I feel really bad for, and do not envy these developers. The spotlight on this game and the expectations for it to succeed and be something unlike anything else that has ever been delivered is pretty unprecedented in my opinion. I feel someone, whether it is the developers themselves through marketing, or just simple media hype, have really set this game up for failure. It might do so much right, and yet, if the sum of its parts fails to deliver the experience so many people are expecting, I think it will be judged extremely harshly and under a different standard than many other games.
Perhaps they should have released into Early Access and let their fans be a part of the development process? Perhaps there should not have been such lingering confusion about what the player will actually be able to accomplish in the game? I think there are a number of things that could have been done to more reasonably manage customer expectations.
Honestly, in the latest blog postings released from the lead developer, I can't help but feel the fear they have over failing to meet the high bar that has been set for NMS. Its palpable. None of them are going to sleep until global release on Friday; of this, I have no doubt. Think about it...everything they have done and everything they have been over the last five years is going to be judged in the next few days. The pressure and anxiety must be tremendous.
