However, despite the disappointment, Square Enix says that the latest Forspoken delay was a strategic move, and there are at least a couple clear reasons why it’s a savvy move. For one thing, Forspoken is under a lot of pressure to look and feel great. For another Forspoken faces lots of competition in the near future, and it could use some space. Square Enix and Luminous Productions’ decision to delay the game may leave fans high and dry for a couple months longer than they’d like, but in the end, it may mean Forspoken’s release is more successful than it otherwise might have been.
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Forspoken Will Benefit From Polish
Square Enix and Luminous have explicitly said that the Forspoken delay is an opportunity to polish the game, and that’s a good thing. While visuals like Forspoken’s environments have proven breathtaking so far, there is still a case to be made for ensuring the visuals are the best they can possibly be. Athia needs to make a strong first impression if Forspoken is going to be the next big Square Enix IP.
Frey Holland’s arcane powers are also a big selling point, but Luminous should be very careful to strike a balance between beauty and practicality in order to keep Frey’s own powers from becoming dazzling distractions. Forspoken’s flashy magic system comes with a lot of particle effects that could get in players’ ways, so hopefully Luminous is being careful to keep magic’s visuals in check, while still making them impressive. Aside from visuals, the delay is also a great chance to optimize all parts of Forspoken as much as possible, ensuring the PC release doesn’t lag behind the PS5 version. All in all, Forspoken’s openly polish-focused delay inspires hope that the finished product will live up to expectations.
Forspoken’s RPG Competition in 2022
Aside from Forspoken’s internal benefits, the game will also profit from dodging some high-profile RPG releases still planned for late 2022. For one, God of War: Ragnarok finally has a release date; its November 9 premiere will undoubtedly eat up the attention of PS5 users. Atlus also has big RPG plans for later this year. Soul Hackers 2 will give PS5 fans something new to try, while the rerelease of Persona 5 Royal will keep Persona hype alive. Gotham Knights is also around the corner, and outside of the PS5, Forspoken would still have Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to contend with.
Forspoken’s new release date gives it the chance to come out well after many of these major games without delaying it so far that it’s at risk of butting heads with Bethesda’s Starfield. In this way, the game’s new release window is reminiscent of the game’s original release plans; before the game had to be pushed back, it would’ve had a comfortable amount of breathing room in May 2022. It’s good to see that Square Enix is seemingly paying attention to the game industry’s collective calendar and picking a new date that gives Forspoken better odds of making a splash. While the final quality of Forspoken still remains to be seen, Square Enix and Luminous Productions have displayed a lot of care for the game. Hopefully that translates into a game to remember.
Forspoken releases January 24, 2023 for PC and PS5.
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