I had the fortune to play DriveClub well before it was actually released to the public. Beyond looking incredible, the game is actually rather fun and rewarding – provided you’re actually connected to the game’s servers. Unfortunately, since the game’s retail release, the servers have been down, negating every social single social element DriveClub offers, which in effect removes its very reason for existing. Nearly a week on, and it’s still down.
DriveClub was smacked with a new update yesterday, the reason for which was to issue “several game-side fixes to reduce server load.” However, the game is still not able to connect to the game’s servers.
“We are working hard to get everyone online as soon as possible,” Evolution Studios wrote on Facebook.
“We have just released another server update that has increased the number of players racing which is good news, but in order to keep building on these numbers we will be running further updates in the coming days that will affect availability of some of the online game features.”
According to Evolution, things like challenges and social updates will be offline. They say that clubs, leaderboards, online multiplayer races, the single-player mode, custom solo events and car customisation will still be available. I’ve just tried logging in though, and clubs are certainly not available.
“We appreciate this isn’t ideal but this is really the best way for us to improve server performance and online play for everybody, and we will be switching on these features as further progress is made,” the developer added.
“Thanks for bearing with us and sending us your supportive comments. Believe us, we know how frustrating this is for you and we are working non-stop to find the best solution to get you all connected and racing together online.”
Here’s everything the patch purports to fix:
- Implements several game-side fixes to reduce server load.
- Fixes and Issue that may cause Clubs to become corrupted.
- Fixes out of memory crashes due to multiple large avatars in the friends’ list.
- Fixes occasional game-side crashes when uploading large amounts of progress data.
The server load, Evolution insists, is not one borne of a lack of infrastructure, but rather one caused by software glitches. Whatever the cause, the poor launch could end up relegating DriveClub to being little more than a speedbump on this year’s road of great games.
If I’d bought it, I’d be pissed. This is where beta testing is really important. Say what you will about Destiny, but it had a pretty smooth launch for such a big game. Right now, the PlayStation 4 is left without a signature racing game, with the only other offering available for petrolheads being Need for Speed Rivals.
Last Updated: October 13, 2014
HvR
October 13, 2014 at 08:35
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:55
We’re doing this again?
HvR
October 13, 2014 at 08:56
Ag just the one too much work this morning
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:56
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:56
Getting harder to find songs 😀
HvR
October 13, 2014 at 09:53
Think I can turn out a few more, but between MS, Sony, Lazygamer and every multiplayer game coming out over the next 2 months I’m keeping them in reserve.
MrChinwag
October 13, 2014 at 08:56
This video looks like my HD Channel on Supersport 5
oVg
October 13, 2014 at 09:01
What year is this video? Not even Ubisoft can get Far Cry to match that frame rate.
Ryanza
October 13, 2014 at 08:36
If you’re having server problems I feel bad for you, son.
I’ve got 99 problems but a Witcher ain’t one.
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:51
hahahaha
MrChinwag
October 13, 2014 at 08:53
99 Problems are still a lot to have.
Brady miaau
October 13, 2014 at 08:37
“The server load, Evolution insists, is not one borne of a lack of infrastructure, but rather one caused by software glitches.”
Yeah, cause that is much better
L337J1MB0B
October 13, 2014 at 08:45
I’d say they are probably trying to clarify that so that it doesn’t cast a bad light on Sony, and put the blame on themselves.
Brady miaau
October 13, 2014 at 09:14
ok, fair cop.
ReaperOfSquirrels
October 13, 2014 at 08:39
*sigh* My only question from this is how many people they had Alpha/Beta testing? Obviously you’d need THOUSANDS if not TENS OF THOUSANDS of people to test the server load properly.
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:58
I think the Beta went like this…
http://img-9gag-lol.9cache.com/photo/aYbvp9N_460sa.gif
McFancypants HD 3.0
October 13, 2014 at 09:00
I spoke about this last night, to a buddy of mine; Destiny eventually had an open Beta, which one would imagine is the right way to do server stress tests. Driveclub on the other hand, had a closed Beta to a select few (several thousand, I’d imagine). For a game which is primarily focused on its online social connectivity, you cannot use stats based off a few thousand to adequately measure how your game is going to fare.
Beta testing needs to be open. It’s as simple as that. And if the devs or whoever hosts their servers can’t accommodate that, then they’re going to have a shitty launch day.
L337J1MB0B
October 13, 2014 at 09:13
True, but an open beta can be bad for marketing, especially if your game is more niche. I can understand why they would want to keep it closed and secure more pre-orders, and take that risk.
McFancypants HD 3.0
October 13, 2014 at 09:22
For a game which supposedly thrives on its online features, failure to host a successful launch speaks volumes.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for risk vs. reward. But in the gaming industry, which you have to agree can be quite a volatile market, butthurt gamers are a rabid bunch.
L337J1MB0B
October 13, 2014 at 09:40
No I agree, obviously this is an epic fail of note, but just saying you can understand the rationale of the decision… clearly didn’t pay off this time for them.
oVg
October 13, 2014 at 10:00
Gamers do tend to forget very quickly and will snap up the newer newer newer version Of a broken launch like Diablo.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 13, 2014 at 10:06
…
flyingpiglegion
October 13, 2014 at 09:25
They should’ve made the “free” playstation plus version available first, that would’ve served as a beta and tested their servers. Then make the upgrade from free version and full game available. But I guess gaming industry these days are run by greedy “geniuses”…
L337J1MB0B
October 13, 2014 at 08:44
Smacks of badly structured database.
