GTA IV delay on the way?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 1, 2007 3:10 pm PT

Source: See below. The official story: "We do not comment on rumor or speculation."--Rockstar Games rep. What we heard: Back in March, Take-Two Interactive's board was ousted by a shareholder revolt. Since then, it has been unclear what the company's new directors have in mind for the...

Source: See below.

The official story: "We do not comment on rumor or speculation."--Rockstar Games rep.

What we heard: Back in March, Take-Two Interactive's board was ousted by a shareholder revolt. Since then, it has been unclear what the company's new directors have in mind for the mighty--but mighty troubled--publisher. The first hard evidence about what tack Take-Two will take won't surface for 10 days. That's when the New York-based publisher will announce earnings for its second fiscal quarter, which ended on April 30.

In the interim, analysts are prognosticating about the possible outcomes of said call. One of the highest-profile game industry analysts is making some particularly gloomy predictions. In a note sent out this morning, Wedbush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter said he thought "the company is likely to announce studio closures, lease terminations, and game cancellations during the conference call." He and his associates also "do not expect new games such as The BIGS, All-Pro Football, Fantastic Four, or The Darkness to be wildly profitable."

Pachter also set off a forum firestorm by wagering a guess about one of the year's biggest games. "We believe that it is possible that the company will choose to 'throw in the towel' on [its 2007 financial year] by shifting the release date for Grand Theft Auto IV by a few weeks, increasing the losses incurred this year and improving the company's prospects for FY:08." Take-Two's financial year ends on October 31, 2007.

Pachter gave another rationale for a GTA IV delay: namely, that moving it to early November would put more space between GTA IV and Halo 3, which is arriving September 25. "We believe that a two-week delay would provide a reasonable gap between the launch of Halo 3 and the launch of GTA IV, and would actually help sales of both games," he said.

Still another scenario in the Wedbush note would have the regular edition of GTA IV be pushed past Halloween, while the recently announced Collector's Edition of the game would go on sale October 16. That would "allow Take-Two to maximize revenues from the $89.99 Collector's Edition of the game...and to increase overall profitability." The extra $30 nets players a soundtrack CD, art book, duffel bag, keychain, and lockbox.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus that it's been confirmed in any shape, way, or form. Though well respected, Pachter is not infallible, and he is merely speculating here. Then again, stranger and more underhanded things have been done in the name of financial posturing. Also, giving gamers a few more weeks to save their pennies post-Halo 3 does make sense. But the November release schedule will still be crowded with competition, and GTA IV will be a monster hit no matter what...so why wait?

582 Comments

  • bobmcguire

    Posted Jan 7, 2008 8:50 pm PT

    I would be surprised if people are still shocked when games get delayed. i only look at release dates as an estimate now. also GTA IV better have multiplayer or i will be extremely disappointed. And i am not talking about the multiplayer they had in san andreas, that was basically useless. i mean after you beat GTA games there is not much to do but drive around and see how many cops you can get to chase you. and there is only so many times you can run over grannies and motorcycles (ok well maybe there isn't but it gets old after a while!). I am talking about a multiplayer where your pretty much in the same area as you are in the single player but with other people as well. maybe you become a hitman and you have to look for a person to kill, that person being another human player. or just a death match or team death match. imagine it, it would be amazing.

  • netzenopt

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 3:49 pm PT

    I would wait two weeks. These days games are always getting pushed back a few weeks from early announcements. I wouldn't be surprised by a GTA delay. I actually expect it.

  • aaronmorales

    Posted Jun 10, 2007 11:42 am PT

    man, i hope they don't cause i been waiting for along time now, it would suck if they did cancel it... please track me if u do i will track u back..

  • hitman1988

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 6:15 pm PT

    I don't care, as long as it comes out...Don't care when!

  • pygmahia5

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 8:08 pm PT

    its not gonna happen

  • malafama212

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 5:57 pm PT

    what a doo doo head cootie queen!

