EA whacks The Godfather II release plans, delays game

EA has revealed that The Godfather II won't be making its release later this month, stating that the game will instead arrive at retail during the company's Q1 fiscal period, between April and June '09. While curiously missing a press release announcing the delay (unlike the similarly delayed Sims 3 and Dragon Age), EA CEO John Riccitiello explained that the reason for Godfather II's delay was to generate more excitement about the title, and exercise the company's new focus on longer lead marketing.

It wasn't all marketing, however; the lingering effects of an unusually busy holiday season are also to blame. Says Riccitiello: "To be honest with you, we looked at the title, title feels very solid It will appeal to its audience well and it was likely to ship, as we had originally planned it, into a very cluttered, price reduced excess inventory channel both in North America and Europe in a heavy competitive environment. We didn't think it would get its best shot at success in [fiscal] Q4."

Let's hope the extra time spent marketing the game will give the devs at Redwood Shores some extra time to make the game as buzzworthy as EA is going tell us it is. More on this as it develops.