Beta testing and release chicken

[Furiously]

Guildwars 2, SWTOR, Diablo 3, and the secret world all seem to be playing a game of who will flinch first. I'm beginning to suspect some of these titles won't release this year.

Love to hear peoples guesses for open betas, and release dates.

[Ard]

Pretty sure the only one of those that's on record as releasing this year is SWTOR.  Secret World is april next year, at the soonest, assuming they don't blink.  Guild Wars 2 and Diablo 3 are both done when they're done, neither of which are likely this year.

[Modern Angel]

GW2 was never going to be on target this year. The earliest credible estimates I ever heard were next Fall.

[Rasix]

If SWTOR can open beta by some time in November, I think they release fine.  D3 and GW2.. no idea unless they enter public testing around the same time frame. I haven't really even heard about people testing either in a closed fashion at all.

[Ingmar]

I am expecting SWTOR by the end of the year, and Diablo 3 in Q2 2012. No clue on GW2, and I can't bring myself to care even slightly about TSW.

[HaemishM]

When will TSW release? It's Funcom, so it'll likely be too soon. 

[luckton]

With all the doubling-down EA/BW's been doing with TOR, to not release this year would be a huge slap in the face.  That said, I fear that the final release quality of the game will not be what the devs wanted, but release will please their EA fiscal overlords.  I think they're serious about having some great beta weekends in September and October.  I don't expect a full open beta, nor a huge influx of permanent testers...too much is riding on the 'story' aspect of this game, which is already getting spoiled enough by current testers.

Guild Wars 2 looks too damn shiny to be just an alpha/beta, but I guess the benchmark does get raised as time marches on.  With all the systems they're wanting to put in place at live though, I'll put money on the aforementioned fall of '12, with a long stress beta over the late-spring, entire summer.  If TOR doesn't force-grip the population as expected, this will be the next big thing.

Diablo 3 will be like all the other non-MMO Blizzard games; who cares?  It will put all Blizzard employees in money-hats for another decade.  Their only competition is Torchlight 2, which is surprisingly acting like Blizzard used to act than Blizzard actually is.  If the Torchlight devs can really exploit their competition by highlighting the keys things like $20 price tag, LAN-support and classic dungeon crawler feel, they could be a serious threat.

Secret World is too damned secret and mysterious to make an educated guess, which makes me wonder if FunCom even knows when it will be ready.  No one's even replied to my post in the TSW thread about what the game's plot/concept is even about...since I kinda view myself as an average, non-hardcore type of MMO gamer, I can imagine that a lot of people my type have the same issues.  Paired with FunCom's  history with MMO releases, I really don't care about the game at this point.  They need to be a little more open about the game if they want to start getting some serious interest in it.

As for some of the others not mentioned...

WildStar: Wish this had been released earlier...I have no idea what kind of market it hopes to get in a world post-TOR/GW2/etc.  Based on PAX info, I'd say beta early next year.
PlanetSide 2: Summer/Fall next year, to compete with GW2 as the sci-fi alternative.
Titan: Soon...

[Modern Angel]

Funcom has already announced a release date for TSW

[Rasix]

I would love to see their internal schedule.  I wonder if there's an entry for "miracle patch" one day before launch.

[luckton]

Funcom has already announced a release date for TSW

You mean their "Pay Monthly for Beta" date?  Yeah, April 2012 would be good enough.  An actual release-release date? I'd say whenever they go Free 2 Play 

[Malakili]

Diablo 3 will be like all the other non-MMO Blizzard games; who cares?  It will put all Blizzard employees in money-hats for another decade.  Their only competition is Torchlight 2, which is surprisingly acting like Blizzard used to act than Blizzard actually is.  If the Torchlight devs can really exploit their competition by highlighting the keys things like $20 price tag, LAN-support and classic dungeon crawler feel, they could be a serious threat.

They won't be a serious threat.  In fact, I think the 20 dollar tag makes them in less direct competition, if you like ARPGs, there is no reason you can't buy both.

[Nija]

Secret World is Funcom so anyone who has had a functioning pulse within the past decade knows to avoid Funcom betas and especially Funcom releases.

You do not want to touch that game until 6 months after launch. At earliest.

GW2 looks too good to be true, SWTOR is WoW so the beta started about 4 years ago, and D3 is going to get me fired and divorced. I think that's a good summary.

[Sky]

I expect GW2 to fall on its face with the crappy control system from GW1.  I think they can release at any point in time and do well, though I'd imagine they'll avoid launching too close to TOR. Feature list looks great, no monthly fee.

