Pachter: EA could delay GTA IV's April 29 release

by Christopher Grant { Apr 6th 2008 at 7:28PM }

Mr. Michael Pachter – everyone's favorite clairvoyant video game analyst – has a knack for making headlines. Whether it's "Pachter snubs pal Lohan in Viper Club debacle" or "EA could delay GTA IV's April 29 release" we tend to take notice. On the latest episode of Bonus Round, Pachter told host Geoff Keighley, "I think if EA takes over Take-Two, they have an economic incentive to delay [Grand Theft Auto IV]." What economic incentive might that be? Why, to hold the release until the far more lucrative fourth quarter. As for why Take-Two isn't simply doing that itself, the Pach explains, "Take-Two, financially, has to get that game out ... they need the money. They need to get it out."

That's all well and good but, you see, it's just that we've had April 29th circled on our Strauss Zelnick pinup calendar (in permanent marker no less) for over two months and, since Peter Moore really dropped the ball, we also went ahead and got that date tattooed on our far less impressive biceps. So, to recap, if EA manages to merge their giant family with Take-Two's impressive roster, your plans for May are shot and we're going to have a funny tattoo story to tell the grandkids.

Tags: EA, GTAIV, Michael-Pachter, pachter, Take-Two

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Frank @ Apr 6th 2008 7:35PM

If do EA = Burma, me = Rambo.

Frank @ Apr 6th 2008 7:36PM

Um, I meant if they do EA = Burma, me = Rambo.

Ellianth @ Apr 6th 2008 7:39PM

a better if statement would be:

If this game gets delayed 1 more time:

I won't buy it!

Cal @ Apr 6th 2008 7:50PM

I prefer the Rambo approach, mind if I tag along?

Zeus.:God @ Apr 6th 2008 8:46PM

If
GTAIV_Release = Delayed

Then
Me = Rambo

End if

Tiptup300 @ Apr 6th 2008 9:59PM

ack! vb ftl!

public static void main(String args[])
{
if(gta.Delayed)
{
this = Rambo;
EA.Dispose();
}
else
{
this.SelfDestruct("ZOMGERZ");
}
}

DWells55 @ Apr 6th 2008 10:04PM

Oooh, let me try in Java!

if(gtaiv.getReleaseDate() > new Date(04292008))
me = rambo;

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 6th 2008 10:32PM

This is gonna be a loooong night of meme.

klitorisaurus @ Apr 6th 2008 11:35PM

If EA delays GTA they deserve to get coopered hardcore! I don't think EA would be that stupid though, with all of the ad revenue already spent on it. Not to mention that fact that they'll make themselves look more like fascists then they already do.

GreyFox @ Apr 7th 2008 12:03AM

Someone would get their house burnt the fuck down if it was delayed. Never mind that Sam Houser would be pretty pissed.

Jomolungma @ Apr 7th 2008 9:28AM

If EA delayed this game, angry gamers might still play GTAIV on April 29th.... it'll just be for real and at EA's HQ.

Tiptup300 @ Apr 8th 2008 8:32PM

Dude, Videogames don't kill people.

Delayed ones do.

Donald @ Apr 6th 2008 7:38PM

Everyone at EA is a meanie.:(

rv @ Apr 6th 2008 8:02PM

Well its not them, Ea is not saying this, an analyst said it. It could be rampant speculation, there is no evidence to suggest this.

Bleu @ Apr 7th 2008 10:20AM

I dont believe EA would be that foolish and do this because we already hate them....now the casual market will hate them as well making them hated by all.

LiqwidZero @ Apr 6th 2008 7:45PM

All of the people I know up at GameStop have told me that GTA IV has had enough pre-orders to do a midnight launch, and that hasn't happened here since Halo 3.

Lone Starr @ Apr 6th 2008 7:59PM

I try not to know people at GameStop.

