Sony sorry for SOCOM beta collapse

By Robert Purchese Published 9 September, 2008

Patch at noon to add regional servers.

Sony has apologised to would-be soldiers whose SOCOM: Confrontation beta experience was ruined by overwhelming demand on the game servers.

Developer Slant Six will be rolling out the first of many patches today at noon, which means game servers going down for a couple of hours.

Patch version 1.10, according to the official website, adds regional European and Australian servers as well as various stability fixes.

There's still more to do, but subsequent updates will aim to tackle this in bite-sized chunks. And let us not forget that this is a beta test, which is, er, designed to pick up on this sort of thing so it won't happen when the game is actually finished.

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About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • mkreku #1 3 years ago

    But this thread will most certainly claim this is all Sony's fault and only Sony can do horrible, horrible, mistakes like this on a free beta test.

  • Aretak #2 3 years ago

    "But this thread will most certainly claim this is all Sony's fault and only Sony can do horrible, horrible, mistakes like this on a free beta test."

    Uh, but it is Sony's fault, no? They knew exactly how many people would be involved in the beta since they were the ones giving the access keys away, so an excuse of "overwhelming demand" doesn't really stand up. I couldn't really care less as I haven't even bothered to finish downloading the original file yet, but it doesn't really reflect well on Sony that a beta they're in absoloute control of has fallen over so badly.

  • Stu #3 3 years ago

    Hmm, but how can they know for sure how well the servers will stand up until they get lots of people on them?

    I also don't care, as I don't even own a PS3. Not sure what I'm doing on this thread, really.

  • stepneg #4 3 years ago

    LOL

  • the_dudefather #5 3 years ago

    A beta test having server problems on its first day?

    Gadzooks! someone alert the newspapers!

  • Widge #6 3 years ago

    I haven't had a go at this yet. Who remembers when Warhawk went live last year? Disaster! Smooth as anything now though.

  • SBfistfun #7 3 years ago

    Can't be any worse than the ongoing shitness of EA's efforts with battlefield Bad Company surely? And that had a beta (with server problems) and a demo (with server problems)!

  • DFawkes #8 3 years ago

    If I'd have bought the full game and this happened, I'd have been pissed. Thankfully this is a beta, so I didn't pay for the privilage and don't mind. Of course, if it isn't at least functional by the time the beta stops, I wouldn't buy the game, but as long as the kinks are ironed out, it's all good.

    Remember a beta is a privilage, not a right.

  • MrMarbles #9 3 years ago

    Well this bodes well for MAG doesn't it.

  • oreillymj #10 3 years ago

    Surely someone at one of these game companies/tool, engine developers has come up with a way of simulating load?

    No? Is that too obvious? An army of bots which hammer the servers to find their breaking point.

  • Widge #11 3 years ago

    I reckon it'll still have hiccups on launch, don't think I've heard of anything thats had an issue free online launch really.

  • Dark_Era #12 3 years ago

    if anybody moans about this then, we have a problem, go check out the definition and use of the term "beta test"

    lol
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 10:13

  • Chufty #13 3 years ago

    Wtf, why are they even apologising that a beta isn't working entirely correctly? It's a beta....

    That's what happens when you give the man in the street a beta copy I suppose.

    Arbiter +1

  • inni786 #14 3 years ago

    if anyone has been beta testing football manager live they would understand what has happened with socom.
    I expected there to be problems just as i have experienced with fml but its good that sony are on top of it and are getting patches on asap.
    I had a good fragging session last night, there were slow downs but overal it was an enjoyable experience.
    Not sure about paying £40 for the finished game though, if it was online and ofline then maybe, oh yeah, it needs to have the headset added to that price but i guess the entire package will cost upto £50?

  • KayJay #15 3 years ago

    Please Stop Moaning

    Its a test...





  • mcbi4kh2 #16 3 years ago

    An army of bots which hammer the servers to find their breaking point.


    Why would you want that? They would just be depriving people of a free beta. First couple of days are patchy but it will run fine for the next 3 and a half weeks. Im usually bored of a game by then anyway so its pretty much a free game.

  • degville #17 3 years ago

    I believe the American keys could be used 3 times so there is even more scope for overload especially if you make the assumption ( which was clearly wrong) that you wouldn't get close to 100% take up.

    You can test load artificially to a point but you can't get the spread of connection speeds latency ebb and flow of load etc. without spending a huge amount of time and resources on it.

    Please remember that you have not been charged for this and part of your agreement in taking part takes account of this crapness.

