Wed, Aug 25, 2010 | 20:04 BST
PC Gamer warns people off Elemental, Wardell apologises for argument
PC Gamer has issued a warning to those looking to pick up Stardock-published turn-based strategy game Elemental that the game has been the subject of a “disastrous launch” and punters should “stay well away”.
Stardock boss Brad Wardell has responded to the allegations, apologising in a statement to Joystiq about a fight resulting from the PC Gamer article on the Quarter to Three forums.
Wardell said he spoke in anger, and “as a result I want to apologize to our fans for speaking so harshly.
“It should be said that some of the issues in question from the PC Gamer article, in fact, did not appear in any of our beta testing. We were surprised by these issues and, after working days on end with little sleep, I was very frustrated.
“I should not have engaged in an online debate about these issues, as my haste to defend what we feel is a great product only served to hurt the fans who have supported us and the team who has been so dedicated to this project.”
“Riddled with bugs”
PC Gamer didn’t exactly mince its words.
“We think it’s part of our job to warn gamers away from games that don’t justify their asking price yet,” said the pub on its site.
“We’ve held off from finishing our review because of the launch problems, but felt this warranted an early warning. The game you actually get in the box, or in the initial download if you bought it digitally before today, is riddled with bugs. You should not buy it.
“I’ve been playing it on two very different machines with the latest drivers for everything, and it’s crashed or hit a game-breaking bug every ten minutes. The tactical mode for playing out battles works one time in five. Half the AI races don’t leave their starting town or attempt to defend it. And the promised multiplayer simply isn’t switched on yet.”
It was reported yesterday that Elemental has shipped with no DRM at all, instead relying on giving people free content upgrades if they buy the game as an incentive to go legit.
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Posted in: Hot, PC, Stardock, Strategy
Tags: Brad Wardell, Elemental: War of Magic, PC gamer
11 comments
#1
LOLshock94
25/08/10, 8:28 pm
I DONT GET THIS
#2
Patrick Garratt
25/08/10, 8:40 pm
In English: It’s fucked. For now. And the guy who’s publishing it had a massive fanny about it. And now he’s sorry.
#3
Grimrita
25/08/10, 9:24 pm
what makes me laugh is that PC Gamer say fuck all about the bug fest that is Medieval 2 Total War, Empire at War etc – but I guess it depends on whose arse your nose is up at the time.
#4
DSB
25/08/10, 9:27 pm
It’s sad but true.
I really, really wanted it to succeed, I think mixing Might and Magic with Civilization is an amazing idea, but the game as it stands now has none of the strengths of either of those games.
I haven’t had any of the issues PC Gamer describes, but there are certainly others to choose from. I’d have to agree that it feels very rough and unfinished.
#5
Zonejeu
25/08/10, 10:13 pm
Fully agree with DSB, I had really high expectations about this game, and I bought it the hour it was live without waiting for the first feedbacks. My bad, it is so full of bugs that I can’t play it for 30 minutes without having a crash, and there are many, many issues that allow to play, but are still heavy bugs.
Still, there’s so much potential on this title, I hope they’ll patch everything and relaunch it…
#6
Freek
25/08/10, 10:26 pm
The fact that PC Gamer was willing to withhold their review untill the bugs were fixed kinda says it all. You don’t yell at the people willing to cutt you some slack.
#7
Neolucifer
26/08/10, 12:43 am
meh it was pretty much the same with every bethesda games, especially their dlc addons , and yet you dont see those guys trashing it
#8
StolenGlory
26/08/10, 9:19 am
What’s he sorry for? His tirade or the fact that his game was scum-suckingly shit?
Or maybe both
#9
Patrick Garratt
26/08/10, 9:36 am
The forum-fighting, I think.
#10
Old MacDonald
26/08/10, 11:01 am
LOL, so they release an unfinished version “DRM-free”, and then basically tell people to register through Impulse (DRM) if they want to play the finished version.
#11
bpcgos
26/08/10, 10:58 pm
Damn, how much PCGamer payed just to blow up those articles and suggesting people to stay away from the game because of the “not all people have” bugs?
This eventually gonna make this potential “free DRM” game being cornered and another story about PC Game failure as a whole will rise again.