Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Interview
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Q: Why SOE? Were there other potential co-publishing candidates (NCSoft, for example) whose mere mention wouldn't nettle longtime Verant fans and others ill-disposed toward SOE who are such a part of the Vanguard community?
A: We did talk to several other potential co-publishing candidates and SOE truly came out on top. Since so many of us used to work there, myself included, we know better than anyone what their strengths and weaknesses are. They also know the same about us. We were able to structure a deal that takes advantage of everyone's strengths. SOE certainly knows how to bring an MMO to market. They know how to host a beta, launch the game, and then keep it running for year after year after year. That expertise is exactly what we need and that is what SOE will supply for Vanguard. We feel that we have particular strengths: community relations, PR, and customer service. Both parties easily agreed that the game design remains under Sigil's direction.
As it happens, Microsoft agreed as well. As we came closer to launch, Microsoft saw our strengths and weaknesses and looked at their own internal situation and found that what we really needed was someone with more MMO specific publishing experience. So this was a decision that really came out of a collective desire to do the right thing for Vanguard and for all the companies involved.
The other huge benefit that I don't think many people thought about beforehand is that we know each other. It has seriously been a painless transition because we know exactly who to call. We were actually at SOE last week to capture footage for a new video (yes, another video is on the way!) and our brand manager (marketing lead) was out getting his wisdom teeth removed. Since I used to work there, I know the AV guys. A couple people from the marketing team dropped by to say hi, but they essentially let us do our thing. That wouldn't have happened if it was a company where the relationship was brand new. Many of our tech people used to work at SOE, so they know who to call about transition questions. It's honestly just so easy; and with any other company, it could have been a nightmare since we're already deep into beta testing.
