Saints Row 2 delayed

Saints Row 2 won't be moving out with all guns blazing on schedule. In fact, the game has been shunted from its original August 26 release date, as reported by Reuters. Developed by Illinois-based Volition, the Grand Theft Auto-esque PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 action adventure has been pushed back until October 14 due to "product quality and marketing issues."

The delay will push the game's release from THQ's second fiscal quarter into the third. However, according to senior vice president of worldwide marketing Bob Aniello, speaking to Reuters, this will not affect the company's financial outlook for its 2009 fiscal year.

Aniello said, "Product quality is a huge driver of a game's success and this move allows us to polish the game. The game is done, it's about polish."

The first Saints Row was released in August 2006 in the US and September in Europe. The game took place in the fictional city of Stilwater, with four gangs fighting it out for control of turf. The gamer steps into the shoes of a passerby who witnesses a murder and is rescued by a member of one gang, The Saints. He then joins the Saints and embarks on a series of missions to bring down the other three gangs.

Though intended to make Saints Row 2 more viable at retail, today's delay could inadvertently put it up against a major competitor. Though not yet specifically dated, the first major downloadable-content update to the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV is slated for release this fall.