Gamers Evolved

Take-Two will be delaying the release of the highly anticipated car jacking sequel, Grand Theft Auto IV, from this fall into the second quarter of next year because it’s not quite finished. This is bad news, not just for the game developers - a company that has struggled through financial, regulatory and legal troubles - but also for the video game consoles for Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 who were relying on the game to bolster sales right up to the holiday season.

Many game industry analysts said the delay could be particularly painful to Sony, which has seen its PlayStation 3 lag behind both the Xbox 360 and the Wii. “This is very bad for Sony and its ability to sell PlayStation hardware,” said Evan Wilson, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities. He added that Sony’s loss could mean some gains for the Nintendo Wii, which is not scheduled to get a version of Grand Theft Auto IV. And he said it could mean good news for other software makers, like Electronic Arts and Activision, that will not now have to compete with Grand Theft Auto for consumers’ attention. “It is rare that a single game can change the dynamics of the competitive landscape,” Mr. Wilson said.

Apparently the delay of GTA4 was due to how much work the game designers still had in front of them. Reports from Take-Two’s chairman, Strauss Zelnick, said the game was particularly challenging given that it’s being designed for new consoles that have new technical demands. Umm… don’t you think you should have known that when you made the fall projection? But then again when is anything done on time? Eh.