More time to promote and polish

When I spoke with XSEED executive vice president Ken Berry last year, he told me his studiolives and dies by pre-orders. For a small team that localizes games for a niche, but enthusiastic audience, pre-orders determine whether certain retailers will continue to carry their products.

It seems that concern also extends to XSEED’s parent company, Marvelous, which just postponed the release of one of its upcoming games, a PlayStation Vita brawler calledUppers, because not enough folks plunked down cash to reserve the game pre-release.

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Producer Kenichiro Takaki broke the bad news earlier today in asurprisingly honest and heartfelt blog, explaining that pre-order figures were dismally low and it wouldn’t make sense for the company, from a business perspective, to releaseUppersat this time. Takaki hopes more time will allow his team to improve and promote the game, rather than have it sent out to die.

It’s easy to decry pre-order culture, but, at least in some cases, it’s a necessary evil.

Promotional art for Warframe`s Duviri Paradox, which shows Dominus Thrax and the cast of the expansion.

『UPPERS(アッパーズ)』 発売情報変更のお知らせ[Marvelous viaGematsu]

Naoe, Sorin, and Jinchiro looking serious

Sekiro

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GTA V

State of Decay

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Oraxia, a spider-inspired Warframe with multiple legs. Webs appear on the background.