Breaking News: Gta:iv Delayed Till 2008!

[Wriggy]

The overcrowded monkey house that was the 2007 holiday release season lost one of its 800-pound gorillas today. Without warning, this afternoon Take-Two Interactive stunned the game industry by announcing it was delaying Grand Theft Auto IV to the second quarter of its 2008 fiscal year, which begins on February 1, 2008. Published by Take-Two subsidiary Rockstar Games, the crime-action title had been slated to ship for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in North America on October 16, 2007.

"Take-Two is reducing its fiscal 2007 guidance primarily to reflect the movement of the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 to fiscal 2008, due to additional development time required to complete the title," the company said in a statement issued after the Wall Street markets closed.

Unsurprisingly, not having GTA IV in its 2007 fiscal-year lineup has put a serious dent in Take-Two's earnings expectations. The company's guidance is now for net revenue of $950 million to $1.0 billion for the 12 months ending October 31, and a loss of $1.25 to $1.35 per share. That figure is over $200 million lower than prior estimates of $1.2 billion to $1.25 billion in annual revenue--which would have been "break even results" according to the company's second-quarter earnings statement. With the AO-rated Manhunt 2 on indefinite hold, Take-Two now expects net revenue between $275 million to $300 million for its fourth fiscal quarter, with a net loss of $0.05 to $0.10 per share.

"Obviously, we are very disappointed to reduce guidance after having previously reaffirmed it," said Take-Two CEO Ben Feder. "Other than a matter of timing, the movement of Grand Theft Auto IV does not compromise Take-Two in any way. We are in sound financial condition and have a great product lineup."

Link (http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6176074.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;2)

Alternative Link: (ConsoleMonster) (http://www.consolemonster.com/newspost.php?id=0000002464)

I am gutted. Looks like I'll be playing Halo 3 a lot longer than I thought I would.

[carocat]

FFS.

This is one of the 4 games I am really waiting for this year. There is only so many times I can replay the other GTA games....

[AK.]

nobs, cant beleive that was really looking forward to a next gen gta game

[Fusion]

At leats i'll have some money for christmas presents :P

[gashead]

Good thing IMO. So many journos have come back from demos of the game complaining about the game's dodgy frame rates especially with the game only a couple months away.

I hate delays as much as the next gamer, but when it's as big a title as this, it's usually a good thing to delay it and make it an absolute peach!

[Joe]

Luke, seriously why don't you just edit out the swearing? That's what DC does.

[PicoDeath]

I'm really pissed off, I won't even post right now.

[gashead]

Luke, seriously why don't you just edit out the swearing? That's what DC does.

Wouldn't it be easier for you to just a) Not swear and b) Not post racist remarks not matter if you think it's ok or not. Your posts wouldn't get deleted then.

[Joe]

*comment removed*

Dcontrol says Jesus Christ Joe keep it civil!
If you must swear in your posts then fine but at least don't mess about with the word so that its visible and beats the swear filter.

[PicoDeath]

Why should he waste his time editing out your post? Wow.

[Wriggy]

Back on topic: ;)

The reason it's come as such as shock, is because it was a definite deadline right from the start, and 2 months away from the release, it gets delayed another *counts fingers* 7, possibly 8, months!

[carocat]

Another Alan Wake then?

[Wriggy]

Another Alan Wake then?

I've read that that's been canned for 360 and will be on PC, even though it was originally announced for 360 at release.

Also, wasn't the new GTA:IV content supposed to be released in March 07 :S

[gashead]

I've read that that's been canned for 360 and will be on PC, even though it was originally announced for 360 at release.

Alan Wake was originally PS3, 360 and PC.

[carocat]

As far as I know Alan wake is still 360 and PC. All the recent [over the last year] videos have been off the PC version though.

That game's been delayed so many times....

[Dcontrol]

It can't possibly be delayed as many times as Alan Wake or Huxley (I preordered both of them for the 360's UK launch).

Well I'm happy in a way because obviously now that they can address the issues within the game but gutted that it won't be out as stated. At least I'll have more cash to spend by then.