  • newb16

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 12:32 pm PT

    to bad I dont have my driving license

  • snowy2007

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 10:32 am PT

    So what m-stifler the LE is better anyway

  • Nzeee

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:52 am PT

    That was predictable.... but still i am gonna buy the collectors edition.....

  • lil-locknezz

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 11:37 pm PT

    But.... But..... But my birthdays in October...

  • tom22manu

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 1:12 pm PT

    gta is better than halo anyway

  • m_stifler

    Posted Jun 6, 2007 6:30 am PT

    SpruceCaboose If they actually hold the release of the regular edition for the sole purpose of selling the LE, I will lose all respect for Take Two. That is just slimy.

    No doubt man................come on don't do this to us, it's totally unesessary

  • Red83

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 11:11 pm PT

    GTA4 is gonna be this years best game

  • Red83

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 11:08 pm PT

    Gta gona blow Halo Away

  • HumanoMexicano

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 5:07 pm PT

    It has nothing to do with halo. Just giving me excuses. As childish as this might sound.... I want GTA now!!!

  • DarwinBC

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 3:41 pm PT

    how as that a delay they always launch in November

  • PuffstaJones

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 12:55 pm PT

    dont care

  • futurehobo300

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 11:18 am PT

    damn halo, how can such a mediocre game cause so much trouble for good games

  • UbeR_NooB_24

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 10:40 am PT

    i m not too suprised but i hope it will be out before 2008

  • skate_n_game

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 9:44 am PT

    Why are they always comparing Halo 3 sales with GTAIV sales? No Halo game has even come close GTA game sales....

  • snowy2007

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 9:35 am PT

    As long as GTA 4 hits store in 2007 I don't care what version it is.

  • Col_Swamp

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 8:12 am PT

    hopefully no delay. i dont have a 360 so Halo doesnt concern me.....bu the collectors addition of GTAIV does.

  • finty13

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 7:12 am PT

    It will be a long time before we see another GTA or halo game again so I actually prefer the games launch dates being spaced out as possible so i can truly savour each of them.

  • demonik_360

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 7:06 am PT

    well thats crap now i might have to by saints row to keep my sandbox hunger filled =[...and im starving!

  • Grantesoro

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 6:50 am PT

    halo vs. gta? are you kidding? I could bet money that if you gave people a choice, the vast majority would choose gta. Halo is a nice game and it has its stuff, but this is gta.

  • hellrazor06

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 6:36 am PT

    this needs updating, rockstar comfirmed itl be still out end of oct

  • oblivion437

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 6:29 am PT

    Wonder where his money is just about now. Most quantitative analysis is baseless nonsense. It'll come out when it does, and nothing this guy says will change that.

  • Metalnoid

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 6:18 am PT

    Another title, another delay. Its becoming common to me.

  • jillwarrior

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 5:46 am PT

    Boy this whole thing smells like something eb/gameslut would be behind. You know jack the price of something waaaaaaaaay up and then only make the expensive version available to their customers. In any case if eb/gameslut carries Legendary Halo and the GTA4 S.E. you can bet that they will open every copy of both and still charge you full price. Heck eb/gammeslut will probobly hold back the keys for the gta4 lockbox and charge you seperately for those! also i wonder if target and walmart will sell either?

  • ABISPY

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 3:58 am PT

    WTF

  • AzureLivesOn

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 1:09 am PT

    When I saw the story heading about 'forums erupting into flames', I figured 'Oh boy, no GTA til 2008'. But a speculated two week delay? I say bring it. Between Halo 3, Metroid Prime 3, Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros (assuming Reggie/Iwata are holding up their end of the bargain), Guitar Hero III, and a slew of other games, a two week delay for GTA IV is more than welcome. The fact people actually took an analytical speculation of a mere 14 day setback that offensively is just sickening to think of what fellow gamers out there have become.

    If it helps Take-Two and helps the game, by all means do what needs to be done. Again, the Holiday '07 release list is daunting enough as is. Chances are the game would be sitting in my Collector's Edition 'lockbox' until next spring anyways when I actually have time to fully play it.

