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Blog: Software Grand Theft Auto IV Delayed Until 2008
Michael Hoffman (Blog) - August 2, 2007 10:38 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 48 comment(s) - last by Treckin.. on Aug 5 at 1:46 PM

Grand Theft Auto IV screenshot  (Source: Rockstar Games)
Take-Two announces that Grand Theft Auto IV will not be available before Christmas

Take-Two Interactive Software announced it will delay both the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, arguably the company's most important upcoming video game.  Originally scheduled to be released October 16, the game will now likely be released in the second quarter of fiscal 2008 - a period ranging from February 1 to April 30.

The recent announcement was rather unexpected, and Take-Two said the game must be delayed because it isn't completed.  Game developer Rockstar Games strongly promoted the October 16 game release with little indication a delay loomed in the future.  

Microsoft and Sony were expecting the latest Grand Theft Auto video game to give them an important boost during the Christmas holiday shopping rush.

"Certain elements of development proved to be more time-intensive than expected, especially given the commitment for a simultaneous release on two very different platforms," said Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two chairman.

Take-Two also lowered financial outlook for the final two quarters of its fiscal year.

While Microsoft can look forward to the latest Halo in the holiday season, Sony no longer has a premier game title to offer gamers during the holiday - a turn of events which could help sales of the Nintendo Wii game console, according to Evan Wilson, Pacific Crest Securities analyst.

"It is rare that a single game can change the dynamics of the competitive landscape," Wilson added.

Take-Two and Rockstar Games already have another anticipated game that has not been released - Manhunt 2 is still ensnared in legal limbo over the game's violence.

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Any plans for a PC version?
By akyp on 8/3/2007 3:11:29 AM , Rating: 2
I will never get used to playing a 3D shooter game on a console.




RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By omnicronx on 8/3/2007 10:27:54 AM , Rating: 2
This game is a 3rd person shooter, which in my opinion are great on consoles. 1st person shooters (view from gun) are always best on PC :)


RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By PaxtonFettel on 8/3/2007 11:30:34 AM , Rating: 2
Meh, 1st or 3rd person, consoles always have to fudge the aiming so that it's possible to hit anything. I always feel like I'm cheating a bit when I play a GTA game on a console and it does all the aiming for me.


RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By omnicronx on 8/3/2007 11:54:31 AM , Rating: 2
thats what higher difficulty settings are for..


RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By SirLucius on 8/3/2007 11:58:11 AM , Rating: 2
You can almost always turn off the "auto-aim" feature that kinda jumps and locks onto targets. I always do (when allowed) since I find it to be distracting and annoying.


RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By danz32 on 8/3/2007 10:28:48 AM , Rating: 2
In the past, the port has been about 6 months past the original console release. We'll have to see this time

I agree about the PC being better, except flying planes in GTA has harder with a keyboard.


RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By TimTheEnchanter25 on 8/3/2007 10:59:22 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
I agree about the PC being better, except flying planes in GTA has harder with a keyboard.


Flying in the GTA games with a Joystick is awesome, the console controllers don't even come close. Way better controls than Battlefield 1942 / Vietnam (didn't play the newer ones).


RE: Any plans for a PC version?
By akyp on 8/4/2007 5:38:07 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah that's what I do on previous GTA titles. Although it's kinda odd to control the throttle with joystick buttons instead of uh, the throttle controller. :)


Hard drive
By DingieM on 8/3/2007 3:39:22 AM , Rating: 1
Recently Microsoft said that some future Xbox360 games only support a hard drive, either enhancing the gameplay by using the hard drive if present or only run on an Xbox360 with hard drive.
Can't post the link its in Dutch and can't reach it from work (closed from internet with filters - thank you Honeywell).

So this may have to do with it that GTA 4 has to be adapted (enhanced) for Xbox360 including hard drives.
This means that the presumed advantage of the PS3 version will be reduced to 0.




RE: Hard drive
By enlil242 on 8/3/2007 4:34:16 PM , Rating: 3
"simultaneous release on two very different platforms,"

i.e. Playstation learning curve is still a bear even with the updated tools sony finally provided, and since we used to be a Sony Exclusive, we appeased them by not releaseing the Xbox version before the PS3 version...

Or maybe not.


