Take 2 said that the decision to delay almost-sure-to-be-a-mega-hit Grand Theft Auto IV into the second fiscal quarter of 2008 was recent, having just been made today with Rockstar after reviewing a build of the game yesterday. Saying in a conference call today that they didn't think it was "helpful or beneficial" to go in to specifics, Take 2 declined to say the exact issues behind the delays, though they did say that it was "almost strictly technological challenges." They emphasized that they're highly confident that the delay will be enough time to bring the game up to snuff and that consumers and investors would "agree that the end result was worth the wait."
Chairman Strauss Zelnick pointed out that the install base for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 should be significantly larger by Q2 of FY 2008, though they insist that didn't have a bearing on their decision. One company spokesperson admitted that other publishers may be happy to see GTA IV moved out of the holiday season, saying, "I think for the industry it's not necessarily the worst thing in the world ... just to be perfectly candid."
Also, it was mentioned that Manhunt 2 isn't listed for release next year, but Take 2 says that's more cautionary due to the game's ratings issues rather than an insinuation that the game won't make 2008.
Chairman Strauss Zelnick pointed out that the install base for both the PS3 and Xbox 360 should be significantly larger by Q2 of FY 2008, though they insist that didn't have a bearing on their decision. One company spokesperson admitted that other publishers may be happy to see GTA IV moved out of the holiday season, saying, "I think for the industry it's not necessarily the worst thing in the world ... just to be perfectly candid."
Also, it was mentioned that Manhunt 2 isn't listed for release next year, but Take 2 says that's more cautionary due to the game's ratings issues rather than an insinuation that the game won't make 2008.












(Page 1) Reader Comments
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/HUGE EXASPERATED SIGH/
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"Certain elements of development proved to be more time-intensive than expected, especially given the commitment for a simultaneous release on two very different platforms."
This should likely be read as we don't know how to program for the PS3, and we're going to delay both versions so we don't screw Sony completely.
Proof please! You know links etc
If not then try and be a little objective and less fanboyish.
Who am I kidding? It's Joystiq! Lets flame! ;)
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/21/ps3s-ghost-recon-advanced-warfighter-2-delayed-again/
Not to mention 1st party games
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/01/lair-not-done-delayed-until-september-4/
And those are just two examples. Motorstorm, Rainbow 6 Vegas, Oblivion and others have all missed their initial launch dates on the PS3.
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Cell is too complex!
DVD9 is too small!
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Thanks good for dalay - maybe framerate on PS3 will be equal to X360 not half of it.
Doh.
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Pointing fingers at either console is just stupid because we no nothing and it won't make the game come out any sooner. These comments are sure to be filled with meaningless uninformed fanboy venom, resulting in us all becoming dumber having read them.
People just need to realize games are complex to make, Fuck all this 360 vs. PS3 shit, a video game is very difficult to craft well.
I remember Sega developers complaining the Dreamcast wasn't powerful enough and they couldn't get 60fps out of it. Developers are still complaining, even though the systems are clocked so fast they warp their own motherboards. Oh, we don't have a hard drive standard! Boo hoo! Ten years from now, they will still complain the hardware isn't powerful enough. Then, they will complain that making games is too expensive.
Meanwhile, bugs still multiply exponentially.
I just want to slap these developers so hard... with an Omniwrench(tm).
-the dvd9's limited space and
-the complex PS3.
and i also think they will say the HDD is required for the 360 version.
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Any way, I'll likely play a bunch of games I otherwise wouldn't have due to GTA IV being delayed, so I'm not terribly affected either way.
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And don't worry about double posting, I do it on almost every thread that I choose to grace with my presence.
Apparently, I don't exist!
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=
"Not strictly technological challenges"
=
"Definately something non-technological that's causing challenges"
=
"We're busy Thompson-proofing it"
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Microsoft's holiday 'strategy' just collapsed because Rockstar can't deliver.
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Well, this clarifies a lot of the speculation, but opens the fanboy wars up wide
Hahaha yeah dream on...
i can make fanboy comments too
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'almost strictly technological challenges'= 'We're scared SHITLESS of going up against Halo 3 this holiday.'
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Has the Halo series sold half as many?
There could be any number of hidden reasons we're not being told relating to development problems for PS3 and Xbox 360, but Halo?
I think you're having yourself on if you think Halo is the reason.
GTA Series:
Copies Sold = roughly 22 million
Number of games = 8
Average # of copies sold per title = 2.75 million
Halo Series:
Copies Sold = roughly 14 million
Number of games = 2
Average # of copies sold per title = 7 million
Even if that info is correct on GTA selling over 60 million copies is accurate (which doesn't seem too likely considering the numbers I'm quoting here are only a little over a year old), 60/8 = 7.5 million average, which is only SLIGHTLY better than Halo.
