Sierra has announced that Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura will now ship next spring, instead of the previously announced fall release date. Arcanum, developed at Troika Games by former Fallout team members, is a fantasy-themed role-playing game set in a post-industrial world where magic and technology are at odds. Troika's Sharon Shellman recently stated that the extra time will be used for extensive testing, and will incorporate feedback from this September's public beta of the game.

　　While the last build of Arcanum we saw appeared to contain nearly all the intended features and content, the non-linear nature of the game's single-player adventure could complicate the testing process. Another consideration may be that, though it will miss the desirable Christmas retail season, Arcanum will not face as much competition in the spring.

　　The public beta test of Arcanum will give players a chance to experience a number of the game's 19 environments. In addition, Sierra will release a playable demo this winter. For more information, read our Arcanum preview coverage linked to the right.