Retail Radar: Gran Turismo HD, Hellgate not releasing until late '07?

The list of developers known for their ability to produce hits has some overlap with the list of developers known for their ability to hold onto games as long as it takes until they're "done." Polyphony Digital and Blizzard Entertainment are two such companies; now it appears that the developers of Gran Turismo and Flagship Studios (a startup headed by veterans of Blizzard's Diablo franchise) could each be carrying on that tradition.

Product listings on GameStop.com for Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo HD and Flagship's Hellgate: London both indicate that the games won't be shipping for another year.

Hellgate: London has already been a featured product of Namco's at two straight Electronic Entertainment Expos, and if the GameStop release date is accurate, it would likely earn the trifecta this year. However, a representative told GameSpot that Hellgate's release date is still "to be announced."

Flagship CEO Bill Roper elaborated on the release status of his game. "We have never issued a release date for Hellgate: London, and to see 'stories' run off of the fabricated speculation provided by a retailer who in no way sets our release dates is, to say the least, disappointing," Roper said. "Hellgate: London continues on schedule and until you see a release window issued from Flagship Studios, do not believe it."

As for Gran Turismo HD, it was slated for "this winter" as recently as last month, so a bump of nearly an entire year would be a little surprising. Then again, the still-unreleased Gran Turismo 4 Mobile for the PlayStation Portable was originally set for an early 2005 release in the US, so a delay on the PS3 edition wouldn't be that surprising.

Please note, while retailer listings frequently give gamers a heads up on unannounced news, they should not be taken as final confirmation of a game's release date, platform, or even its existence.