Grand Theft Auto IV delayed to 2008

[UPDATE] Take-Two pushes back blockbuster to next year, saying "time-intensive" nature of dual-platform development; annual earnings estimate plummets by over $200 million.

The overcrowded monkey house that was the 2007 holiday release schedule 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.

"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," said Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick in a statement.

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."

973 Comments

  • cookiedogg

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 7:00 pm PT

    ah man this sucks

  • cejay0813 posted Aug 2, 2007 7:00 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    cejay0813

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 7:00 pm PT (hide)

    suuuuure take-two....sure. Idiots. I knew it was too good to be true. Something from the 07 lineup was gonna get pushed

  • Jimminyfixit

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:59 pm PT

    Well think about the competition this year compared to Feb next year.

  • xd3usx posted Aug 2, 2007 6:59 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    xd3usx

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:59 pm PT (hide)

    That's what happens when you try to simultaneously release cross-platform! You end up with a decent game with slight performance issues on both sides instead of a great game that runs as it should have in the first place.

    Expect a dumbed-down PS3 version and a choppy-framerate 360 version next holiday season, 2008.

    Take-two fails.

  • danalfmon

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:59 pm PT

    Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

  • DasLaMar

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:59 pm PT

    I forgot Unreal Tournament 3 (sorry for leaving that one out barney_calhoun_ ) and many other good games coming out this holiday season. The thing is that when you get yourself all hyped up on one game a then it dissappoints you the only person you have to blame is yourself for being so blind to all the other great games coming out this year. Think of it this way now we can put our support behind a new franchize like Haze, Heavenly Sword, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, or Drake's Fortune. By the way Jimminyfixit i'm not a psychiatrist i just play one on the message boards. And now you know an knowing is half the I forgot the rest of the line.

  • SaintsPlaya posted Aug 2, 2007 6:57 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    SaintsPlaya

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:57 pm PT (hide)

    Now, am I the only person that thinks that if Halo 3 is set back I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BUY IT. I payed 5$ to pre-order it but wow, I just don't care, if it comes out more then 1 week late forget it. But that is highly unlikely because of the sweepstakes Microsoft is holding, the merchandise, etc. Microsoft wont let bungie mess up. And the good thing is, Halo 3 will be a "play for 4 years" game.. Halo 2 Was rushed, Halo 3 is perfect...

  • WarGameJunkie

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:57 pm PT

    Paul733 what are you talking about? You have absolutely no clue. This announcement hurts SONY FAR FAR FAR more than Microsoft and the 360. With the judgment by many gaming mags and sites that Lair is mediocre and definitely NOT a AAA title, Sony has ZERO left to compete this holiday season. This announcement REALLY hurts Sony because they also lost MGS4 to early 2008. However, Microsoft still has the 8,0000 ton gorilla of the gaming market, Halo 3, coming, which will still be selling quite well into the holiday season. This is in addition to Ace Combat 6 which will still be an exclusive as of the Holiday season 2008. Another 360 exclusive, Bioshock, will also probably still sell ok during the Holidays despite coming out in August. GTA IV delayed to 2008 hurts the entire gaming industry, but it hurts Sony far more than it does Microsoft. Saying anything different is just not bothering to care about the facts.

  • grand17 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:56 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    grand17

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:56 pm PT (hide)

    thekey This is PS3's fault I'm willing to bet.

    LOL how come take two was saying the 360 was the problem a few months ago?

  • Maxor127

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:56 pm PT

    Ouch... anyways... I don't buy the ridiculous reason that they're not releasing it because they want to make more money... that just doesn't make any sense at all... i'm not a financial or marketing expert, but most studios RUSH to get a game released... every day that it's not released are potential sales lost... especially when you're missing the holiday season... but if you guys want to believe they're doing it to magically make more money, then go ahead and think that

  • pjhtiger44

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:55 pm PT

    Did anyone NOT see this coming?

  • MuffinPunk

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:55 pm PT

    whoa! that really shocked me. I was all set to play GTA this year. Well, whatever. Better be great though.

  • SENTRY56 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:54 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    SENTRY56

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:54 pm PT (hide)

    WOW

  • somekrn posted Aug 2, 2007 6:53 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    somekrn

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:53 pm PT (hide)

    IF Mass Effect is the next game to be delayed I will be POed!

