WARNING: HIGH SPECULATION - READ AT OWN RISK!!!

[ZoneBlitz]

From A Guy Over At NFL 2kX:

O. K. good people, let me just say that super sleuth here has done some detective work during lunch break. However, before I continue, I must admit this is high speculation and likely untrue. So read on at your own emotional risk. Albeit there is a slither of trace evidence for what I am about to speculate on.

**REPEAT...THIS IS A HIGH SPECULATION ZONE...PROCEED AT OWN RISK!!**

Well, *IF* there is a *REVIEW* in any magazine, guess what that means - the game has been completed for probably at least a month...why? That is the minimum lead time necessary for most publications to get a story in...much less review the game for an issue. I've heard in some circles that if I sent the average game magazine something for inclusion (i.e. a game review/preview) it would take two months to get it in.

Next, I checked on EBs website and guess what is shipping on 8/27/03...ESPN NFL Football Strategy Guide. Here's the link: http://www.gamestop.com/search.asp?s...+NFL&foundin=0 and http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/237019.asp
Now I checked with one of the folks I know at a certain game store. He told me that it is rare for the strategy guide to ship a month before the game. He said that it usually ships 3 - 4 days before the game. Second, he said that to him it is inconceivable that a strategy guide could be finalized without completed code since it would run the high risk of it being inaccurate. He said he is only familiar with a strategy guide being completed once the game itself is finished. If that is the case, and if it takes at least two weeks for a strategy guide to be made (again this is pure distilled speculation) then I submit to the court of NFL 2k4 fans, the game may in fact be complete and ready for an early ship date!!!

Now, to be fair, let me state that this is pure speculation. My friend at EB even said that although rare, sometimes the guides do ship out a while before the game. Also, we have yet to see any hard evidence of a *REVIEW* for ESPN NFL Football in any printed (or electronic for that matter) magazine. So, these caveats must be kept in mind. However, for those who don't mind the fun, the shred of microscopic trace evidence supporting this wild barely logical high speculation is tantalizing.

So, what do you all think? Has anyone actually seen a *REVIEW* in a print magazine?

Holla,

[TheLetterZ]

It's already been determined that *snicker* the guy's math was off. That strategy guide says 8/27, which is a few days before the 9/2 release, not 7/27/03 as the original poster originally thought.

Please disregard this topic.

[NYJets]

Quote:

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ZoneBlitz said:

Next, I checked on EBs website and guess what is shipping on 8/27/03...ESPN NFL Football Strategy Guide. Here's the link: http://www.gamestop.com/search.asp?s...+NFL&foundin=0 and http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/237019.asp
Now I checked with one of the folks I know at a certain game store. He told me that it is rare for the strategy guide to ship a month before the game. He said that it usually ships 3 - 4 days before the game. Second, he said that to him it is inconceivable that a strategy guide could be finalized without completed code since it would run the high risk of it being inaccurate. He said he is only familiar with a strategy guide being completed once the game itself is finished. If that is the case, and if it takes at least two weeks for a strategy guide to be made (again this is pure distilled speculation) then I submit to the court of NFL 2k4 fans, the game may in fact be complete and ready for an early ship date!!!

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LOL, just because the strategy guide comes out in August, and the game in September, doesn't mean there is a month in between. It is still, what 6 days in between?

Edit: Beat me to it.

[ZoneBlitz]

Yeah, I think the guy just corrected himself at NFL 2kX.

[imported_Administrator]

Oh come on folks. The game will come out when it comes out.

Print mags do use beta for reviews and get the games far in advance of the internet sites because of the time involed getting to print. Why is this so hard to understand?

You need a good example. Gamepro once reviewied Half Life for the Dreamcast. The game NEVER came out. They reviewed a game that NEVER SHIPPED.

Some people are spending way too much time worrying about this. It will be done when it is done.

[ZoneBlitz]

Thanks for clearing the air BD. At any rate, I did like that commercial...you think there's any chance they'd use it? More than likely they probably have an ad campaign thought and just waiting for the next week to pass before they hoist it on us.

Holla.

[imported_Administrator]

Quote:

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ZoneBlitz said:
Thanks for clearing the air BD. At any rate, I did like that commercial...you think there's any chance they'd use it? More than likely they probably have an ad campaign thought and just waiting for the next week to pass before they hoist it on us.

Holla.

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Oh Sega pays people to produce all their commercials. They ought to hire the guys who do the 989 sports commercials. Those guys are good.

[retardboy]

Well, they hired the people that did the ESPN commercial and Nike commercials, so I think they've done pretty well.