Playing with Live Servers
It’s no secret that plenty of games are shipping with online components from online PvP matchmaking, persistent worlds, and even an element as simple as leaderboards. These features add layers of complexity when it comes to a game running smoothly.
For instance, a game such as Halo: Master Chief Collection relied heavily on handling a large number of users flooding the servers at one time. Its ability to do so was only fully realized once the game had launched, affecting nearly every user who attempted to play the multiplayer component of the game. While many rely on the reputation of the company making the game when purchasing an online-dependent title, 343i wasn’t a company known for launching games in such a broken state. Embargoes that require outlets to publish reviews only after critical online components can be properly assessed can prevent similar mishaps.
Of course, there is no perfect solution to this issue. Companies tend to be damned if they do and damned if they don’t. Embargoing an outlet from publishing a review until the game launches to the public can be perceived as the company attempting to hide something from those looking to pick it up at launch. If the embargo lifts prior to launch and the servers have been turned on several days prior, the reviewers and lucky few who receive the game early in no way stress test the online components. There is still no way for outlets to know how servers will hold up when they are inundated with new users, and both reviewers and consumers should always keep this in mind.
