The Simpsons' Crazy Take on Video Game Delays: Elder Scrolls 6, Fable, and Perfect Dark

Avery Emberly

Updated Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 12:00 AM CDT

The world of video games is no stranger to delays, and this humorous image from "The Simpsons" perfectly captures the sentiment of many gamers who have been waiting for releases like Elder Scrolls 6, Fable, and Perfect Dark. In this scene, a character known for her yellow skin, spiky hair, red dress, and pearls is giving a presentation that reads: "IF YOUR GAME IS GONNA TAKE LONGER THAN 2 YEARS TO RELEASE, DON'T REVEAL IT YET." This portrayal resonates with countless gaming fans who have been left in anticipation for years.

Bethesda's Elder Scrolls 6, for instance, has had fans on edge ever since the reveal. Commenters often joke about adding an extra two years to any release date Bethesda announces, giving the developers time to sort out the inevitable kinks. One user humorously remarked, "They only released that reveal to make certain members of the fanbase shut up because yes, of course they were going to do an es6."

Similarly, fans of the Fable series have been eagerly awaiting news, with the latest installment becoming a topic of much speculation. The long development periods are often justified as necessary for creating a polished game rather than releasing a bug-riddled product. "I'd rather a game company take the time to release a game that is actually finished," commented one thoughtful gamer.

Perfect Dark has also seen its share of delays and development challenges, reminding many of the prolonged development cycles of other games like Duke Nukem. One user pointed out, "They spent 15 years developing an updated version of Duke Nukem. The new one finally appeared & nobody cared."

The issue of prolonged game development isn't just about waiting; it involves managing investor expectations and maintaining the hype. As one commenter insightfully noted, "The God’s honest truth is that trailers for games more than 2 years out are usually stakes in the ground that prevent publishers from cancelling it."

This "Simpsons" image also brings to mind other legendary delays in gaming history, such as Star Citizen and Metroid Prime 4, which faced significant setbacks and development overhauls. Fans, while frustrated, often acknowledge the necessity of these delays for the final product's quality. "Fun fact: BGS was actively getting death threats and employees harassed IRL over TES6 not being announced yet. That's part of the reason they did it so early," revealed one commenter, highlighting the intense pressure developers face.

The image serves as a humorous yet poignant reminder for game developers and fans alike: patience is key, and sometimes it's better to wait for a well-crafted game than to rush into an unfinished experience. As the Simpson character's slide suggests, perhaps developers should heed the advice: "IF YOUR GAME IS GONNA TAKE LONGER THAN 2 YEARS TO RELEASE, DON'T REVEAL IT YET."

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View source: Imgur

Top Comments from Imgur

Slugsie

Except if you're going to spend 2 years developing with no income yet you need to generate hype so investors will back your project.

swedeonamoose

For bethesda i always add an extra 2 years to the release date, to give them a chance to sort out the kinks

dashers

I was looking forward to Star Citizen being released, took the gamble and backed Elite instead. That was ten years ago.

spattr

They spent 15 years developing an updated version of Duke Nukem. The new one finally appeared & nobody cared.

Thorax48

Eeeh I’d rather a game company take the time to release a game that is actually finished than a bugged title forced out the door because the publisher says they can release it now and fix it later.

Schmebbie

Silksong 🤡

Frogasmol

They have investors to reassure, they don't do it for gamers.

MoldyPond

Sometimes we end up getting a Metroid Prime 4 situation where Nintendo didn’t know in advance that Namco was going to f*** it up so badly that they had to start over completely from scratch with a different studio (who were already in the middle of other things), then have Covid hit as well and make the game end up taking 8 years from announcement to come out instead of like 2-4 years 😔

FluffyKittyLover

I agree, but people also need to stop religiously following games, like s*** will come when it comes man theres like thousands of videogames to play, calm your t***.

TalkingSnake

Counterpoint: Remedy games are worth waiting for and hype helps keep the studio funded as they work very h****** cool s***.

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