Saturday, August 1

THE DELAY OF BIOSHOCK 2 IS A GOOD THING


Take-Two Interactive recently announced that the highly anticipated sequel Bioshock 2 has been delayed until “fiscal year 2010.” In my humble opinion, that’s good news for gamers and investors alike.

Although one could argue that the push back of Bioshock 2 into 2010 robs 2009 of another AAA title, the situation also allow gamers to save a few bucks for what will be a money-draining holiday season. Think about it, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Modern Warfare 2, Lost planet 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Mass Effect 2, and you will quickly notice your pocket can’t stretch that long; well some of your wallets can, but most people can’t drop $300.00 on games this Christmas. In my view, Bioshock is a game that deserves much attention when it is released, trying to do just that this fall is like climbing atop a mountain only to find there’s no spot to pitch your tent; all the spaces are taken. What Take-Two did makes sense.

Remember the company behind Bioshock, is the same company behind Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption, Mafia II and yes, Grand Theft Auto. This is a sign that take-two interactive no longer depends heavily on the GTA franchise to churn in profits, but instead has garnered other great franchises to help make the company successful. If you’re into stocks, in my humble opinion now is the time to buy you some Take-Two Interactive shares. Hey it’s only $9 now and picked at $25.75, a 52-week high, so there’s definitely space for growth. Analyst Jesse Divnich sent out an email to journalists, here’s what it says:

"Take-Two has made a very intrepid move by putting gamers before investors, an act most publishers wouldn’t usually consider, and even though investors are likely to punish Take-Two for this delay, we as gamers should reward them for their persistence on improving game quality over meeting 'financial expectations.' A delayed release will not diminish BioShock 2 sales, where a game whose quality didn’t meet consumer expectations definitely would sell fewer units. As far as I am concerned, Take-Two is just moving numbers from one financial year to another."

Yes, the guys at Take-Two are more concerned with creating a second to none experience for gamers, rather than making investors happy by rushing out a half-baked game. In the end they will be rewarded with blockbuster sales. Bioshock 2 deserves the extra time, the only question is, how patient are you?

08/01/09 Ernice Gilbert

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