Visions of Mana May Have Timed Its Release Date Poorly

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Visions of Mana May Have Timed Its Release Date Poorly

Highlights

  • Visions of Mana marks a long-awaited return for the Mana franchise, bringing modernized gameplay and beautiful visuals to fans after a decade.
  • Despite its significance, the game faces tough competition with a crowded release window in August, potentially leading to overshadowing by bigger titles.
  • A slight delay to a less crowded month like September or December could benefit Visions of Mana, giving it more room to shine and reach its sales potential.

As a seasoned gamer who’s been through the ups and downs of the gaming industry for over two decades, I’ve seen my fair share of delays and disappointments. But when it comes to Visions of Mana, I can’t help but feel a pang of worry in my heart.

Though “Visions of Mana” might not have the same grandeur as titles like “Final Fantasy 16” or “Dragon Quest 12”, it remains a significant release for Square Enix. This is because “Visions of Mana” marks the first mainline installment in the “Mana” series since “Dawn of Mana” on the PS2, which was released back in 2006. Despite the fact that the beloved JRPG series has seen new entries as recently as 2022, these have primarily been spin-offs, remasters, and remakes for almost two decades. Consequently, “Visions of Mana” can be seen as a sort of revival for this long-running franchise.

Assuming no setbacks occur, “Visions of Mana” is planned for release towards the end of this month, specifically on August 29th. While we’re thrilled about its imminent arrival, it’s worth noting that the game might face a challenging launch due to a crowded release schedule in its window. In fact, with several major titles scheduled for release during the second half of the month, there’s a possibility that “Visions of Mana” may get overshadowed, potentially affecting its sales performance. If this happens, despite any positive reviews or critical reception, the game might not perform as well as expected in the market.

Visions of Mana’s August 29 Release Date Could Be to Its Detriment

The Second Half of August is Stacked When It Comes to Game Releases

In the realm of game launches, the final fortnight of August is gearing up to be one of the most significant periods this year. Notably, just days before the debut of “Visions of Mana,” the long-awaited action RPG “Black Myth: Wukong” will hit PlayStation 5 and PC shelves on August 20, with an Xbox Series X/S version following later. Then, on August 22, 2024, “The War Within,” the upcoming expansion for Blizzard’s popular MMORPG “World of Warcraft,” is scheduled to release in early access two days ahead of “Wukong.” The full release of “The War Within” is set for August 26. To top it all off, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s “Concord” will be available for both PS5 and PC on August 23.

In the second part of August, one game that’s generating quite a buzz is “Star Wars Outlaws”, an upcoming sci-fi action title from Ubisoft’s subsidiary, Massive Entertainment. Marketed as the first open-world Star Wars game, this highly anticipated release could be one of Ubisoft’s largest and most profitable launches for the year, despite some divided opinions from fans thus far. “Star Wars Outlaws” is set to debut on August 30, a day following the release of “Visions of Mana”.

Visions of Mana Might Fail to Meet Square Enix’s Expectations if It Gets Overshadowed

It’s unlikely that the games coming out in the second half of August, as they don’t belong to the same genre as “Visions of Mana”, will attract the same fanbase. Consequently, this upcoming JRPG might get overshadowed by more popular releases like “Black Myth: Wukong” and “Star Wars Outlaws”. This could lead to Square Enix being disappointed with the sales of “Visions of Mana”, given their history of expressing concerns about their games not meeting sales expectations, such as “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth”. In fact, they’ve openly admitted that some of their high-profile releases, like “Final Fantasy 16” and “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth”, didn’t perform as well as initially anticipated.

A Slight Delay Could Benefit Visions of Mana

To increase its chances of performing well and reduce competition, it might be advantageous for “Visions of Mana” to release either late September or December. These months are less crowded with major AAA titles compared to others, such as August. In fact, the only notable games scheduled for release in the second half of September are “Epic Mickey: Rebrushed”, “Greedfall 2” (early access), and “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom”. December, however, has no significant releases at this time. Given their comparative lack of games compared to August, these release windows could offer “Visions of Mana” a larger opportunity for success. Delaying the game may disappoint some fans, but it could be crucial for the title to achieve its highest sales potential.

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2024-08-05 21:03