Take-Two chairman denies further GTAIV delay
Ever since Take-Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick spoke during last week’s 2007 BMO Capital Markets Interactive Entertainment Summit in New York, the Internet has been abuzz with ‘Chinese whisper’ reports suggesting that Grand Theft Auto IV has been struck by yet another release delay. However, Zelnick has now stepped forward to clarify his comments and also the state of affairs with GTA IV.
Speaking with the gaming gurus over at GameSpot, Strauss Zelnick offered that:
“When asked about the release date [for GTA IV], I confirmed the previous release date we’d given, which is our second fiscal quarter. That’s to say sometime between the beginning of February and the end of April.â€
Reports have suggested that Grand Theft Auto IV’s delay – from its initial October 16, 2007 release – has been issued by publisher Take-Two in order to allow the slow-moving user base associated with the PlayStation 3 to grow sufficiently to support such a high-profile software title that will also be available to approximately 13 million Xbox 360 users. Presently, estimated adoption rates place the PS3 at less than 6 million users.
From this particular perspective, Zelnick dismissed the idea that GTA IV’s October release was stalled to accommodate the stuttering PS3. However, he did admit that the amassed user base connected to the PS3 – come the eventual release of the game – will certainly help cancel out any negative sales impact felt by not having the eagerly anticipated title ready for the coming 2007 holiday season.
It remains to be seen exactly why Grand Theft Auto IV has been pushed back into Q1/Q2 2008. Could it be connected to a somewhat lacklustre response to the first raft of trailers released during the summer, which prompted certain comments criticising the game’s ‘next-gen’ credentials? Zelnick did not grasp the opportunity to explain the publisher’s reasoning behind GTA IV’s lengthy delay.
In terms of exactly when the Liberty City adventures of new GTA protagonist Niko Bellic can be expected, Zelnick offered that it will be ready when it’s ready and that the final retail release date will be unveiled just as soon as Rockstar and Take-Two feel comfortable they can highlight an exact date within the proffered February-through-April period.
Suitably next-gen, or in need of a six-month overhaul? You decide.
First time i was first!=)
Good for you!
Regarding the article… Wasn’t it delayed due to the upper managment thinking it lacked in quality? That was at least published on xboxic when the delay took place.
as far as i know, it doesn’t even have a release date, how can it be delayed?
hey mu dumbass it had a release date of october 16th but they pushed it back from that date until 2008
that release date was debunked ages ago you soul-less sack of shit. they have recently given us an estimate, but the game has no official date.
go suck your own balls some more “flashbottle.”
sometime between beginning of february and end of april = end of april.
Lawls, he called the PS3 user base “slow-moving”.
I can’t wait for the day that GTA IV will be realeased! I really want to play this game.. It looks awesome! I think will buy an xbox360 just to play it..
Have you seen this game preview? http://www.weshow.com/us/p/19918/gta_iv_preview
omg look at those graphics!