505 says Indivisible's surprise Switch launch down to tool error, after dev airs concerns
But offers no word on missing content.
Publisher 505 Games has claimed that the surprise launch of gorgeously animated action-platformer Indivisible on Switch earlier this week - a surprise, in particular, to its somewhat dismayed developer, Lab Zero Games, which said it had no forewarning of the release - was down to a "release tool" error.
When Indivisible made its sudden eShop appearance on Wednesday, Lab Zero Games' Mike Zaimont - who served as project lead and lead designer on the title - took to Twitter, writing, "Feel like you missed the announcement? You're not alone, our team found out because people on Twitter sent us congratulations! I had no idea! But there it is!".
Although Zaimont applauded the quality of the Switch version, specifically calling out the porting team's "seriously excellent work", he shared his disappointment at a series of failures with the release - including the lack of a launch date announcement from 505 (and indeed "no lead-up PR at all"), the wrong eShop art being used, and the fact the port was based on a build missing a range of recently added features, including couch co-op and a New Game Plus mode.
"This launch does not represent the quality standards of Lab Zero," Zaimont wrote, "It just doesn't. I'm sorry. It wasn't us."
Following Zaimont's comments, 505 has now offered its own response in a statement posted to the official Indivisible website, claiming the game's appearance on eShop was down to an error involving the storefront's tools.
According to the publisher, its originally intention was to launch Indivisible on April 28th - "The build had passed QA and submission checks and was approved for release by all parties", it wrote - but it later elected to delay launch to early May. The last minute decision was made, it said, so Indivisible on Switch could launch alongside a day one patch that added a frame rate toggle option, 1080p support in docked mode, performance updates and localisation changes, plus the previously pre-order-only character Roti.
"Unfortunately, the new launch date did not get changed within the release tool", the publisher explained, "This resulted in the game going live yesterday to the surprise of everyone involved, including 505 Games."
The publisher also acknowledged that Indivisible's earlier-than-planned launch means Indiegogo backers will not yet have received their digital keys for the Switch game. "We are working to fulfil those keys as quickly as possible", it said, "and have them distributed via BackerKit surveys". Backers of the physical version, meanwhile, will likely see a delay of 1-2 months for delivery, "due to manufacturing and shipping delays worldwide".
The publisher is yet to address the issue of missing features in the Switch version of Indivisible, including couch co-op and a New Game Plus mode, or offer any indication of when purchasers can expect them to arrive on the platform.