  • HotTopFade

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    Too many 360 games this year as is. This is actually welcome news.
    Halo 3, Bio Shock, Orange Box, PGR 4, Mass Effect, CoD4, and maybe Huxley. That too much.

  • PullTheTricker

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:53 pm PT

    This news really shocked me... I'm disapointed, though I guess as long as the final game shall be good.

  • Dysantic

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:52 pm PT

    Was anyone surprised? Rockstar always sets some rediculous release day and then ends up releasing the game a year later every time they make a new one!

  • lalo415 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:52 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    lalo415

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:52 pm PT (hide)

    aawwwww tat suks but any ways were gonna get busy with halo .right?

  • GeigerdolylWodd

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:50 pm PT

    Let's get it out our system..."Awwwww mannn!" ...OK I'm good

  • Brimmstone69 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:50 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Brimmstone69

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:50 pm PT (hide)

    god what a bunch of BS its not about in game problems its just they want to make more money on a slow quarter... its BS plain and simple!

  • Pro_wrestler posted Aug 2, 2007 6:50 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Pro_wrestler

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:50 pm PT (hide)

    YES! THANK GOD! I will actually have money this Holiday Season WOOOOOOOOOOOO! Good news indeed.

  • getoconnection

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:49 pm PT

    Why is everyone saying this is a 360 problem? Plain and simple this game looked the same way it did last Gen. This is the loop Nintendo was talking about. Graphical upgrades don't make for a better game. Look at Lair. A can almost guarantee it played the same way as last Gen's games too. Not that that's a problem for us. The problem with Sony (and to a lesser extent MS) this Gen is that they don't have the backing of the casual gamer..let me explain. The PS1 and PS2 were huge casual gaming machines. We know this because of declining game sales that everyone has been hearing about for the last couple of years. Sony created it's present situation. With the PS1 they offered something different. CGI ultimately destroyed Nintendo because the N64 couldn't do it nor could it play CD. For the most part if you take a look at it, the N64 was a hardcore gamers machine (look at the early games). The Gen after, Sony again used DVD as a Trojan horse to draw in "casuals." The PS2 was a cheap DVD player. It did something the Dreamcast couldn't do. It was different. Lack of support and Sega's rep killed that machine (God rest it's soul). Sony has been systematically appeasing the casuals for the last 10+ years. It has even been said (by fanboys even) the PS legacy will be "it made gaming mainstream." What did Sony offer "casuals" this time around? An even higher price and the same type of games and gameplay. R* doesn't want to release this game because in it's present state it will not sale as much as they want it to. They don't have the luxury of having millions of PSs out there, the causals are Wii'ing themselves to death, and the 4th quarter is already stacked to the neck. I believe they did the right thing because really the game probably was a minor upgrade. It would have gotten lost in the shuffle. To be honest, I don't think anyone wants to go up against Nintendo this holiday season. Not that their games are better, it's just that they go in media favorite similar to the PSs before it. Hears to hoping GTA can give you a true "Next Gen" experience when it's finished because so far they have been few and far between.

  • Themilkman418

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:49 pm PT

    Paul 733 the only reason they didn't mention anything for the holidays is because THE PS3 HAS SUCKY EXCLUSIVE GAMES

  • Jimminyfixit posted Aug 2, 2007 6:48 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Jimminyfixit

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:48 pm PT (hide)

    Wow DasLaMar, you really put things onto perspective. Are you a psychiatrist?

  • Themilkman418 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:46 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Themilkman418

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:46 pm PT (hide)

    mayuran_x it's the 360's fault because MS wanted an awesome game instead of a mediocre one? That sounds pretty DEE-DEE-DEE of you if you ask me.

  • dashawnthl

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:45 pm PT

    N000000000000000 THIS SUCKS......

  • Paul733 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:45 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Paul733

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:45 pm PT (hide)

    First thing I thought when I saw this news : Microsoft got PWNED!! Remember how they were soooo proud of their "holiday release trio" at the microsoft press conference?? And that they will totally make the best $$$ ever? Well, in spite of this delay, they'll still do..... NOT ! Microsoft were soooo counting on GTA this holliday whereas sony barely mentioned gta in their press conference.

  • barney_calhoun_

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:45 pm PT

    DasLaMar you forgot unreal tournament 3,

  • Kosai_Avonej posted Aug 2, 2007 6:44 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Kosai_Avonej

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:44 pm PT (hide)

    See? I told you people it would happen.

