Editing Daikatana (section)

==Promotion and release==
[[File:Daikatana infamous advertisement.jpg|thumb|left|The controversial advertisement for ''Daikatana'']]
''Daikatana'' was revealed in 1997, forming part of the opening publicity for Ion Storm.<ref name="NGen30"/> In subsequent years, the press material focused almost entirely on pushing the company name and its lead developers, something later regretted by several of its staff. This was particularly true of Romero. This consequently drew Romero away from production, leading to further difficulties.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="SalonRetro"/><ref name="CGOinterview">{{cite web |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/197/romero_interview.html |title=Riding the Storm |website=Computer Games Online |date=January 20, 1999 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021216010115/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/197/romero_interview.html |archive-date=December 16, 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Public, journalistic and commercial confidence in the project was weakened by the repeated delays to its release date.<ref name="SalonRetro"/><ref name="GDinterview"/> The situation was worsened when the ''[[Dallas Observer]]'' printed a story about the internal struggles of the Austin office, which cited both undercover interviews and leaked emails. The article prompted widespread publicity surrounding the staff departures and the company's financial status.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="GDinterview"/> Romero responded by calling the claims of the article "both biased and inaccurate".<ref name="GDinterview"/> Later, Romero felt that their marketing's attempts to push the game only made Ion Storm and its core members come off as egotistical.<ref name="IonHistory"/>

''Daikatana'' was advertised with a 1997 print advert with the phrase "John Romero's about to make you his bitch", which became notorious.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="SalonRetro"/> According to [[Mike Wilson (executive)|Mike Wilson]], the advert was created by the same artist who designed the game's box art, under order of their chosen advertising agency. Both Wilson and Romero thought it was funny and approved it. Romero had second thoughts soon after but was persuaded by Wilson to let it pass.<ref name="IonHistory"/> Speaking ten years later, Romero said he went along with it as he had a reputation for similar crass phrases. He said that the reactions to the poster tarnished the game's image long before release and continued to affect his public image and career.<ref name="KotakuRomero">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/john-romero-is-so-sorry-about-trying-to-make-you-his-bi-5541406 |title=John Romero Is So Sorry About Trying To Make You His Bitch |last=Ashcraft |first=Brian |website=[[Kotaku]] |date=May 18, 2010 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529002746/https://kotaku.com/john-romero-is-so-sorry-about-trying-to-make-you-his-bi-5541406 |archive-date=May 29, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2008 blog post, Romero attributed the marketing tactic to Wilson, prompting a hostile exchange of public messages between the two.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="KotakuRomero"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/romero-and-wilson-spat-gets-dirty |title=Romero and Wilson spat gets dirty |last=Purchese |first=Robert |website=[[Eurogamer]] |date=January 21, 2008 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605231102/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/romero-and-wilson-spat-gets-dirty |archive-date=June 5, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Romero told ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' that Sasha Shor, designed the game's packaging and the ad.{{sfn|Retro Gamer|2015|pp=30}}

''Daikatana'' was demoed at the 1999 [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]]. The demo ran at a very low 12 frames per second,<ref name="20 years" /> which further damaged the game's public image. Staff member Jake Hughes remembered that Romero wanted changes made which crippled the demo tech and caused the issues, while Romero states that he had already departed for E3 and the upper management insisted on the changes when he was gone.<ref name="IonHistory"/> On April 21, 2000, ''Daikatana'' was completed and reached [[Golden master|gold status]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ajami |first=Amer |date=April 21, 2000 |title=Daikatana Is Gold |work=[[GameSpot]] |url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/00_04/21_pc_daikatana/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010208190827/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/00_04/21_pc_daikatana/index.html |archive-date=February 8, 2001}}</ref> A tie-in comic book was drawn by [[Marc Silvestri]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://romero.smugmug.com/Video-Games/Daikatana/1217593_bp5x9g/155482247_PHX98gg#!i=155482247&k=PHX98gg |title=The cover of the Daikatana comic by Mark Silvestri. - ROME.RO Photos - John Romero |publisher=Romero.smugmug.com |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> and released by [[Top Cow]] for [[Prima Games]]' ''Daikatana: Prima's Official Strategy Guide''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daikatana-prima-game-secrets/1014340037?ean=9780761514831 |title=Daikatana by Prima Game Secrets &#124; 9780761514831 &#124; Paperback &#124; Barnes & Noble |publisher=Barnesandnoble.com |date=January 3, 2000 |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> The [[Nintendo 64]] version was first released as a [[Blockbuster LLC|Blockbuster]] rental exclusive by [[Kemco]] in August 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/rental-only-daikatana/1100-2611253/ |title=Rental Only Daikatana |author=GameSpot Staff |work=[[GameSpot]] |date=August 2, 2000 |access-date=October 24, 2019}}</ref> It was later released for retail on November 26, 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/daikatana-finally-ships-for-the-nintendo-64/1100-2657420/ |title=Daikatana Finally Ships for the Nintendo 64 |author=GameSpot Staff |work=[[GameSpot]] |date=October 28, 2003 |access-date=October 24, 2019}}</ref>

''Daikatana'' received a 44 megabyte patch{{sfn|Edge|2000|pp=20}} and its final patch, version 1.2, was released on September 29, 2000.<ref>{{Cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=New Daikatana US and UK Patches |url=http://www.daikatana.com/news.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020301014943/http://www.daikatana.com/news.htm |archive-date=March 1, 2002 |website=Daikatana.com |date=September 29, 2000 |access-date=December 12, 2015}}</ref> Following the release of ''Daikatana'' and ''Anachronox'', Ion Storm Austin decided to close the Dallas branch office in July 2001.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="SalonRetro"/> In the absence of any further official support after this closure, Romero gave the [[source code]] to community members, allowing them to develop additional platform [[Porting|ports]] (most notably [[Linux]], [[macOS]] and other [[Unix-like]] systems) and [[bug fix]]es.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/9gs5r_4eY0k Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150128224854/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gs5r_4eY0k Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite AV media |people=LeBreton, Jean Paul; [[John Romero|Romero, John]] |date=January 20, 2015 |title="Devs Play" S01E05 - Doom (Part 8 - Map 6 Central Processing) 60fps &#91;8/10&#93; |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gs5r_4eY0k&t=356 |access-date=December 12, 2015 |time=5:56 |publisher=[[Double Fine Productions]] |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>