Petroglyph Layoffs Not The End Of End Of Nations
Dodging the incredibly strange trend in which games with portentous names become self-fulfilling prophecies (Hello, Duke Nukem Forever), End of Nations has not, in fact, met its untimely end. You could be forgiven for thinking that it's in pretty big trouble, though. Indefinite postponements and worrisomely far-reaching developer layoffs tend to have that effect. Regardless of how things ultimately shake out, however, change is afoot. The most earth-shaking bit? Petroglyph's no longer on development duty, with Trion Worlds now leading the charge on the lumbering, stumbling MMORTS.
In a statement to fans, Trion said that quality and fan feedback will be the two central pillars of the game going forward.
"As End of Nations was reaching the pre-launch phase in its lifecycle, we officially brought the game development in house to Trion Worlds and will complete the development internally. Our team has been hard at work implementing many changes based on your feedback from the beta events."
"We wanted to let you know what we have been hard at work getting End of Nations to the quality level it needs to be at. We are committed to delivering the top-notch product we know this game can be, and we are looking forward to welcoming you back into the testing phase of the game to help get it there."
The Rift and Defiance developer went on to note that it's already poured its focuses into de-steep-ifying the learning curve for new players, revamping the UI, and making "advancements" in player strategy. I don't know precisely what that means, but I now assume End of Nations used to be a highly minimalist RTS in which you could only command troops to "shoot the other guys" or "shoot the other guys better." Or maybe I've got it pegged all wrong. Perhaps End of Nations was once a fighting game in which landmasses themselves slurped their craggy roots out of the sea, put up their titanic dukes, and engaged in gentlemanly fisticuffs. (Obvious disclaimer: I have not played End of Nations.)
Regardless, Trion clearly wants this one to see the light of day. Whether that's because it truly believes in the project or just wants to recoup its investment, I can't honestly say at this point. Hopefully End of Nations ends up a stronger game for it, though. And of course, best of luck to all those who've had their employment affected by this tumultuous saga. It's not the end of the world, but it sure can feel like it.