Funcom...is Funcom. I wish them well, but I'll keep my distance until I hear otherwise. I see no reason why they won't release on schedule. 

Diablo 3 - steam xmas sale 2013 (or never if not on steam). Not my thing.

TOR...I think they'll release before the year's end and I hope it gives them enough polish time.

[Ingmar]

Yeah I wouldn't hold your breath on Blizzard stuff showing up on Steam anytime soon.

[Simond]

Anyone else look at the thread title and think that it was about a new Advice Animal meme?

[luckton]

Anyone else look at the thread title and think that it was about a new Advice Animal meme?

No...I expected it to be some post from a mod crying about us being bad again with beta information, and that we needed to cut it out or be destroyed.

[Furiously]

Better than anal release chicken I suppose...

[Soln]

start a poll

SWTOR -- Nov
D3 -- Dec
GW2 -- Q3 2012
TSW -- Q4 2012
anything else?

[Evildrider]

But what if the only game you care about on that list is SWTOR? 

[Nija]

But what if the only game you care about on that list is SWTOR? 

Set sail for disappointment?

[Evildrider]

But what if the only game you care about on that list is SWTOR? 

Set sail for disappointment?

Nope, that would have been if I still contemplated following TSW.

[Malakili]

I'm guessing D3 in time for Christmas, possibly January 2012.  TOR I expect November or December because of release pressures.  I don't have any idea about TSW because I've paid 0 attention to it, same with GW2.

[Paelos]

But what if the only game you care about on that list is SWTOR? 

Set sail for disappointment?

But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea, thou wouldst meet the bear in the mouth...

Oh, that way madness lies.

[Draegan]

I expect GW2 to fall on its face with the crappy control system from GW1.   I think they can release at any point in time and do well, though I'd imagine they'll avoid launching too close to TOR. Feature list looks great, no monthly fee.

Funcom...is Funcom. I wish them well, but I'll keep my distance until I hear otherwise. I see no reason why they won't release on schedule.  

Diablo 3 - steam xmas sale 2013 (or never if not on steam). Not my thing.

TOR...I think they'll release before the year's end and I hope it gives them enough polish time.

Having played gw2, it's control scheme is as good if not better than any mmo out there.  It's a hybrid between action and hotbar diku, tab target gameplay.

You will love it.

Also:

Swtor is nov
D3 is before xmas
Tsw is funcom
Gw2 is spring (may) next year.  Though I could see fall too.

[Morfiend]

But what if the only game you care about on that list is SWTOR?  

Set sail for disappointment?

Nope, that would have been if I still contemplated following TSW.

TSW is like bringing an ugly girl home from the bar. Its not pretty, and will probably suck, but you might be surprised and have a good time while drunk.

SWTOR is like bringing your exgirlfriend home. Its the same thing you have been doing for years, just in makeup and a new dress.

*Edit
Forgot my release guesses.

SWTOR - November 2011
D3 - Q1 2012
TSW - Q2 2012
GW - Q3 2012

[Rasix]

Good conversation, however.

[Lantyssa]

And GW2 is like that awkward girl who seemed nice enough but you never got to know well.  Only now she's back, smoking hot, intelligent, fun, and it turns out she'd really like you to get to know her better.

[Paelos]

SWTOR - early December
D3 - also December
GW - Q2 2012
TSW - Don't care

[Furiously]

And GW2 is like that awkward girl who seemed nice enough but you never got to know well.  Only now she's back, smoking hot, intelligent, fun, and it turns out she'd really like you to get to know her better.

And she has a twin sister?

[Merusk]

Problem with GW2 is I have this feeling you're going to find out she's a Fundie Racist once you get to know her better.

But then I wasn't a fan of the first GW at all.

[Paelos]

This analogy is quite odd.

[Rasix]

Indeed.  

Disliked GW.  Only MMO I can remember putting down faster was Horizons.  At least didn't pay for that..

[Paelos]

You should try some of the F2P ones on Steam if you want to test that limit! 

[Ingmar]

GW2 has a lot of things that look cool, and I've always liked their artists in particular. That said a lot of what I liked in GW is gone in GW2 to at least an extent (ability hunting, heroes/henchmen...) so I'm less hyped about it than some people.

[sam, an eggplant]

I wanted to love GW. Gorgeous graphics, great developers, no sub fee, full instancing so I didn't have to involve myself in any social interaction, flat power progression, it had it all. I bought every expansion and played maybe 20 hours total. Just never "clicked" for me, it never triggered that part of my brain that says "you must play this".