Ninpo

You are, you ask a question that it's impossible to answer, it's a pit of doom type question. I knew it was tough. I was curious to see if you guys had a brilliant answer that was less than obvious. I suppose in absence of what to do, I at least can revel in that I, once again, speedily identify the "pit of doom" and climb in blissfully and without hesitation. Thanks for letting me know that the question is in the "things we pretend weren't asked" pile. Have a nice day! Nin

I'm starting to feel like I'm being deliberately ignored.

Placebo: Any definitive answer on this yet?

Placebo: Forgive me if I've missed someone asking this question before...but this section is looong. Understanding many people are choosing to buy the game now rather than wait for an English version, how does BIS feel about this? Would BIS prefer people buy now from a foreign vendor and mod the game themselves for English or wait until the proper localized version is released in the appropriate markets and buy it from that distributor? I could see how people purchasing now from a foreign vendor could even further discourage new distributor agreements. I was just wondering how to best support BIS. Even if I'm just one guy, I like to put my money toward to the right cause. Thanks, - Ninpo

Maybe so. But this is something entirely within BIS' control. If they choose not to do so, it is hard to blame U.S. publishers for the situation. If you're right, BIS wants it that way. That would be disappointing. -Nin

The concern over not having any publicity or boxes-etc is valid. So is the concern over everyone not having an internet connection. My additional concern I have is that if the U.S. version isn't released around christmas time with the other releases, sales will be weak in Q1. You miss the Christmas rush and the undisciplined masses will look to other means of solving the problem...and not necessarily good ways. Perhaps an electronic copy could be available for all in late Nov. and with your purchase have a website coupon key to get a much reduced price on a shipment of the full boxed game when a U.S. publisher is found. This satisfies the collectors and the impatient both. When the U.S. publisher is found, they "merchandise" the boxed versions previously e-downloaded that are purchased with the discount coupons and sell the regular copies as standard. The advertising and other such activities proceed as usual. Everyone wins or is at least no worse off than had they been forced to wait. -Nin

I just recently completed negotiations on an acquisition (in the US) and your post struck me as coincidental. The due diligence analyst that evaluated the merger was mainly a number-cruncher. He was in a position to weigh in on the relationship's net value. As an employee of his firm, you would expect him to ethically make a fair equitable assessment. However, this is when what you would expect to be all business- turns quite personal. The analyst also has personal stake in the merger. If the analyst allowed the merger to occur, and it not become successful, everyone would look to burn him alive for such a terrible failure. If the merger has a strong ROI, the analyst gets no bonus and is marginalized as simply a facilitator. The analyst's logical course of action for any relationship, good or bad, is to find all data that can give the impression that the relationships are untenable- and deny them all. This is an internal management failure on behalf of the evaluating company to create a structure that encourages success. I obviously can't say that is magically the cause of U.S. complications. Clearly, positional disagreement is always a possibility. Â But I can say that this scenario can produce results that would externally seem irrational. If I had a vote, I'd say release all versions at the same time. Don't give concessions to a publisher and let them destroy your vision. Make it an Internet download if you must. I'd hate to see BIS miss out on well-deserved revenue because a certain five-letter country included it in their national half-price store. Or arguably worse, have a tricky publisher gain backdoor control and dumb down your unique genius to the wildly popular ignorance. -Nin