GTA IV delayed until Q2 2008

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 3rd August 2007
Comments (23) Stumble
GTA IV delayed until Q2 2008

GTA IV has now been officially delayed until the second quarter of 2008.

Take-Two and Rockstar today announced the sad news that Grand Theft Auto IV has been delayed. It's not exactly a little delay either - the game has been pushed back to the second quarter of 2008 on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Rumours have been circulating about what may have caused the sudden and drastic delay and Take-Two executives Strauss Zelnick and Ben Feder have sought to tackle these rumours head on.

Apparently the main problem has not been an issue of scheduling or designer resources, but actually the technological limitations of the console.

Speaking to Kotaku earlier today, Zelnick told the world that the delay was due to "almost strictly technological problems... not problems, but challenges."

"I know there have been rumours in the marketplace about frame rate and some other issues. We don't think it's helpful or beneficial to go into exact details of what the technological issues are. We're pushing the envelope on both the platforms."

Zelnick went on to say that the decision to delay GTA IV until next year was ultimately his - just so fans know who to send their hate mail to. Zelnick had played a build version of the game just a day before the announcement and thought it obvious that the game would not meet the previous release date of October 16th.

"We're not gonna send money back to Microsoft. That's not part of the deal." Said Zelnick about the planned episodic content for the game, the first instalment of which is scheduled for a March 2008 release. Take-Two don't plan to adjust the Xbox 360 episodic content schedule at the moment and are confident that they can deliver the episodic content as planned.

Take-Two and Rockstar are currently in the process of appealing the ban placed on Manhunt 2 by the BBFC.

Annoyed at the delay? Well then, get to the forums before you starting foaming at the mouth in anger - this is a new shirt and I don't want to get any on me.
Quote Hells_Bliss 3rd August 2007, 14:08
why did they stop making these for the PC? :(
Quote ArtificialHero 3rd August 2007, 14:16
Aww, this sucks. Very upset. Although I'm more used to the idea of GTA coming out in the summer, silver lining I suppose. AH
Quote phat-ant 3rd August 2007, 15:00
hehe too bad, and im with hells_bliss come on show the pc some more loving.
Quote devdevil85 3rd August 2007, 18:25
I would've loved this: "The PC release date is Oct 16th 07, but the console release date is gonna be March 08 cause PCs rule!" hehe that would never happen....
Quote Flyingsheep 3rd August 2007, 18:28
PC gamers are being forgotten.
Quote AFX 3rd August 2007, 18:39
I don't think they have ever released a PC version with the first launch. but they always manage to get one out a few months after.
Quote Pie_uk 3rd August 2007, 18:51
i knew this would get delayed. so much for the trailers that play everyday at currys
Quote DXR_13KE 3rd August 2007, 19:38
as long as they do it right i don't mind waiting.....
Quote zr_ox 3rd August 2007, 21:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyingsheep
PC gamers are being forgotten.

That's not far from the truth.

Bindi said the other day that the day's of PC gaming are numbered, and that future games will be "Ports" from console games. Now that consoles have closed the performance gap the developers will increase their revenue by targeting the masses.

PC Gamers have always been a minority but we know how much better we have it, provided your prepared to spend the pengas on a decent system.
Quote Brett89 4th August 2007, 02:39
I'm kind of glad for the delay, it'll give me time to save up the money to buy a 360 or PS3. But if I already had one I'd be VERY disheartened.
Quote will. 4th August 2007, 03:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by zr_ox
Now that consoles have closed the performance gap the developers will increase their revenue by targeting the masses.


Yea, but that was true with the ps2 as well...

PC's will quickly leap out in front again. Problem is this time do they feel the need to follow or are they happy working with the consoles...
Quote Hells_Bliss 4th August 2007, 03:30
i don't know why they don't make the games for the PC's and then port to the console...we'd all be happy. the masses still have good games, gamers get better quality product.
Quote Veles 4th August 2007, 04:55
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hells_Bliss
i don't know why they don't make the games for the PC's and then port to the console...we'd all be happy. the masses still have good games, gamers get better quality product.

