Infinium Labs still blowing smoke.. A delay
09-28-04 | 01:55 AM
#1
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From: City of the lakers.. riots.. and drug dealing cops.. los(t) Angel(e)s. ca.
Infinium Labs still blowing smoke.. A delay
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=4611
WHHHAT? DELAYED!?!? But they had a great E3 booth...
Florida-based Infinium Labs has announced that the launch of its Phantom Game Service and console has been postponed to next year, following consultation with retail and marketing partners for the device.
The system - which provides users with a free PC-based set-top device in return for a subscription to a broadband games on demand service - was originally meant to launch in November in North America, with a European launch following next year.
"Retailers gear their fourth quarter holiday promotions around gift-giving opportunities," explained Infinium president Kevin Bachus, "and they feel, as we do, that our service will not be bought primarily as a gift for someone else. It will more likely be a self-purchase."
Bachus denied that the delay indicated that Infinium is having trouble preparing the console and service for launch, saying that "we were on track to offer the Phantom Game Service later this year."
"Many of our key marketing and retail partners, as well as publishers, have told us that they believe the best way to make the service successful is to hold off for now," he claimed.
No exact new date for the launch of the system has yet been set, and regardless of Infinium's explanation for the slippage, it is likely to attract further criticism for the company - especially from the ranks of those who remain unconvinced that the device will ever launch at all.
The system - which provides users with a free PC-based set-top device in return for a subscription to a broadband games on demand service - was originally meant to launch in November in North America, with a European launch following next year.
"Retailers gear their fourth quarter holiday promotions around gift-giving opportunities," explained Infinium president Kevin Bachus, "and they feel, as we do, that our service will not be bought primarily as a gift for someone else. It will more likely be a self-purchase."
Bachus denied that the delay indicated that Infinium is having trouble preparing the console and service for launch, saying that "we were on track to offer the Phantom Game Service later this year."
"Many of our key marketing and retail partners, as well as publishers, have told us that they believe the best way to make the service successful is to hold off for now," he claimed.
No exact new date for the launch of the system has yet been set, and regardless of Infinium's explanation for the slippage, it is likely to attract further criticism for the company - especially from the ranks of those who remain unconvinced that the device will ever launch at all.
09-28-04 | 08:23 AM
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Originally posted by Breakfast with Girls
1. Delayed
2. Indefinitely delayed
3. Cancelled
4. ...
5. Profit
1. Delayed
2. Indefinitely delayed
3. Cancelled
4. ...
5. Profit
09-28-04 | 08:56 AM
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
So I guess the Phantom has been officially delayed from Never to Never + 1. Maybe Duke Nukem Forever will be a launch title.
Yes, hold off for now, and wait until the PS3, XBOX 2, and Revolution are preparing to launch. That'll be the perfect to jump in there and just take over the market.
"Many of our key marketing and retail partners, as well as publishers, have told us that they believe the best way to make the service successful is to hold off for now," he claimed.
09-28-04 | 08:59 AM
#5
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I worked retail for years and we never wanted new electronics/games right before Xmas.
Can they provide a link to their key marketing and retail partners, as well as publishers that have asked them to hold off.
I have heard better BS from a 6 year old trying to avoid getting in trouble.
Can they provide a link to their key marketing and retail partners, as well as publishers that have asked them to hold off.
I have heard better BS from a 6 year old trying to avoid getting in trouble.
09-28-04 | 10:10 AM
#6
DVD Talk Hero
While I doubt the Phantom will ever get off the ground, it WAS demoed at E3, which puts it way ahead of most "vaporware."
09-28-04 | 12:37 PM
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DVD Talk Godfather
There's an article over on HardOCP.com that took apart one of the early display units, and it was nothing more then regular PC parts you can find for sale with a bunch of wires that weren't even connected to anything and a system that wouldnt boot up. What a joke 
09-29-04 | 02:36 PM
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From: Austin, TX
In related B.S. news (from gamerfeed.com):
Meqon, a Swedish middleware company, announced recently they have been selected by 3D Realms as the physics engine provider for their long awaited *cough* game Duke Nukem Forever. The physics engine apparently does not only handle basic rigid-body simulation, apparently, but extends into character and vehicle enhanced physics as well. George Broussard, CEO of 3D Realms says, "We evaluated several physics SDK's and Meqon was really fast, had the cleanest interface and integrated into our game very quickly."
Ironic are the words "very quickly", since little in Duke Nukem Forever's development cycle has moved with any celerity. In development in one form or another since 1997, enough time has passed that someone could have, say, been in High School when the game was first announced, moved onto college, graduated from college, screwed around for a year and finally gotten a job in the video-gaming news industry in the interim to report this most recent event (purely hypothetical, of course). The game has seen at least one "engine" change (it's unknown if now the current game uses the latest Unreal Engine or if it's mostly composed of 3D Realms' proprietary code) and two major redesigns. Nobody really knows what current form the game has taken, as Duke Nukem Forever has become rather reclusive in the winter of its development. The game was recognized earlier this year by Wired News with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Vaporware.
Signs have been pointing towards Duke Nukem Forever's completion later this year... or it may receive yet another delay, and be pushed back to 2005 (or maybe some other date further down this decade).
Meqon, a Swedish middleware company, announced recently they have been selected by 3D Realms as the physics engine provider for their long awaited *cough* game Duke Nukem Forever. The physics engine apparently does not only handle basic rigid-body simulation, apparently, but extends into character and vehicle enhanced physics as well. George Broussard, CEO of 3D Realms says, "We evaluated several physics SDK's and Meqon was really fast, had the cleanest interface and integrated into our game very quickly."
Ironic are the words "very quickly", since little in Duke Nukem Forever's development cycle has moved with any celerity. In development in one form or another since 1997, enough time has passed that someone could have, say, been in High School when the game was first announced, moved onto college, graduated from college, screwed around for a year and finally gotten a job in the video-gaming news industry in the interim to report this most recent event (purely hypothetical, of course). The game has seen at least one "engine" change (it's unknown if now the current game uses the latest Unreal Engine or if it's mostly composed of 3D Realms' proprietary code) and two major redesigns. Nobody really knows what current form the game has taken, as Duke Nukem Forever has become rather reclusive in the winter of its development. The game was recognized earlier this year by Wired News with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Vaporware.
Signs have been pointing towards Duke Nukem Forever's completion later this year... or it may receive yet another delay, and be pushed back to 2005 (or maybe some other date further down this decade).
09-30-04 | 07:46 AM
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I wonder if Meqon gets a share of royalties or if they get their money up front?
Note to Meqon employees: you might want to hold off on that major purchase your were planning to make.
Note to Meqon employees: you might want to hold off on that major purchase your were planning to make.
