Phase 4 and Beyond (speculation)Follow

Now that the dates for the final test of phase 3 have been announced, let’s do some speculating as to the next few weeks. I’m basing my this around the roadmap and interviews from Yoshi-P; actual dates are just my guesses.

Phase 3 ends 7/15
1-2 weeks debugging (I’m giving them 3): 7/16-8/1
Phase 4: 8/2 – 8/15 (1-2 weeks, based on roadmap)
8/16 – 8/19: final debugging (Yoshi-P has said there will only be “a few days” between close of P4 and early access)
8/19 – 8/26: Early access (guess)
Official Release: 8/27

If they need 1-2 weeks for Phase 3 Debug that points to either 7/19 or 7/26 for Phase 4, or maybe 7/24 or 7/31 now that we know they like Wednesdays. At least I'm hoping for sooner than August. :) Not that SE can't change their mind.

Edited, Jul 8th 2013 4:27pm by ErikHighwind

The grand majority of the issues being raised are design issues, which likely won't be majorly adjusted in time for launch (if at all). So We'll probably have a reduced turn around on the break between beta phases. Heck, there may not be one. I have a feint recollection that they said they were going from one straight into the other.

No, Phase 4 characters will persist.