Don't really see how that would make a difference, GTA has always been a console title that has been ported over to the PC, I don't see how making it the other way round would make things any better at all seeing as the PC gaming market is dwarfed by the console market.
Quote tk421 4th August 2007, 05:03
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veles
Don't really see how that would make a difference, GTA has always been a console title that has been ported over to the PC, I don't see how making it the other way round would make things any better at all seeing as the PC gaming market is dwarfed by the console market.

i thought that III and VC were pc first? or did i hallucinate that?
Quote Hells_Bliss 4th August 2007, 06:50
Quote:
Originally Posted by tk421
i thought that III and VC were pc first? or did i hallucinate that?

no, they were ps2 first.
Quote:
Veles Quote:
Originally Posted by Hells_Bliss
i don't know why they don't make the games for the PC's and then port to the console...we'd all be happy. the masses still have good games, gamers get better quality product.

Don't really see how that would make a difference, GTA has always been a console title that has been ported over to the PC, I don't see how making it the other way round would make things any better at all seeing as the PC gaming market is dwarfed by the console market.

I was speaking in general terms, not just GTA :)
Quote bluesuedeshoes 4th August 2007, 10:45
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hells_Bliss
i don't know why they don't make the games for the PC's and then port to the console...we'd all be happy. the masses still have good games, gamers get better quality product.

The reason any game dev does what it does is based on money. There are simply more console gamers out there so its wise for any business to optimize there product (i.e. spend the most time and money) perfecting the product that is going to the widest audience. Theres swings and roundabouts with both console and PC gaming. There are certain types of game which work better on both sorts of system, I'd never play an RTS on a console and I'd never play a beat 'em up on a PC. PC's won't get left behind because they'll always be teams like Crytek willing to lead on the PC and with Sony saying the PS3 is going to have a 10 year life cycle I can't see PC gaming being allowed by devs to be hampered by decade old tech. Besides the console manufacturers want devs to push the limits with PC tech because it means they know the techniques required when they launch their next all singing and next gen system. Its the circle of life!!!
Quote LeMaltor 4th August 2007, 17:28
"but actually the technological limitations of the console. "

Which one?
Quote SNIPERMikeUK 5th August 2007, 16:10
Well this will make a large dent in the sony profits over the christmas period, the ps3 sales will be affected by this move..... Even if it was to be the most incomplete version. Only time will tell if sony can pull something out of the bag in-time for the end of year rush? (with the elite halo3 and the well priced wii and mario galaxy?)
Quote LeMaltor 5th August 2007, 17:26
Quote:
Originally Posted by SNIPERMikeUK
Well this will make a large dent in the sony profits over the christmas period, the ps3 sales will be affected by this move..... Even if it was to be the most incomplete version. Only time will tell if sony can pull something out of the bag in-time for the end of year rush? (with the elite halo3 and the well priced wii and mario galaxy?)

Indeed October looked a great month to buy a PS3 with GTA, GT5 pro and new PES out, now I do not think I will buy one
Quote mikeuk2004 5th August 2007, 21:00
Quote:
Originally Posted by tk421
i thought that III and VC were pc first? or did i hallucinate that?

Yeah I think you did :) I think it was at least a year or even 2 before it made it onto PC.
Quote CardJoe 6th August 2007, 10:30
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14971

Pachter, unsurprisingly, reckons that the PS3 is the root of the problem. Funny, Rockstar didn't even hint that that was the problem...
Quote Xir 6th August 2007, 11:45
...still playing San Andreas* :D
Anyway the PC version will take even more time to finish.

I've been thinking abiut getting Vice City stories to fill the gap, but it's supposed to be poor compared to San Andreas.

Xir

*Due to Bugs...
Quote Saivert 6th August 2007, 16:50
Grand Theft Auto (and the GTA London expansion pack) was released on PC first. After a while they eventually brought out the Playstation version. GTA 2 was also launched for PC first, then console.
When Playstation 2 arrived, Rockstar made a lucrative deal with Sony and was obliged to make further games for Sony's console first. That means GTA III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas and GTA Liberty City Stories.

This whole franchise has become very big now. Perhaps too big?
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