In truth Halo is a force to be reconed with and no developer should underestimate it, Take Two included.
Sources:
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/28/mario-madden-gta-dominate-gaming-franchises/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_(series)
PS2 combined sales figures for GTAIII, VC, SA
= 40.68 million sales
Take any two together and they beat Halo sales.
Get your facts right before you spew fanboyism for crying out loud
Here are some up-to-date links for ya;
http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=3427
http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=896
http://www.vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=891
Do you try to be a dick head or is this just your natural demeanor? I wasn't "spewing fanboyism", I looked at numbers posted on this very website, used logic and math and concluded that GTA, while a great selling series, is not impervious to competition. I apologize if I didn't look up every website that posts sales stats before posting here, apparently I'm a retarded or "technologically challenged" fanboy, despite the fact that I acknowledged that the numbers could be off and that GTA could average more sales per title than Halo. However I was using EVERY title in the series, not just the top three best selling ones, which will obviously skew the results. I did not say GTA sucked or that Halo is the best game in the universe, I simply countered an arguement that completely downplayed the popularity of Halo. What the heck is your problem?
"apparently I'm a retarded or "technologically challenged" fanboy"
I didn't call you "technologically challenged", indeed, I didn't imply it either. Why oh why would you put quotations on that phrase?
"I apologize if I didn't look up every website that posts sales stats before posting here"
your apology is accepted ;)
"I did not say GTA sucked or that Halo is the best game in the universe"
No you didn't and I never said you did.
"What the heck is your problem?"
I don't have a problem with you, your post however was ill informed and I just picked you up on it. No need to get defensive.
"Do you try to be a dick head or is this just your natural demeanor?"
You really feel the need to start calling names? It's the internet ffs, why get so worked up about something so trivial?
take it easy and chill out
resist.
On the topic, I think it a good think GTA is delayed. The fall was way too crowded with great games. 2008 need some loving too.
Think of all the sore thumbs that have been saved by this move. Very smart on Take2's part. It will probably sell even faster. (Gift card redemption, remember)
As I replied in the post about the Xbox power cord, last night I was sleep deprived and cranky, so I do apologize about my irritability.
I realize the source I cited was apparently off in numbers, I was just annoyed that for actually looking up stats and thinking logically I got labelled a fanboy. Because truth be told, while I like Halo, it is not my favorite series by a long shot.
I put technologically challenged in quotations because a post before me had made a joke regarding this article's title, not because you had said anything about me being retarded.
The whole point of my post was that Halo is a very well selling series- on par with GTA in several respects. It would be safe to say the first two Halo games sold more than the first two GTA games as it wasn't until GTA III that the series really took off, so my point still stands, which doesn't make me a fanboy or either game or any system they came out on.
Thank you for the chill pills, they had a lovely cherry flavor.
I'm not a Sony hater or a fanboy, but this does suck something rotten. I was really looking forward to GTA4 this year, now I've gotta wait till next year, theres only really Call of Duty 4 to look forward to really as Halo 3 is Halo 1.6 (halo 2 + hi-res graphics with the same levels copy and pasted over and over to make it seem longer).
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It's still early in August, I wonder what else is going to get delayed?
Everybody chant with me. HAY LOW 3 - HAY LOW 3
lol.. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket.. MS just has a knack for shooting itself in the foot. $50 million well spent! Good ol' E3 "we want to focus in on games that gamers will be playing NOW, this YEAR" blah, blah, blah.. These dev companies are making you look like fools MS.
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MS will do fine without GTA for christmas as far as I'm concerned. Hell, I'm even stoked that I will be able to actually spend some time playing games like Army of 2, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Halo 3, Orange Box (mainly for Team Fortress), and COD 4. I work 50 hrs a week and I was looking at that lineup and seriously feared for my relationship with my son and wife.
That's all that needs to be said.
MS has Halo coming before the holidays.
I actually dont know this, but does PS3 have any Halo-equivalent exclusive coming out for the holiday?
If PS3 does not, GTA would have been a VERY important game for Sony. Not only did MS take away Sony's exclusivity to GTA, it also moved it past the holiday console-moving window.
Somehow I think that 50 mln had something to do with it. Somehow, I think there are some very pale faces at Sony's PS3 division right now. Somehow I think, there might be a antitrust lawsuit coming against MS, Take 2. Damages, damages all around.
360 FTW
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DVD = Next gen!! What a statement Microsoft.
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BluRay = Another soon to be dead Sony format.