[Hal2005]

I would wager this conclusion was seen even from beta by a few more astute posters. The development team tried, and they should be commended for following through the best they could (and most of the group were some of the most veteran MMO dev's in the genre) but the scope and investment of VG is way, way beyond what was initially set aside in development time. There's nothing wrong with picking your cards off the table and handing the shoe to the next guy, moreso if you feel that your own reputation or that of your project team is being stifled by what you can do under capital constraints. Given the current market climate, the risk and shelf life of an MMO is a farcry from the old mid 90's. (small pun in there).


Unless management walks (unlikely), the game can only benefit from SOE ownership. Let's face it, the SOE brand needs a shot in the arm badly, with minimal R&D. VG needs funds and market exposure so it can continue operating and hope to at least meet it's first run costs. Win, win. Yes, the SOE name carries a stigma amongst gaming vets, but at least they're consistent in restructuring a project; sometimes more then once, at the expense of the Sony pocketbook.