GameSpy's Particularly Brutal Interview with The War Z Developers

[Shawn Zipay]

So, we've all heard about The War Z by now, right? Fans are just a bit upset about the game, which is putting it nicely. Users are reported being banned for asking for refunds. Complaint threads are being closed and outright deleted from the official Steam Community discussion page for the game, details on the game's Steam page have been changed to remove currently false promises, and oh so much more.

GameSpy sat down with The War Z's Executive Producer, Sergey Titov, in what can only be described as the harshest interview I've read in quite some time. Let's see a small sampler of it all.

GameSpy: Steam still says -- I'm looking at it right now -- "Up to 100 players per game server." That is a false claim.

Sergey Titov: Let me ask you -- what YOU think we should put there, since we do not know what number of slots will be on official servers tomorrow -- 20,30, 50, 70 or 100?

GameSpy: I think you should put the minimum you can deliver. If you deliver more, that's a bonus that no one can claim they were misled about. If you deliver less, you have failed to deliver on a promise.

Sergey Titov: Okay good point -- so you think that if we'll have server with 100 players up and running it means we've delivered even if everybody will hate it ?

GameSpy: If you believe everyone will hate it with 100 players, it is totally reasonable for you to turn down the maximum number of players. It is not reasonable for you to tell me I can play with 100 players and then only allow me to play with 50 players. Who is responsible for updating the Steam page text? Hammerpoint or Valve?

PR Rep: They do the actual updates based on info we send.(...)

GameSpy: So, no public apology for misleading people on the Steam store page?

Sergey Titov: Actually we've already posted explanation on our forums that is available to public.

GameSpy: This post doesn't address the fact that there were false claims made.

Sergey Titov: I think there's difference between false claims and perception of the text.

GameSpy: There does not appear to be a reasonable way that this could be read any other way, when the sections are titled "About the game" and "Key features," and both contain things that do not yet exist.

Sergey Titov: Ah ok. Yes we're going to post about fact that information on the Store page was presented in incorrect format/layout. That was our mistake obviously. Which we've corrected early morning today.

GameSpy: Mostly corrected. Again, the Steam page still makes no mention of the fact that this is a "Foundation release." It is simply labeled as "The War Z."

Sergey Titov: What's difference ? I mean -- I'd love to adjust that BTW -- I just personally don't see what difference does it make? Ie -- THIS IS "THE WAR Z" game. It's not like there'll be "final release" or anything like this.

GameSpy: Then why was the press release sent out calling it a Foundation Release instead of simply a release?

Sergey Titov: This is what we call it. There's no such thing as "Release" for an online game. More important - you can't just add "foundation release" or any other words to the title of the game on Steam. It's like -- The War Z is a title of the game. We can of course add VERSION in ABOUT GAME section.... GameSpy: So as far as you're concerned, The War Z is officially out of beta and fully released, correct?

Sergey Titov: Nope - there's no such thing as "fully released" for online game. As far as I'm concerned The War Z is in stage when we're ready to stop call it Beta. This is basic version - bones that we're going to add more and more "meat" - features and content in a coming months and hopefully years.

GameSpy: By "fully released," of course, I mean as released as any online game is at its official launch. For example, when PlanetSide 2 removed its beta label and opened its doors to the public, it was considered fully released even though it will obviously continue to evolve.

That isn't even the full interview. Seriously, go take a few minutes, visit Gamespy and read the full interview with The War Z developers. It's one for the (REDACTED). ...Seriously? Again?

[Stev0esque]

So whats with all the "(REDACTED)" jokes? (I mean on a meta level)

[Shawn Zipay]

Let's just say it's a bit of an inside "joke".

[K-16]

I wonder if Glu Mobile switched out the journalist staff, because this is rather biased against Hammerpoint Interactive and lacks any kind of neutrality whatsoever. I almost feel like I'm reading an article written by a celebrity news reporter (by that I mean it's a bit too in your face). That said, Mr. Titov's responses are... Erm... Hmm... Full of $#!+. Assuming his words weren't taken out of context for the shock value of the article, his answers were easily countered and his philosophy on game development is unfamiliar to me.

Fine fine, I'll admit I should've taken the ex-moderator's words more seriously. That was the earliest warning we would ever get. Whew, the fight against Hammerpoint Interactive looks like a game in itself. And with Bohemia Interactive's own problems, we may not get a fairly priced and properly developed zombie survival MMO anytime soon.

[Shawn Zipay]

I'm glad the interview went as it did. There are so many softball questions thrown around in gaming interviews that this is beyond refreshing to see, especially when there is really no good way to be "neutral" with this game or company.

Keep in mind that Sergey Titov also helped create this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Rig...he_Road_Racing

Although the packaging of Big Rigs states that the main objective of the game is to race their semi-trailer truck (known colloquially as a "Big Rig") to safety in order to deliver illegal cargo being carried by the vessel, while avoiding the local police force, in actuality, there are no police in the game, and no such objectives are presented within the game itself.

Sounds familiar.

[jimykx]

BOOM, headshot mother*****s!!!!!! I never thought I'd be wishing this to anyone but I really hope they go freaking bankrupt!! They should be forced to refund everyone or someone should sue them. I mean, looking at other developers go bankrupt and looking at these bastards get away with this is so frustrating. I hope steam/valve does something about this crap

[Nya`]

Things like this seem to be happening a lot lately and I'm getting absolutely sick of it. Game developers are using so many misleading tactics to gain sales it's unbelievable. Far Cry 3 has issues of the same kind, they claimed even on the Steam page that it had split screen for PC, mind you after probably 30,000 or more pre-ordered units were sold and they then decided to pull it down.

This also ties into the live game play shown at E3, even though it was a demonstration build of Vaas Island they still advertised it as Far Cry 3 and used a far more visually advanced setup of the game engine which completely misrepresents what we preordered and got in the end, it's disgusting.

Here is the thread I created about it if anyone would like a read, as expected Ubisoft is a ghost on the matter and are saying nothing.

http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/738875-Serious-misrepresentation-of-a-product

[Anarchy1]

I can't believe people are actually paying money for this blatantly obvious cash-cow rip-off whose developer appears to have no ethics.

[K-16]

Keep in mind that Sergey Titov also helped create this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Rig...he_Road_Racing

Well technically all he did was license the game engine he developed to Stellar Stone; he didn't actually have much to do with the development, presumably including the mysterious police car on the cover which had nothing to do with the game (I would blame publisher Gamemill for that). His philosophy on shovelware is quite interesting though.

[jaksonricha]

That was the earliest warning we would ever get.