Respawn Ignored Bugs to Get Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Out For The Holidays

There are a lot of elements that go into a video game's development process, and a lot can go wrong, throughout. Fortunately, online patches allow publishers to smooth out any issues that crop-up after a game releases. Of course, sometimes, it makes more sense to release the game and fix certain bugs later. That seems to have been the case for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, at least. Developer Respawn Entertainment apparently knew about a handful of bugs when the game released in November, but they gambled that it would be better to get the game out in time for the holiday rush.

"Yeah, it was a conversation that we had and we decided that we wanted the game out there, we wanted to get it, you know, being out for the holiday," Respawn CEO Vince Zampella told USgamer. "It's a game that really fits that timeframe."

At launch, Jedi: Fallen Order's bugs were well-documented by reviewers. While the game's issues weren't significant enough to have a major impact on the game's scores, many reviewers noted the game's lack the polish compared to other Respawn titles, like Apex Legends. It's hard to argue with results, however, and Jedi: Fallen Order's sales speak volumes. The title moved more than eight million copies as of January, beating out EA's sales expectations.

It really is surprising to hear Zampella speak so candidly about Respawn's willingness to release the game knowing it had issues. Still, the holiday window is a hard one to miss, and it's impossible to say whether or not Jedi: Fallen Order would have found the same level of success had it released later. Since launch, Respawn has released a number of patches, ironing out those issues, and pleasing most players.

Jedi: Fallen Order puts players in the role of Cal Kestis, in a tale that takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. With its new characters, but familiar Star Wars themes and locales, the game was a hit with audiences, despite its warts. Disney seems particularly taken with the game's quality, and their overall partnership with EA. During last week's 2020 DICE summit, Disney's senior VP of games and interactive experiences, Sean Shoptaw, pointed towards successes like Jedi: Fallen Order and Marvel's Spider-Man as blueprints for future Disney games.

How do you feel about Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order? Should the game have been delayed, or released as is? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!