RE: Hard drive
By Treckin on 8/5/2007 1:46:52 PM , Rating: 2
Best deduction I have seen on dailytech yet...
2 points :-)


RE: Hard drive
By afkrotch on 8/4/2007 4:47:01 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
This means that the presumed advantage of the PS3 version will be reduced to 0.


Umm...how would that reduce the PS3's advantage to 0? Wouldn't that be a big disadvantage for the Xbox 360?

You alienate your customer base that doesn't have a hdd for their Xbox 360. You are making users waste space on their already small hdd (as the majority probably only sport the 20 gig hdd).

PS3 games don't require you to install the game on the hdd. Some games allow you to install it in the hdd, but it's not necessary. Also, all PS3s have a hdd to begin with.

If they required games to have a hdd to run, you are forcing users to buy or upgrade their hdds. Course even doing that gives the Xbox 360 a huge disadvantage in pricing for hdds or selections for hdds.

Xbox 360
20 gig hdd - $95
120 gig hdd - $165

PS3

40 gig hdd - $44
60 gig hdd - $49
80 gig hdd - $55
100 gig hdd - $64
120 gig hdd - $67
160 gig hdd - $95
200 gig hdd - $140
250 gig hdd - $190


NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
By omnicronx on 8/3/2007 8:53:55 AM , Rating: 2
Thats B.S, i was really looking forward to playing gta4 this holiday season, I even took two weeks off in anticipation! jk.. not that much of a loser, but still I WANT!!




Good
By Holytrinity on 8/3/07, Rating: -1
RE: Good
By sxr7171 on 8/3/2007 1:31:07 AM , Rating: 2
Nice try.


RE: Good
By rdeegvainl on 8/3/2007 1:35:34 AM , Rating: 2
It is amazing that people are so concerned with the ratings that their posts get they pretty much make a disclaimer in their messages relating to the ratings they think they are gonna get. If you are that worried about your rating... here is a thought, quit worrying.

Anyways I think the word senseless could be debated in the context of the upcoming GTA IV game based on what I have heard so far.


RE: Good
By someguy123 on 8/3/2007 3:34:39 AM , Rating: 2
the senseless violence portion of the game is actually the worst part of the game (such as the "take over territory" portion of GTA san andreas). it's fun at times to just run around and do whatever you want throughout the city, but the majority of people buy the game for it's "hard life" story.

the story may not be ground breaking, but out of all the games out GTA does the genre the best.


RE: Good
By christojojo on 8/3/07, Rating: 0
RE: Good
By therealnickdanger on 8/3/2007 7:33:50 AM , Rating: 1
Hardly appropriate to accuse the man of being self-serving and judgemental just for finding games that entertain violence to be disgusting. Did he tell you that you can't play the game? No, he said that "he thinks" the game shouldn't be released.

Why so quick to defend something as trivial as a videogame in order to slam your brother?


RE: Good
By rdeegvainl on 8/3/2007 7:42:16 AM , Rating: 2
WHAT? they are related? this is turning out to be quite the turn of events. Are they locked in a heated struggle, both with opposing views?
Stay tuned to dailytech of our lives.


RE: Good
By christojojo on 8/3/2007 1:02:36 PM , Rating: 3
The relation of GTA and the Bible is violence and children. Many of the jedo-christian heritage stories like Grimms tales, wild west paperbacks and other folk lore sources have loads of violence. War has been glorified for centuries. Children have been exposed to it for centuries.

Yet, we never hear John Wayne, Jackie Chan, J.R.R. Tolkien, or a myriad of other cultural Icons of being accused of causing our children to be violent. Cut the crap; be responsible for your own actions; be a good neighbor. (End of another rant)


RE: Good
By bplewis24 on 8/3/2007 10:43:03 AM , Rating: 4
While I agree with the general notion and tone of your post, I do think something should be pointed out. You say:

quote:
Did he tell you that you can't play the game? No, he said that "he thinks" the game shouldn't be released


In all practicality, if his stance is that the game shouldn't ever be released, he IS saying that he doesn't want people in general (and the responding poster specifically) to play it. It would be one thing the OP said he hated the game and wouldn't want to play it himself or allow his children to play it, but in this case he is pretty much trying to restrict the rights of others with opposing views by saying that, if he had his way, nobody could play it.

Brandon