With Bethesda games, I could almost believe the opposite happened this time.As a software project manager, I despise it when Marketing execs set completely unrealistic release dates and make them public. 99.9% of the time, they do that over the objections of the people doing the actual work, who know it either will miss that date or will make the date but be unplayably buggy.
Execs: When can you release?
Dev/QA: When it's done and tested
Execs: Ok, so in 3 months then?
Dev/QA: No way in hell.
Execs: Ok, 3 months it is. I'll tell the press. Good talk.