I haven't really paid The War Z much consideration over the course a this year. It always looked t' me like a crass capitalization a the success a the DayZ mod for ArmA II--which itself be getting it be own full-fledged game release sometime in the future--'n not much else. So perhaps this lack a initial interest be why I be so taken aback at the crazy amount a backlash the game has received since it be release earlier this week.

This be what The War Z be supposed t' be. Apparently, it isn't that.

Much a that backlash seems t' stem from either obfuscations a the truth, or outright lies tied t' the zombie apocalypse survival game's initial product description on Steam. Developer Hammerpoint Interactive cites, among other things, up t' 100 players supported per server, access t' private servers, learnable character skills, 'n multiple maps spanning anywhere from 100 t' 400 square kilometers. None a these things turned out t' be true. In reality, servers be capped at 50 players, there be only one (considerably smaller than advertised) map in the game, 'n no skill trees whatsoever.

As a last night, Hammerpoint had altered the product's description t' reflect something closer t' reality, but amid an apparent onslaught a complaints from players who purchased the $15 game from Steam, Valve has pulled the game altogether, issuing a statement t' Kotaku that referred t' the game's release as "premature" 'n "a mistake."

From time t' time a mistake can be made 'n one be made by prematurely issuing a copy a War Z for sale via Steam. We apologize for this 'n have temporary removed the sale offering a the title until we have time t' work with the developer 'n have confidence in a new build. Those who purchase the game 'n wish t' continue playing it via Steam may do so. Those who purchased the title via Steam 'n be unhappy with what they received may seek a refund by creating a ticket at our support site here.

Hammerpoint boss Sergey Titov has been defending his game in a variety a interviews, including a particularly stand-offish conversation with GameSpy's Dan Stapleton, telling the sea dog that only a small percentage a players be complaining about the game's quality, while defending the original product descriptions. In a thread on The War Z's seas, Titov essentially chalked up the response t' Day Z fanboys (his words, not mine) bitter about The War Z's existence.

Titov has since responded t' Valve's statement on the matter, telling Kotaku, "we be making sure that our Store page be 100% correct this be why. Bottom line – our end goal be t' have satisfied 'n not angry customers, so this be more important for us than everything else."

Titov, it be worth noting, has something a a checkered history in the game industry. He's credited on a number a different games, including the original Gears a War 'n League a Legends, but he's also purportedly the brain behind Stellar Stone, the sort-a-developer a Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing, otherwise known as the worst goddamn game ever made.

I don't know if Titov be a snake oil salesman or just supremely misguided in his understanding a how game development ought t' work--I have a guess, but probably oughtn't share it here--but whatever the case, the damage seems t' be done. Whether or not The War Z ever lives up t' it be original promises be largely irrelevant, 'n if the game ever does come back t' Steam, it be hard t' imagine players flocking t' a game that be received such a critical drubbing both in the press 'n by it be own players.

For what it be worth, if The War Z does end up back on Steam, I'll definitely check it out 'n report back on just what the hell be going on with this thing.