Mahoyo Delay Log

So time and time again, TYPE-MOON has been pushing back the release date of their next big title Mahoutsukai no Yoru. For some reason, the release date seems to be getting more and more vague with each delay as well. Below is a brief summary of major Mahoyo-related announcements:

2008-04-04 "New game announcement on 4/21"

After years of inactivity (and milking the Fate franchise), official site is updated with news of a new game by TYPE-MOON! Fans everywhere rejoice.

2008-04-04 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru to be released in early fall 2009"

The announcement on 4/21 officially unveiled Mahou Tsukao no Yoru, along with an early 2009 release date, which was later changed to 2009, and later fall of 2009.

2009-08-19 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru delayed to 2010 in order to further improve the game"

The official reason for the delay was something along the lines of "The delay was in part due to being over-optimistic about recreating a 13-year-old work, and in part because we can't suppress to our desire to pursue new stories." There was also words of the entire company working hard together to get the game done.
Unfortunately, according to sources online, the real reason behind Mahoyo's delay seemed to be because Nasu has been playing too much Demon's Souls (a PS3 game). apparently there was a Q and A with the TYPE-MOON people on a BBS, and well...

－みなさんどんなゲームやってますか？
高山（アマガミ）：最近だと世界樹2かな
こやま(TYPEMOON)：僕も1やってたんだけどクリア直前で止まってます。色々鍛えてる所。
奈須(TYPEMOON)：私は両方25階制覇して終わっちゃってますね締め切りぶっちぎり気味だったんでこれ以上伸ばすのは許されないと（汗）
武内(TYPEMOON)：ははは・・・

So what games have you been playing?
Takayama (Amagami): Sekaiju no Meikyuu 2.
So T-M's Koyoma responds immediately that he got stuck right before clearing the prequel. Nasu, likely with a smirk on his face, reveals that he cleared all 25 floors in both games.

最近だと他にはどんなゲームをやってますか？
奈須：デモンズソウルですね！これオススメですよ！ずっとハマってました（笑）
高山：デモンズソウル！あれめっちゃ面白そうですよねえ！きのこさんは自キャラを３人も作ってたんでしたっけ。
奈須：あれはヤバイ。「魔法使いの夜」の製作、途中で製作が止まった事あるんですが、正直に言うとこのゲームをやっていたのが原因です。
武内：・・・嫌な事聞いた
奈須：御免！だって面白かったんだもの。あそこはどうやったら突破できるか経験を積めるかずっと考えていました（笑）

What games have you been been playing lately?
Nasu: Demon's Soul! Highly recommended, I'm addicted.
Koyoma: It's pretty fun, Nasu even made three characters.
Nasu: Mahoyo's development actually got delayed because I've been playing this game too much, so sorry, but it's just so much fun.

2010-06-18 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru to be released on 9/30/2010"

A new release date according to leaked screenshot of Tech Gian August issue, and later official announcement from TYPE-MOON Ace. This also happens to be the release date for Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works.

2010-09-01 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru delayed to winter 2010"

Due to "due to various reasons." TYPE-MOON was even nice enough to put up a special announcement regarding the delay:

■「魔法使いの夜」発売再延期のお詫びとお知らせ
今冬発売を目指して制作しておりました「魔法使いの夜」ですが、発売日を「2011年内」と再度変更させていただくことになりました。
度重なる延期によって皆様を失望をさせてしまったこと、延期に至る詳細をお伝えせず、不安や不信を招いてしまったことを改めて深くお詫び申し上げます。
再度の延期となりましたのは、目指す完成の形に辿りつくための作業量の見積もりや過程で発生する問題に対する予測が甘く、今に至るまで完成の目処をつけることができなかったためです。
制作スタッフは、製作期間の長期化にもかかわらず、作品の為の尽力を続けてくれています。
一連の失態から名誉挽回出来るとすれば、可能な限り早く、定めた目標通りの形で作品を完成させること以外には無いと思っております。
発売日に関しては確定出来た時点でお知らせ致しますので、どうか今暫くお待ち下さいますよう、重ねてお願い申し上げます。

