Make yourself comfy where you are, because Hyboria will be out of reach just a little bit longer.

Funcom has set the official release date of Age of Conan to May 20th, which is two months later than the previously expected release in March. It's a bit of a surprise after previous assurances that they'd given themselves ample development time with the last delay. Funcom has posted a official press release and explanations for the new delay, the magic word being "polishing".

Overall, it doesn't seem like much of a setback to me, so long as this is release date is solid. They need to hit spring / early summer though, if they want any sort of headstart on Mythic's and Blizzard's upcoming MMO releases. The sooner this game is out, the better positioned they'll be. I do understand though, their need to make sure the game's launch is successful to begin with.

I'm personally hoping the extra time will let them polish all aspects of the game for a complete and well-rounded MMORPG, not just the PvP highlights that the early adopters tend to be attracted to.

I'm really looking forward to this game.

This should put a complete and final end to the fears about whether they can deliver a good adult "Conan" experience while still retaining an "M" rating. Within one of their weekly updates, Funcom have announced that they've developed a server-side ratings system for their content.

Basically, their system allows for their servers to switch certain content or animations to the appropriate rated version, depending on the copy of the game you've purchased. So let's say you live in the U.S. where an "M" rated version of the game doesn't allow for chopping off heads (not sure if that will be restricted, just an example), then during that combat combo you may see a different animation than the full gory details that someone who bought the game in Quebec might see.

Since the technology is server-side and servers are regionalized, it sounds unlikely that it could be subverted by any sort of simple game-code hacking.

This sounds like an exceptional compromise, to allow the game to be toned down for different versions. I can only hope that they do provide for those who would like to specially order an adult-rated or simply unrated version of the game.

Shortly after posting my concerns over their dedication to adult content, Funcom added a new age-check splash to the Age of Conan website. I won't pretend my lowly little blog had much to do with it, the issue has been a buzz the past couple of weeks.

Kudos to Funcom for taking a step that demonstrates they still consider AoC to be adult material.

Note: I've posted two followups to this article.

Will Age of Conan tone it down to avoid an Adult Only rating? The folks at Funcom seem to embrace the adult-content, staying true to the world Robert E. Howard created, or at least the way Frank Frazetta envisioned it in stunning detail.

The thing is, Microsoft only allows max M rated games for their Games for Windows brand. Funcom has an agreement with Microsoft for the DirectX 10 / Vista stuff with this branding and I'd bet there is some fine print about the game's rating. No doubt for the Xbox 360 version too.

A bit of fuss was kicked up recently when Rockstar's Manhunt 2 was labelled as Adult Only, causing Nintendo to drop it like a hot potato. Frankly, I think it's about time that videogame publishers stopped acting like Blockbuster and pretending that anything not-for-kids isn't publishable. Responsible adults should still be able to play these games.

I would love to see Age of Conan leave the prudes and children behind. I'm looking forward to playing an MMORPG where the game doesn't feel dominated by pubescent adolescence. A little while ago in WoW, Sakkara told someone they were acting like a 12 year old and the player turned out to actually be aged 13. Hey, that's fine, let kids play WoW, but I'd like AoC to be a vacation from that crowd.

Let me make it clear, I wish AoC could have a rating and content that makes parents flinch and insist that their children will not play it. M doesn't cut it, it's the kind of rating where parents go "oh, okay, I guess so" to their kids and then if they do see something shocking they complain. See this gorgeous and gratuitous Frazetta artwork?

This is what Conan should look like. Gorgeous and cheesy with that Heavy Metal-esque adultness.

But I understand that Funcom may make compromises for a reduced rating. It would disappoint me, but they may be forced to make changes given the current climate with the Media, politics and publishers.

If you haven't already, you may want to head over to the official Age of Conan site to sign up for the closed beta tests. Their first few betas have been with very few players, mostly selected from Funcom's native Norway, but as they get closer to release the invites will expand further. Don't miss out.

Funcom has sent a bunch of curious souls on an online scavenger hunt, digging for clues in obscure websites (IE: darkdaysarecoming.com) about a work-in-progress project of theirs. They've spilled the beans a little bit and put out a press release for The Secret World, a new MMO they plan for the PC & Xbox 360.