Kuro @ Apr 6th 2008 9:33PM

someone forgot to mention Brawl

Drew @ Apr 7th 2008 2:48AM

Not gonna lie, 99% of the guys at gamestop are retards.

mike shea @ Apr 7th 2008 9:05AM

eff you guys!

we make shit up because 99% of you are retards!

Jomolungma @ Apr 7th 2008 9:31AM

My Gamestopper told me the same thing... as he was giving me the new COD4 maps for free, just 'cuz... so not all Gamestoppers are evil... based on the two shops in my area, I'd say the ratio is 5 out of 7 are complete &*$holes.

LiqwidZero @ Apr 7th 2008 2:57PM

What's funny is that the people I know up at GameStop are actually know what they're talking about and are gamers. And they don't ask if you want to pre-order something every 20 minutes, like the generic GameStop employee. They're just cool people.

Henry @ Apr 6th 2008 7:46PM

EA is the Walmart of games.
Boooo!

rokerij2003 @ Apr 6th 2008 7:49PM

OH WORDS WORDS WORDS EA SUCK WORDS WORDS WORDS CORPORATE WORDS BLAH BLAH BLAH MAD MAD ANGRY!

(I just summarized 99.9% of the comments that'll be on here, the other % will be someone asking for gameplay tips on how to do johnny cage's fatality on mortal kombat for the Sega GameGear)

Howard-the-Duck @ Apr 6th 2008 7:50PM

btw, anyone know how to do that?

ComradeTrotskii @ Apr 6th 2008 7:54PM

Forward, Forward, Forward + '1' while close.

Now that the important issue is out of the way we can all get back to making noises about Pachter and EA.

jorojoserojas @ Apr 6th 2008 7:59PM

+'s all around!

Luke @ Apr 7th 2008 5:08AM

I always go with subzero.

Donald @ Apr 6th 2008 7:51PM

Pachter's lost it if he thinks this game is getting delayed. I'm pretty sure it's already gone gold and the process for getting the game into retailers has already begun.

If this game isn't ready for a 4/29 release, the lawsuits will fly like eagles.

ExMcCloud @ Apr 7th 2008 1:03AM

Your right...Plus they already have commercials showing the release date.... Pushing it bak again would make everyone hate them and leave us with Saints Row...again?

Yeef @ Apr 6th 2008 9:23PM

To be fair, Pachter said this during Bonus Round on Game Trailers which was recorded a month ago (if not longer). This kind of stuff happens all the time on Bonus Round because they split it into weekly segments even though it's all taped in one session, so you get things like Cliffy B refusing to ackowledge that he's working on Gears 2 two weeks after it's already been revealed officially.

Donald @ Apr 6th 2008 11:42PM

Really? Damn, I didn't think to find out if it was pre-taped.

John M. @ Apr 6th 2008 7:52PM

Someone explain to me why possibly moving probably the biggest game of the year to a date that gets jam packed with other games? It's going to sell huge anyway, and right now there is NOTHING that can possibly rival it. Good going EA, you've somehow managed to slip back into a sinkhole you've made.

Deck @ Apr 6th 2008 7:53PM

Wow... who knows really but if they really did manage to do that... there would be quite a few unhappy gamers!

REVOLT! REVOLUTION! GREEN EGGS AND HAM! Errr...what?

Sky Shark X2 @ Apr 6th 2008 7:58PM

I severaly doubt that will happen, it would do more harm to PR than possible revenue could be gained. Also its not like GTA4 is one of those mass market games(ie. all ages.) Really I think those would be the ones they would delay. A GTA4 delay would be a bitch slap to fans and might even detur some fans from buying it in protest in EA's worst case scenario.

PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ Apr 6th 2008 8:45PM

i think you hit the nail on the head there. the only reason to hold a game off until the Q4 is to take advantage of the parents with loose wallets from the holiday spirit. yes everyone plays GTA (just about) but releasing the game so all the uninformed (yea i know lol...) parents could buy it for their underaged kids would be another problem entirely. this game is going to sell like hotcakes from the get go and i expect it be break all kinds of records mostly because this one is releasing multiplat from day one.

just think, the majority of those sales from the previous generation came from 1 console (albeit a massively leading 1), now replace that PS2 with the 360 and add PS3 sales for flavor and you have the recipe for record setting success. there is no need for a delay til Q4, this game could (and probably will) single handedly save Take2.