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:50
Did they try turning the servers off and back on again?
McFancypants HD 3.0
October 13, 2014 at 09:03
If only they had asked the IT department, it might all have been sorted out 😛
Brady miaau
October 13, 2014 at 09:14
theres a switch for that
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
October 13, 2014 at 08:52
…These servers go down more than Monica Lewinsky
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 08:57
Oh snap
HvR
October 13, 2014 at 09:43
Yeah I think they should Wake up, grab a brush and put a little makeup, hide the scars to fade away the shakeup ……
FoxOneZA
October 13, 2014 at 09:00
It’s just a ploy to get those interested in the game to buy the disc based version at a cheap R799 without trying the PSN+ demo 😛
Weanerdog
October 13, 2014 at 09:01
“Thanks for bearing with us and sending us your supportive comments.” This right here means that they have no grasp of reality. I do not honestly believe that they are receiving any supportive comments.
Hammersteyn
October 13, 2014 at 09:04
Maybe they set their spam filter to remove mails with certain words in it like f**k, c**t, motherf****r, retarded, mom, assh****e, etc.
Weanerdog
October 13, 2014 at 10:43
Maybe they are the eternal optimist. Any press is good press. If someone took the time to write to us it means they really like me. I am sure my mom will love that kind attention seeing as we never go visit anymore.
Paul
October 13, 2014 at 19:42
Well unfortunetely there are a lot of supporters…. the likes on their FB page is 10K more than on premiere day. There is a number of people who defend them, there are a lot of people who bought the game just to see what all the fuss is about.
I have to say I will nod judge these people, but I’m a bit disappointed at gamers as community. Willingly buying product which does no fully work? Well…. maybe I’m too old, maybe the gamining industry change too much in past 25 years, and I cannot accept majority od these changes….
Matthew Holliday
October 13, 2014 at 09:33
so much for the infalibility of console exclusives.
if the servers where down for a whole weekend, then most people have finished the game and wont be playing it again.
guess what sequel people wont be buying.
WitWolfy
October 14, 2014 at 08:49
Deadonarrivalclub!
oVg
October 13, 2014 at 09:36
Welcome to next gen gaming. Gone are the days when a broken game got a total recall under the consumer protection act.
Now you just wait for a patch while your $80 service plan sits in Limbo.
Sageville
October 13, 2014 at 09:38
Geoff also seems to be in the running for the “Most fonts used” record….
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
October 13, 2014 at 09:43
Refresh. There’s only one font – but sometimes the css doesnt load properly. We don;t use more than one font in our posts.
Sageville
October 13, 2014 at 09:47
It’s magic!
Admiral Chief 0
October 13, 2014 at 09:40
Did it catch the Lazygamer virus?
Thats_how_I_Troll
October 13, 2014 at 11:22
I wonder if it was the Asian server that crashed?
CAE9872
October 13, 2014 at 11:30
Game looks great, and indeed plays great, but couldn’t agree more – cannot check ANYTHING as it is all server based. So for what was heralded as THE social game on PS4…well clearly that isn’t the case!
It does kinda make you worry how this was tested.
WitWolfy
October 14, 2014 at 08:44
Haven’t played this game again ever since I bought it last week. I got better games to play like Shadow of Mordor. Even at Rage DC was priced at R900 where Shadow of Mordor was like R700. I LOLed so hard.
Paul
October 15, 2014 at 00:16
Well new day new FB update it has been a week since release in EU (a bit less for UK).
I have to say that I do not envy EVO the situation they are in. Strangly they try to enable new features why many many people claims that they were not able to connect or were disconnected in less than 5minutes.
I believe this game launch will be the worst launch of multiplayer/social oriented game this year. Sorry no matter how much people might like offline it is 255 stars you can earn time to do so will depend on your skill but the point of the game was to create a small club and to carry on your progres (points) in order to higher up the rank of the club – this simply does not work.
Sure other game had problems – but correct me if i’m wrong Titanfall and Destiny had minor issues not a major ones like multiplayer not working for majority of the users. I asked my friend about Forza Horizon 2 – he said that yes there were some issues in first 48h but not as sevire as for driveclub.
I have the impression that EVO trying to fix this is like a person with just a box of matches in a huge library with lo light in it in which someone took all the books from the shelfs and put them in a pile.
As many users do not see a progression in getting online and some were able to connect and are not able to this anymore after latest patch – I do not see the future of DriveClub in bright colors. It might take another week or maybe month to make it somewhat stable. But that time some of the gamers (not die hard supporters who praise the product) will simply sell the game (if they have disc) others will simply be disapointed and will start playing other games…
I know that the this sentense is just my wishful thinking – but I hope Sony (as owner of EVO) and other dev studios/publisher will learn from this failure.
People paying 50$/45eur for a product (any product might be a game) should get what they pay for – not half baked, unfinished beta. This should not be acceptable in gamers community, but yet gamers seems not to learn still put a lot of preorders, buy the game not waiting for reviews…
WitWolfy
October 15, 2014 at 08:15
Decided to play this game again last night, still don’t like it.. Why are the AI’s cars so damn fast??? I’ll have the fastest car on the track going 240Km/h and a freaking mini will be cruising past me as if I’m looking rfor parking.
WTF!!!! The car physics is so borked in this game.