  • DrDamn #18 3 years ago

    @Aretak
    "They knew exactly how many people would be involved in the beta since they were the ones giving the access keys away"

    Doesn't exactly follow. You know how many people *could* access, but not how many people *will*. You have to send out more beta keys than the number of people who you want to test the service with, as some won't even bother to finish downloading the file ;). So there can be a higher than expected percentage of people actually taking up the offer.

  • mikeck #19 3 years ago

    "if anybody moans about this then, we have a problem, go check out the definition and use of the term "beta test" "

    So that would be having an NDA to sign, and a forum/feedback option to alert the devs...which SOCOM does not have - this is also called 'Online Multiplayer Demo' on the download list in account management/view downloads.

    If it was actually a beta then people wouldn't really have the right to moan - but this is not technically a beta ;)
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 10:59

  • degville #20 3 years ago

    of course its a beta its just a latter stage beta, they are now testing the scalability ( or lack of ! . which broadly speaking doesn't need feedback in the way functionality testing would...

  • specialistboo #21 3 years ago

    Nice to see them doing somthing about it, ea have'nt done much for BFBC and i paid full price for that...

  • miiiguel #22 3 years ago

    "But this thread will most certainly claim this is all Sony's fault and only Sony can do horrible, horrible, mistakes like this on a free beta test."

    Didn't happen. Now go take a look here: http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article_discuss...

  • Apostle #23 3 years ago

    So if they're adding regional servers for the EU and Australia now, then previously we must have been connecting to the US servers to find our games? No wonder the load was too much then. Makes you wonder if they intended the EU beta at all then, obviously why they limited the numbers here.

  • mcbi4kh2 #24 3 years ago

    @miguel
    What is your point? A title like that will always, always start a fan boy war. No matter which side it is on.
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 12:23

  • RustyBullet #25 3 years ago

    First off i think the Beta of SOCOM is piss poor, and @ SBfistfun I dont know what you mean about BF Bad Co i have had one bad night and that is all. BFBC takes a dump in the face of SOCOM. (But then that is why i play that on the 360)

  • Monkey #26 3 years ago

    I'm more concerned about the idiots that group up on a server and vote to kick you off not long after you arrive.
    Once they realised that the kick functionality didn't work I got team-killed at the start of a new mission and as it had no respawn I was a touch miffed.
    I did have my revenge though, next mission start 5 down courtesy of my M4, that'll learn em.
    Not to castigate one nation based on the actions of a small few I will be very happy to see EU servers!
    :|

  • bad09 #27 3 years ago

    Sony sorry for SOCOM beta collapse?

    Well I'm sorry to, sorry I took part in the beta. I know it's a PSN game but it's really a bad and sorry looking game that wants to be Ghost Recon.

    I feel a little guilty taking part in the beta so many people missed out and want keys (you're not missing anything guys!) and there is me pretty much discarding it after one day!

    (may give it another try, if really bored)

  • cad-man #28 3 years ago

    Well I have had a few laggy games on this so far and a few failed attempts at getting connected, tried setting up the clan as i have about a dozen mates with the beta so I was keen to see how that side works. Not all can accept the invites and the network not logging scores etc is a pain.

    Still if this is part of testing great just hope someone is listening and actioning the feedback! Decent feedback that is!!
    Edited by 1 at 09/09/08 @ 13:41

  • krudd #29 3 years ago

    Well I just got an email inviting me to download it (though I got a key here last friday) and the title of the email was as follows:

    "Download an exclusive multiplayer demo for SOCOM: Confrontation now"

    Keyword being demo there!! If that's how they are marketing it then ....wtf?!? I played a good few games and kinda enjoyed it but gave it some room for improvement as I was told it was Beta quality, but demo?

  • mikeck #30 3 years ago

    ""Download an exclusive multiplayer demo for SOCOM: Confrontation now"

    Keyword being demo there!! If that's how they are marketing it then ....wtf?!? I played a good few games and kinda enjoyed it but gave it some room for improvement as I was told it was Beta quality, but demo?"

    +1 - but nobody wil pay any attention...people seem to think it's a beta for some strange reason ;)

  • ulstersoldier #31 3 years ago

    For goodness sake stop the moaning. it's a beta what do you want for nothing. Tell you a simple fix to all these moaning ***** is if u don't like it delete it. end of story.

  • pld #32 3 years ago

    only wish i had the beta this is the only thing i got my ps3 for o well back to the 360 till it comes out