  • DasLaMar

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:42 pm PT

    Man now the only thing I have to look forward to is Halo 3, Assassin's Creed , Mass Effect, Call of Duty 4, Heavenly Sword, Bio Shock, Rock Band, Drake's Fortune, Guitar Hero 3, Stranglehold, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, Half Life 2 Orange Box and Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. WHAT EVER SHALL WE ALL PLAY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

  • SaintsPlaya

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:42 pm PT

    Well, this is a disappointment. I was going to get a PS3 and buy it, because I have been saving up extra money from my summer job, and the money I got from mowing lawns etc. During the school year. I have a 360 but I thought why not get the Ps3 100$ less, instead of wasting all my money on a Iphone. I might save up for a Iphone when it's second version comes out, we all know it will have a second. I learned a leson after the X360 Elite, haha.

  • SuperbGamer

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:39 pm PT

    Well, good games take a good chunk of time to be fully created and polished perfectly. It will turn out to be a better game than expected if they just take their time.

  • armchair_tacito posted Aug 2, 2007 6:38 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    armchair_tacito

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:38 pm PT (hide)

    Yeah, but Jimminyfixit, Microsoft paid $50 to Rockstar so that the 360 could get two downloadable-exclusive content packs in 2008. Waste of money? Who knows, but maybe Sony paid them like $100 million and they'll be getting the content too.

  • Jimminyfixit posted Aug 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Jimminyfixit

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT (hide)

    Thats because your a girl

  • Staryoshi87 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Staryoshi87

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT (hide)

    That's awesome. I made the difficult decision of cancelling my preorder today, but this is a bit relieving. One less game to worry about this fall. Take your time, boys.

  • codgamer2004

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT

    better that its delayed then getting a half finished game

  • TheVinster

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT

    I can wait.

  • bessy67

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:36 pm PT

    Seriously, why does news like this always turn into a fanboy war? Who cares why it's delayed. It's not like knowing the cause of the delay will get us the game any sooner. I just don't get the point of this useless speculation.

  • Jedi_Osborn

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:35 pm PT

    oh well, there's more time to play Halo I guess.

  • mayuran_x posted Aug 2, 2007 6:35 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    mayuran_x

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:35 pm PT (hide)

    It's the stupid XBox 360's fault. They never you to push back GTA games this far, when they use to released it only for PS2. They should just release it on PS3 and work on the XBox version.

  • freerunner01 posted Aug 2, 2007 6:34 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    freerunner01

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:34 pm PT (hide)

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...lol...i guess we have to wait to take on teh mean streets of "Victory City" :cough: NYC :cough: in next gen until next year, sad but at elast i will only be half broke from all teh highly anticipated releases that will actually come out this fall/holiday season...

  • barney_calhoun_

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:33 pm PT

    Bam11Bam... you need to see a doctor.
    It is not ps3 fault, rockstar decided to put GTAIV on ps3, ps3 didnt have anything to do, maybe you need to say "ps3 version Develpment fault" which you dont know if it is true

  • Jimminyfixit posted Aug 2, 2007 6:32 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Jimminyfixit

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:32 pm PT (hide)

    Shame, i wonder if this is because of the PS3 exclusives. Seems more than coincidence that they announce PS3 exclusives and then it is delayed. Maybe they are adding additional content.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Speculation:
    So have they delayed one of the best games of the year due to the PS3's stupidly difficult to program CELL processor.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    However, it is a shame for both parties, but 360 owners dont have the luxury of knowing that we will be getting exclusive GTA games.

    P.S. This speculation is probably going to cause some sort of argument.....EXCELLENT!

  • gokuofheaven

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:29 pm PT

    you can take this news many ways. For one, they'll be able to add more content , tweak minor bugs. Two, too many big titles are coming out this year and Rockstar might have wanted to stay away from that. Three, not many games are released during the 1st/2nd quarter of the year. I think ever next-gen owner will be out there buying GTA4 to fill their empty time.

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:29 pm PT

    Yep the XBOX is delaying the game!! Sheesh people. No wait, the PS3 is holding it up because it is difficult to program for! Come on. Who cares. The fact is they are both holding up release because they insist on programming for two different consoles at once.

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