Athena Sword sheathed until 2004

PC gamers saw another title disappear from their holiday wish lists today when Ubisoft announced that Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Athena Sword is being pushed back to an early 2004 release date.

In a brief statement, the company cited fan "concerns" as the reason for the tactical shooter's delay. "In keeping with our dedication to create excellent products, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Athena Sword will now be releasing in early 2004," read the statement. "This later release date will allow for us to develop the top quality game we know our fans have come to expect from Ubisoft."

This latest announcement contradicts statements made last week by Ubisoft which revealed that the game was still on track for a Q4 ship. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3, the first Rainbow Six title for the Xbox, went gold last week.