X2: The Return.. cancelled.

[{Ru}EINHANDER]

Now talk about being pissed.. actually, when I read the morning news at the office this morning just quickly checking to see if they'd announced the actual release of X2:TR (henceforth at TR) I very quickly noticed on the front page: http://www.egosoft.com/ that they had CANCELLED the entire expansion... about two minutes into reading I found that my jaw was still open (still surprised I wasn't foaming at the mouth to boot)... and cold shivers went over me.

I've invested about 3.. going on 4 solid days of playing X2.. eagerly awaiting the expasion to further enhance the game play.. and bam.

They announced that due to the limitations (which they had said the current game only uses 5% of the current engine and the expansion was to push it to 100%).. decided to scrap the expansion and make a totally full game called X3: The Reunion. The Reunion? What the hell.. this is not a great title as it implies that we're going back to school or something. Oh well.. the part that is under my skin.. the time spent will go for not.

I'm going to post as slick of a post I can muster to get some kinda reward system built into the new game. Hey.. the new game.. that's great as long as it's as good as the current series. Some people didn't like the current game.. it's great for me though. I loved the first one.. but I worry that they are caving into being all things to all people here. If it bombs (as they also plan the next gen console ports) then that'll be the end of Egosoft.. just like what happened to Black Isle Studios.. the Baulder's Gate people.. did you know that Slayer? Black Isle is no more. So what now becomes of NWN and??

Anyway.. you guys don't know about this game now as it's not your cup of tea.. but it has always had the potential of hitting the best space game out there. You can do almost anything. I don't mind the new game or having to wait for *I hope* a better end game product. The patches/mini expansions for the X2 game have really been super.. I mean like new games almost. However, I'm still worried about the time it takes to get started a new. I consider the loss of my save games (or in reality: my time) similar to ID having the Wolf game change the keyboard at random every two weeks without user input.

Anyway.. it'll turn into begging I guess for some kinda reward for past customers' time or anything I can pull out of a hat.

Funny thing is they waited until last Friday to make that announcment with the game due out this month. I wasn't holding my breath either.. and the 3rd Quarter '05 release is like saying.. "We're going to cure SPAM by the end of the summer.. for the whole world."

Looking forward to the new features.. but oh.. the time.. oh the time. Do *ANY* of you people play games like this?

-EIN