Funcom has delayed the release of brutal MMO Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures from October to March 25, 2008.

Feedback from the beta seems to be the main culprit for the delay. But that's what a beta's for. Both firms say setting a new date means Funcom can continue to focus on "honing, polishing and improving the heralded qualities" of the game.

"We naturally regret that we have to push back Age of Conan. However, after careful consideration, and analysis of recent Beta feedback, we believe that the new release date is in the best interest of the gamers, our company and our owners," said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. "We are fully committed to delivering games with absolute qualities, and in the current MMO marketplace we know that only the best is good enough to truly succeed. With the new release date we have therefore given ourselves more time to meet and deliver on the massive expectations for the game. We are certain that our choice will ultimately pay off, and that all Age of Conan players will get a special online experience."

Producer and director Gaute Godager added, "We still see that we need to polish some aspects of the game even further, especially when it comes to the entry barriers. With the added development time we can now deliver something even more unique and powerful, something which is worthy of the incredible Conan legacy."

August 10, 2007