'Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle' Release Date News: Pre-E3 Leaks Were 'Discouraging,' Says Developer
Ubisoft said it was quite discouraging when "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle" was leaked prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June. Details of the game were released weeks before the event, effectively ruining the surprise.
The not-so-positive reception that the game received after the leak certainly took its toll on the team behind the game. Talking to Eurogamer, creative director Davide Soliani and music director Grant Kirkhope expressed their thoughts about the leak.
"We were aiming to do a big surprise at E3," said Soliani. "And unluckily that was not the case. Of course, it was quite a bad backlash for the entire team. Discouraging. Quite hard on the team morale."
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Kirkhope added that at the start when people were told that it was going to be "Mario" and "Rabbids," the initial reaction was, "Is that going to work?" The music director admitted he had the same reaction but after seeing the project, he was convinced it would work.
However, the leaks prior to the E3 unveiling ruined everything they had been working on. It was a hard blow to the team as a whole. By showing people artwork and promo materials rather than a working, it received negative reaction among gamers.
Soliani said he tried to reassure the team that despite the negative response, they were still making a great game. Needless to say, despite his words, it was impossible to avoid feeling anything from the feedback.
"We're passionate guys and not just doing this as a job, but also for the pleasure of giving emotion to the player," he added.
Fortunately, their efforts were not for naught as the response to the game following its official announcement was overwhelmingly positive. Hopefully, this gives the team a much-needed push to continue making the game with the same fervor.
"Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle" is set to be released on Tuesday, Aug. 29 for the Nintendo Switch.
