Project Cars Delay to March 2015 Confirmed

Update: Slightly Mad Studios has confirmed to GameSpot that Project Cars has been delayed to March 20.

Publisher Bandai Namco said the delay "positions the title away from the competitive holiday scene dominated by household names."

A statement issued by studio head Ian Bell reads:

"Our goal has always been to deliver a landmark title that encompasses the wishes and desires of racing fans from all around the world; something with features and content powered by the community that provide a truly unforgettable and pioneering experience."

"Whilst a tough decision to make, the change in release date allows the game the greatest chance of success and visibility, and the opportunity to polish the game even further to the high standards that both ourselves and our community demand and expect. We're eager for you all to see what we've been working on in just a few months."

Original Story: The PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Slightly Mad Studio's racing sim, Project Cars, will miss its November release date target.

When approached by GameSpot, the studio and its publishing partner did not have details to share, but a private message already released to the game's funders has confirmed a delay will be announced shortly.

Speaking on the game's forum, which is only accessible to those who helped fund the game, project director Andy Garton explained the Project Cars release date has been pushed back to March 2015.

"This delay has come about because a couple of other big games have announced they are shipping around the same time as our planned first date," Garton wrote.

"We know it might be a little hard to believe but this would have had a very significant impact on our initial sales."

He also said the delay comes because the project still lacks "fixes and polish."

Project Cars is the highly realistic looking driving sim developed by the London-based Slightly Mad Studios, which was responsible for creating the EA racer, Need for Speed Shift.