[carocat]

I didn't know Huxlety was meant to be a launch title?! Oh dear.

[Dcontrol]

Well it was on loads of games sites as a launch title but it never materialised, just as well I'm still bloody waiting.

[Dvx Uk]

O well, Halo 3 until 08 :p

[Project-Cooper]

Huxley is supposed to have a realese date for the end of this month... 31st of August 2007. I'm sure it will get delayed once again though.

----

Back on topic:
I'm slightly p---ed off, it was the ONE game I was most looking forward to this year. I will however be looking forward to the others, but this is a shock. I wish it hadn't been delayed though... :'(

[WACCOE]

Meh.

At least it'll beeven better, by the times it's out.

[Dvx Uk]

tbh this always happens so it should have been expected (Y)

As Waccoe said, it should be even better now :)

[Uriel Septim]

Well i am not to bothered about GTA being delayed as now i can buy Halo 3 and there is still Assassins Creed and Mass Effect in November and COD4. I would rather have a game that is top notch and pushes the 360 to the absolute limit than a game that is buggey and has framerate isuses.

[PicoDeath]

In a recent preview they said the Frame rate has been improved A LOT.

tbh this always happens so it should have been expected

Not exactly with GTA though, there's only one i think which NEVER came out in October. But.. at least i know it's going to be worth it -_-

[charliebrown]

Im not that fussed about gta being delayed..i bet the saints row 2 developers a over the moon.

[LiamKenna]

As with just about every other developer releasing games near GTA 4s original release date, at least they games might sell now lol.

[Wriggy]

UPDATE: PlayStation 3 Complications Caused The Delay

Analyst Michael Pachter believes Rockstar has delayed the release of Grand Theft Auto IV because it is struggling with development on the PlayStation 3.

And the Xbox 360 version of the game has suffered at least a six month delay as a result, due to contractual obligations that will have prevented the publisher from releasing the game first on Microsoft's machine, says the analyst.

"We think it is likely that the Rockstar team had difficulty in building an exceptionally complicated game for the PS3, and failed to recognise how far away from completion the game truly was until recently," said Pachter.

"We think it is also likely that Take-Two had a contractual commitment to Sony that it would not favour competitor Microsoft by launching the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV prior to launching the PS3 version, and believe that any delay of the PS3 version necessitated a delay of the Xbox 360 version," he added.

This failure to recognise development problems could dent investor confidence in the publisher, even after it has taken steps to improve the green light process for software development.

"Take-Two management stumbled badly for the first time during their tenure," commented Pachter.

"While the delay of GTA IV was clearly not the fault of new management, we believe that it should have been better understood several months ago, and should have been communicated to investors much earlier than today.

"The company has begun an initiative to improve the green light process for new projects, but given the delays of Manhunt and GTA, its process for monitoring projects under development appears to be a failure," he said.

Source (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27326)

[PicoDeath]

This was posted before here i think

[sarge mat]

In a way this is £70(collectors edition) less I have to spend this year which makes me kind of happy

[Headshot]

not even looking forward 2 gta at all, 90 percent sure i wont get it.

tbh its a but meh- i prefer games that focus on one element and and perfect it- css, hl2, halo, pgr, shadowrun, etc.

i no iam gunna get a flamming for that lol- i dnt mind.

[carocat]

Depends on how you look at it, but doesn't Shadowrun do different things as well, like shooting, melee and magic?

And what about the new PGR that looks like it will support bikes as well?

i no iam gunna get a flamming for that lol- i dnt mind.
The only flaming you get from me is that the way you type really, really winds me up.

[WACCOE]

Shirley there's more important things to get wound up about?

[carocat]

I can understand maqking spelling mistakes or capitalisation mistakes or similar stuff, but intentionally typing like that and effectively not giving a ---- about the people who read it annoys me. Especially as I can't skimread it, therefore have to spend longer reading it.

[PicoDeath]

Each to their own headshot :)

[WACCOE]

I can understand maqking spelling mistakes

Boom tish?