    Least someone was honest that they don't expect Fantastic Four or The Darkness to meet expectations. Wish EA had their intellect.

  • uberjannie

    Posted Jun 5, 2007 12:32 am PT

    More space between halo 3 and GTA IV is only a good thing for gamers that have to use their hard earned (if not a spoiled brat) money to buy the game.
    I cant buy it, since i dont own a 360 or a PS3.
    So Im not really upset about any of this =)

  • Doolum

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 11:45 pm PT

    hope the quality of the game is not affected by it all.

  • exocel

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 11:32 pm PT

    thats a bit of a bummer but it seems fair to put a bit of distance between what will more liekly than not be the two best selling games of the year.

  • sean0883

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 11:23 pm PT

    As long as it doesnt do like Starcraft Ghost did, that was supposed to come out in like 2002 i believe, i'm cool with it.

  • Mattyrock

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 10:49 pm PT

    Possibility of not expecting that, but i am a little, Games can never be released at a correct date these days which are a pain in the arse...

  • panteral3

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 9:41 pm PT

    No big surprise. Look, Take 2 knows that Halo 3 will occupy many an Xboxer's time, with more less likely to pick up GTA IV because they may be too busy. Sure they expect to release it on the PS3, but selling this game to that dozen people will certainly not help matters. They need the bigger installed bas3 and ill afford this one to flop like bully and manhunt.

  • MashtaPoPo

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 8:06 pm PT

    Wow austinite04, just because you wasted your money on a PS3 doesn't mean you have to bash bill gates.. lmao bill gates didn't even make the XBox. Everyone's talkin about the delay of GTA, not about whether 360 or PS3 is better haha. Personally I think a delay for GTAIV would be perfect, just like many others. After I saw the video I didn't even think it would be comin out this year. You can tell by the way they amped up ante that this game will either take longer than planned or will be released as crap and GTA's aren't known for being crap. So if it isn't delayed I'll be shocked but fine with it but as many said it would be nice to have some time between Halo 3 and GTAIV.

  • jackle2071

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 7:34 pm PT

    GTA has nothing to worry about. i buy a new GTA over a new Halo any day. i hope they dont push it back even tho its only 2 weeks still. GTA is the most imporent game to me right now other then MGS4

  • fjm00game

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 6:44 pm PT

    No problem... I have more time to save money and buy my PS3 or Xbox 360...

  • conquer24

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 6:42 pm PT

    Of course their going to delay it, that way the hype around GTA4 goes up and its wanted more.

  • Illegalblaze

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 6:35 pm PT

    I don't believe they are dalaying it to make it better. I'm betting the game is probably nearing completion. If you think about it the last couple of months before a game is released it needs to be mass copied and distributed to all the trucks, boats, and planes that will deliver it to all the retailers. That doesn't happen overnight. Then they have to arrive to your local store get entered into their systems. So to me it does seem likely that the delay could be to say that 08 for take two was a profitable year.

  • ArtOfCraft

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 6:21 pm PT

    It's cool. They can take their time all they want. Make it perfect in my opinion.

  • brerrabbit23

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 6:16 pm PT

    Having met him, I can honestly say that Michael Pachter is among the dumbest, most arrogant, and utterly self serving people in VG. I'll give him credit, though.... Michael Pachter IS smart for ONE reason. He knows that the surest way to get a geek to give you the right answer is to imply the wrong one. He's done so here, and you monkeys fell right for it. Kudos.

  • baltimore187

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 5:55 pm PT

    Both games will be great in it own way. If GTA came out first I'd be happy, and if halo came out first I'd still be happy. Ether way it's a win/win situation for fans looking foward to playing both(which i'm sure they both will be great games) games.

  • JadeDragon23

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 5:18 pm PT

    As long as it's out before Chritstmas!

  • silversurfergold

    Posted Jun 4, 2007 5:16 pm PT

    Hmm, if they release the collector's before the regular, I may have to buy the collector's cause I can't wait that long, but I feel sorry for the people who can't afford to spend that much on games.

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