Year of the Delayed: What happened to 2009's game Lineup?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves sent some major games to secure a release date in 2010, are publishers so insecure? First it began with the Highly anticipated PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain, and from there things went down hill. But should publishers give in to Modern Warfare's popularity or Uncharted 2's hype? Well they did, but the problem is, spring 2010 was already crowded with big shots like God of War III and now Final Fantasy XIII. Will publishers push back even further games like Bioshock 2 with hope that they'd sell better? We've compiled a list of the games pushed into "early" 2010, and give reasons why some might be bumped further down the year.

Bioshock 2 was expected November 2009 then got delayed until first half 2010. Take-Two said they "felt that it was essential to invest the additional time to ensure that the title will deliver what its fans expect and deserved." Our take? Bioshock 2 is being worked on by many different studios, therefore delays are inevitable. North California, Australia, Canada and France, just imagine the logistics and communication difficulties involved, we could see Bioshock slip into the third quarter of 2010, leaving fans disappointed again.

Red Dead Redemption was revealed less than a year ago, however a fall 2009 release date was promised and then broken. It'll now be released on February 10, the reason according to Rockstar Games is "to maximize the full potential of the player experience and market performance." We'll put this in plain words for you, they're scared dead of the 2009 holiday lineup or what's remaining of it. New IPs often thrive when they're released alone with no competition, and if Red Dead Redemption was released, there's no doubt it'd get lost in the Christmas jungle.

Then there's Bonyetta, expected late 09 now January 5th, 2010. Singularity was set to land this fall, now delayed until first quarter of 2010, and Heavy Rain which was expected fall 2009, now we'll have to wait until early 2010 to play the genre defining title. Do you see a trend here? All the games listed have been pushed into early 2010, see the problem is early 2010 was already booked heavy; making it even more difficult for gamers to choose, and choose they will, which in turn will only hurt the sales of less popular titles. At the end there's two options but only one real solution, if your game is in conflict with big hitters like God of War III or Final Fantasy XIII or even Gran Turismo 5, get out of the way, let the kings reign, be patient and give your game a fighting chance by releasing it later.

10/02/10 Ernice Gilbert

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