The ambitious Kickstarter video game project, BATTLETECH, will be delaying its launch until 2018 according to an update from the developers.

“We’d previously been projecting a late 2017 release but now that we’ve revised our AI & combat mechanics in reaction to your feedback, completed a thorough review of the work remaining on the game, and are poised to release the Multiplayer Backer Beta update, all indications are that Paradox & HBS will release BATTLETECH in early 2018,” said the developers in the update.

The game, developed by Harebrained Schemes LLC, managed to raise over $2.7 million from over 40,000 backers according to BATTLETECH‘s Kickstarter page. The Kickstarter project was first created in September of 2015 and had a goal of only $250,000, and fans managed to completely surpass the original goal by, well, a lot. The giant mech turn-based tactics game went into Backer Beta (backers that paid $50 or more would be able to get access to this) in June of this year, according to this Kickstarter update.

The original date on the Kickstarter pledges indicate a May 2017 release, but the developers say that it was actually the projected window of the Backer Beta, not of the full game itself.

“As you may remember, the original release estimate listed in our Kickstarter campaign was for delivery of the BATTLETECH Base Skirmish Game. With each additional Funding Stage unlocked – Single-Player Story Campaign, Expanded Mercenary Campaign, and PVP Multiplayer – more time and team members were added for the additional work,” said the developers.

Also, they discuss why exactly they decided to delay the full release of BATTLETECH, saying that they wanted to give fans not just a completed game, but something that they will be able to enjoy for a long time.

“Throughout development, the message we’ve received has been clear, ‘Don’t rush it, just make it great.’ and we have taken that to heart. All of us – HBS, Paradox, and our Backers – share a deeply personal attachment to this project and we are committed to delivering a game that not only meets your high expectations but introduces BattleTech to a new generation of players,” said the developers about why they decided to delay the official release of BATTLETECH.

Along with the sad news, the developers mention that they are making a lot of progress since the Backer Beta was first made live. The developers gave players a survey at the end of gameplay so that they can determine what they should change or improve and where to do that.

“As Mitch mentioned in our last update, we’ve made a ton of progress on all the component pieces of the game and this phase of development is all about bringing them together… it’s a lot of stuff and it’s exciting to see it all getting stitched together and “upleveled” with art, audio, UI, and writing,” it said in the update. “It really is an exciting time on the project and I can’t wait to share it with you when it’s finally done. Thanks again for all your support!”

Many fans supported Harebrained Schemes LLC reason to delay BATTLETECH, as shown in the comments of the Kickstarter update announcing the delay.

I would understand why the developers might want to take time to finish the game, since they have a lot of support from backers who want to see the game truly flourish. There is no further information about a release window at this time except that the game will be ready for launch sometime in early 2018. But, that isn’t a lot of time from now, so we can expect more news from the developers soon.

Featured image via the official BATTLETECH Kickstarter page.