2011-03-07 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru release date pushed back to summer TBA 2011"

Rumors were flying around that the release date of TYPE-MOON's Mahoutsukai no Yoru had been pushed back to 6/24/2011. Since the news, Sofmap has changed the release date to TBA. Some pointed out that TYPE-MOON is not technically incorrect changing Mahoyo's release date to winter 2010, since in the Southern Hemisphere, June is actually winter.
In conclusion, TM is running on Southern Hemisphere time.
What's interesting is that in an interview, Nasu mentioned that since the story in Mahoyo takes place in the fall/winter season, he wanted the game to be released in the winter as well, so there is actually a possibility for the game to be delayed all the way till fall/winter even when it's completed. Many are hoping the delays would lead to teh addition of character voice and 18X content.

2011-03-12 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru stilled being worked on"

Earthquake...
What's even more interesting, after the earthquake in early 2001, Nasu posted in his diary:

2011/3/12 : 一日あけて（きのこ）
地震から一日あけてようやく落ち着きました。
こちらは幸運に恵まれ、TYPE=MOON含め、人的被害はありませんでした。
マホヨ延期で何を口にしても空滑りの自分ですが、
東北地方太平洋沖地震で被災された皆様に、心よりお見舞い申し上げます。
被害の少なかった土地に住むものとして、今はせめて、節電の協力を。
Translation:
Things finally settled down a day after the earthquake. Luckily, no one at TYPE-MOON got hurt.
We, who are "dead" no matter what excuse we come up with for the delay of Mahoyo,
give our best wishes to those in northeastern Japan who got caught in the earthquake.
Even though we region was not affect as much, we're trying our best to conserve energy.

Well, at least no one got hurt, and they still remember about game.

2011-11-04 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru demo to be released on 12/15"

It has become pretty obvious that the game won't be releaed in 2011, but a demo has been promised, to be released with TYPE-MOON Ace 7.

2011-11-30 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru to be released in mid-2012"

According to a listing on Animate, the first edition of Mahoyo would be released in mid-2012.

2011-12-13 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru to be released on 4/12/2012"

A leaked scan of TYPE-MOON Ace Vol.7 reveals the new release date.
The release date was confirmed during the release of TYPE-MOON Ace Vol.7 and an announcement on the TYPE-MOON website:

◎「魔法使いの夜」発売日決定によせて

■奈須きのこ（シナリオ）
シナリオ担当の奈須きのこです。「魔法使いの夜」ようやくお届けできる日がやってきま した。
今まで待たせてしまって申し訳ありません。
ずいぶんと時間をかけてしまいましたが、それに足るだけの作品に仕上がっていると今は胸を張って断言できます。
TYPE-MOONの伝統ですが、体験版は氷山の一角です。
本当に美味しいところはプレイ時のお楽しみにまるっと温存してあります。
美しいＣＧ、胸を打つ音楽、息を飲む演出。
そのどれもが現状のTYPE-MOONにとって最高峰のものです。
もちろん、脚本もそれらに負けないよう尽力しました。
妥協のない「ＡＤＶの極限」を目指して、制作は最後の坂を昇っています。
どうかあと少しの間、この新作の誕生を温かく見守ってやってください。

■こやまひろかず（原画・作画総監督）
キャラクター原画、グラフィック総括をしております、こやまひろかずです。
完成が近づき、長らくお待ち頂いた分だけ密度の濃いものに仕上がってきています。
体験版をプレイして頂けた方であれば百聞は一見にしかず、おおよそ出来上がりを想像してもらえると思います。
決して体験版はいいトコだけ寄せ集めた訳ではありませんよ？あの密度でみっちりです。
もはや上がり続けるハードルに決死の勝負を挑み続ける心境になっておりますが、
制作陣が最後に勝てるよう（最後までやり遂げられるよう）、もう少しだけ応援とご辛抱を頂ければ幸いです。

According to Nasu: "Unless all TYPE-MOON staff sprain their back, or someone throws a bomb into our office, the game should be released on time."

2012-04-12 "Mahoutsukai no Yoru released!"