salt? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is currently set to release on May 10, 2016, exclusively for PlayStation 4.
Source: Neil Druckmann – Twitter (via GameSpot)
