Crysis 2 launches March 22

Crytek's Crysis 2 was originally scheduled to ship during the busy holiday season but was bumped for a "better [release] window and polishing." Today, the developer locked down the game's release date in early 2011.

According to Crytek's Twitter feed, Crysis 2 will hit shelves March 22, 2011, in North America and three days later on March 25, 2011, in Europe. The new date distances the game from such holiday heavyweights as Call of Duty: Black Ops and Halo: Reach and places it just before the April 2011 launch of Gears of War 3.

Crysis 2 sees players fend off an alien threat once again, aided by a nanosuit that grants the user superhuman abilities ranging from speed boosts to active camouflage. The sequel features two major distinctions from its predecessor. The original Crysis featured lush tropical environments, but Crysis 2 takes place in the urban jungle of New York City. Additionally, the sequel is going multiplatform and will be released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation, and return to PC.

For more on Crysis 2, check out GameSpot's recent preview.