Chris Cao Discusses DC Universe Online Launch Date

How is the DC Universe Online team preparing for the imminent release of the game on Jan. 11, 2011? We went straight to Game Director Chris Cao to find out!

Following Sony Online Entertainment's announcement yesterday that DC Universe Online will launch on Jan. 11, 2011, we decided to go straight to Game Director Chris Cao to find out how the team is preparing for the imminent release of the game.

The action MMO was originally scheduled to launch on Nov. 2, but was ultimately pushed back to make sure it was truly ready to go live. What has the team learned from the extra time in beta? What's the mood like at the office with only three weeks until launch? Keep reading after the jump to find out!


ZAM: What are some of the major changes that have been implemented in DCUO since the game was pushed back from its original launch date? What have you learned from the extended beta?

Chris Cao: Beta feedback has driven the direction of our final months of development. It's tested all of our assumptions, focused our attention on the issues that really matter, and given us the time we needed to take DCUO to the next level.  We’ve been able to make sweeping changes (e.g. tween content, end game tactics, power balance) and evolve DCUO into a far greater game. Thank you, beta players. You made the difference in DCUO.

ZAM: What will the testing schedule be like until Jan. 11? Do you still plan on ending the beta with an in-game event?


Cao: Launch is an event, not the end, for us. It’s a single step on our journey in live. We are going to keep tracking bugs, gathering metrics, and evaluating feedback. This rhythm is the pulse of our live operation and the only difference right now is that we want to make sure to polish everything for your day one experience. We will end beta with an in-game event, but the engine that drives the continual growth and improvement of the game is purring right along.



ZAM: The PS3 closed beta only began a couple weeks ago. How's that going? Have you received different feedback from the PC version?


Cao: Being first is fun. Sure, it has its challenges, but there’s nothing like being someone’s first MMO. We get to share in the excitement and awe that hits players when they first step into a world online. And we get to learn what would make their experience better. To that end, we’ve done a lot of work to improve stability, UI readability, and controller usability throughout the game. And we’re going to continue to expand and evolve the definition of an MMO with all of these new players.

ZAM: Now that the pricing schedule has been released, can you tell us a little about the lifetime subscription for PC users? Are there any perks? Can PS3 players ever expect a lifetime subscription offer?

Cao: The lifetime subscription is just another payment option for players. We already offer multi-month bundles for subscription discount. Think of the lifetime subscription as the best bundle available. Since we’re the first subscription game on the PS3, we want to make sure our priority is to deliver the best game possible to all of these new players. We’ll see how things go from there.

ZAM: What's the mood like at the office with only three weeks until launch?


Cao: Launch is like everyone sharing the same, huge Christmas present. Some people are rocking the box to see what’s inside (wondering what comes next in live), others are enjoying the festive cheer (playing a ton in beta), and still others are already tearing at the corners to sneak a peek (planning their guilds and leveling strats). It is immensely hard to work through the holidays. Our team is making many sacrifices to walk the game through its final phases. But we all know, come launch morning, the present we all share will be well worth it.

Darryl Gangloff, Editor-in-Chief

Comments

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.