Jeff @ Apr 6th 2008 7:58PM

He's wrong.

He's stating what EA would have done if they had managed to by Take Two... a few months back, at the latest. Now, it's too late.

Would be a smart business move-- GTA IV could sell amazingly in the fall. But GTA games tend to keep selling.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ Apr 6th 2008 8:01PM

GTAIV will continue to sell amazingly in the fall.

Jeff @ Apr 6th 2008 10:36PM

Absolutely. Combine that with the fact that Taketwo needs money, and that it was already delayed, and is thus probably extremely published... and holding off til fall looks even less intelligent.

Jomolungma @ Apr 7th 2008 9:35AM

You're right, GTAIV will sell amazing in the fall, right when the exclusive DLC for 360 hits. Sell it on 4/29 for a killing, then release DLC in the fall and sell all of that for a killing, then sell more GTAIV's to those that didn't buy it in the spring but now want to because the DLC is great for a triple-killing... in terms of balance sheets, much better to show this kind of steady income throughout the year than leave it all at the end... plus, if they wait to release the game until about when the DLC is coming out, they'll lose some DLC sales because gamers will still be going through the main game at that time...

PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ Apr 7th 2008 10:15AM

does anyone know what the exclusive DLC is going to be yet? i am curious as to how much i may be missing out on. i mean if its extra missions, i wouldnt care anyway since i barely finish the ones the games come with (running around wreaking havoc is too much fun). but if it's like another city map to romp through or extra weapons or something i may turn pretty green with envy lol. just curious as to if anyone knew yet.

(P.S. i probably wont come back on here to check anyway so its just me thinking out loud mostly lol)

Stainless Steel Rat @ Apr 6th 2008 8:00PM

John M.: Yes, ONE GUY makes a prediction that MAYBE the delay will happen IF EA gets T2 - and of course EA is now a "sinkhole" and all... Look above, the lolocopter is dropping the ROTFL bombs!

Mr Khan @ Apr 6th 2008 8:05PM

So its a race...

The Nintendo fanboy in me kinda wants it delayed (less competition for Mario Kart), but the nice person in me doesn't want it delayed that long, it'd be a heartbreaker for a lot of friends of mine

But Jeff is right, release it now and it sells well now AND in the 4th quarter, what's to be gained waiting?

EihBeir @ Apr 6th 2008 8:07PM

"When GTA 3 came out, I had a 325,000 unit estimate, so I only missed by about 20 million units." - Michael Pachter

"Warcraft is so good and so good-looking that it got this immediate attraction; everybody who would ever consider playing an online game said, 'This is the one. I gotta try it.' And what'll happen is inevitably, like the health club model, after you pay your 30 bucks a month for 3 or 4 months and you only go once a week, you realize it's not worth it and you split. That's what will happen with Warcraft ... I think it's going to roll back to a million. I'm not predicting it's going to happen in three weeks; I'd guess it has a half-life of 6 months to a year," - Michael Pachter

Delgado @ Apr 6th 2008 9:31PM

Michael Pachter is a negative asshole.

playwhutyalike @ Apr 6th 2008 8:11PM

Dear Mr. (Fudge) Pachter,

Please stop.

Love, playwhutyalike

Matt B @ Apr 6th 2008 8:12PM

Conspiracy theorist view:

Now that MS and EA have exchanged CEOs, there is coercion from MS going forward. MS has much more competition with Sony this year, much more than last year in terms of lineup(that EA has no part of). MS NEEDS GTA4 to do well for them and it will. They are just repositioning their chess pieces for the year. But only if T2 accepts EA's offer. MS needs that to happen.