Previously, Game Sense stored the first release date recorded in a separate field, and then used that field to calculate things like Upcoming Games, Time Machine destinations, etc. Game Sense is capable of storing release date information based on the gaming platform and region. However, we chose to use the earliest date per region because it would speed things up.
We noticed we were missing some important information, like if a game is re-released via Nintendo Virtual Console. For example, if a game released on PS2 in North America, and then a year later released in North America on PS3, the PS3 release in North America would be missing from some things. It wouldn't show up for example, in the Upcoming Releases or Recently Released games if it was before a game was re-releasing on a new platform in the same region. The new system fixes that.
A very good example of the new system working when the old one wouldn't is Pokemon Snap's release on the Wii U Virtual Console. Normally, this wouldn't show up in Upcoming Games or Recently Released. Now, it will. It may seem off-putting to see Pokemon Snap in a releasing soon list, but this new way will help gamers be more informed.
Another example of the new system in action is with the Time Machine. Time Machine will now look at world-wide, North American, and Japanese release dates. Super Mario Bros. 2 on NES is an example. Recently, it showed up in a Time Machine destination for 1992. Avid gamers will know that SMB2 came out a bit earlier than that. However, looking at the Game Sense release dates, SMB was pulled in because it released in Japan in 1992. Mainly because SMB2 is a reskin of Doki Doki Panic in the west, while Japan got a different Super Mario Bros 2 (known as Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels in the West).
This new system allows for us to notify you of games only releasing in specific regions. So, if you're interested in seeing upcoming games that are only releasing in Japan, or knowing when they release so you can import them, you can do so now on Game Sense. Import games are valuable, specially considering modern console's lack of region lock, and the recent attention to how some "localization" companies can completely butcher a game before it's released in the West (you know who you are, I'm glaring at you right now). We want to accomodate gamers who appreciate the original developer's intent when creating a game and make it easier for them to find good games to Import.
This new system opens up some possibilities for new features further on. We will announce them when we finish them, but they should be pretty neat. On an unrelated note, we have a really amazing idea for you if you like to write reviews. But we need more of them. If you write reviews for Game Sense, please keep at it. We have a really huge surprise that will be coming eventually, and it'll reward you for your reviews like no other site does.
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