delays
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Evolve pushed back to February [Update]
The launch of Evolve has been delayed to 2015, Take-Two indicated in the company's fiscal first quarter 2015 financial report. The game will now launch globally on February 10, 2015. Evolve was previously expected to arrive on October 21. Evolve is Turtle Rock Studios' four-versus-one monster-hunting game for PS4, Xbox One and PC. In it, players team up with three friends to take down a large beast or can opt to take on the hunting party as the single monster. Our video preview of Evolve discusses the shooter's four character classes as well as its jetpacks and other tools that make the game's combat interesting. Update: Take-Two President Karl Slatoff said during the publisher's financial call that it "primarily decided the title deserves and should have more time to be polished so it can reach its absolute optimal state before we release it," and that "historically, we've benefited from giving the creative teams more time to polish the titles, we've never regretted it." Slatoff also stressed that he views the delay as not being a "meaningful amount of time," given that Evolve will still launch during Take-Two's fiscal year, and that February is a "pretty terrific" release window. "It's not at all crowded, and we will benefit from the fact that there are a lot of holiday sales of consoles. The install base will be bigger," Slatoff said. [Image: Take-Two]
Batman: Arkham Knight delayed into 2015
This year's lineup of blockbuster games is on the wane, with Batman: Arkham Knight making a high-profile exit into 2015. The Arkham series, which has mainly been a product of Rocksteady Studios and the matching realization that Batman games don't have to be robot-punching slogs through Gotham's sewers, is set to conclude with Arkham Knight. Though constructing a huge, mega-gritty Gotham fit for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is taking longer than expected, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive is still bringing out its big guns for E3 – said guns being attached to the euphemistic Batmobile, seen above. This is a straight-up tank, Batman. Do you want Commissioner Gordon to give his speech about escalation again? [Images: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]
Valve implies 2015 delay for Steam Machines
Valve's Steam Machines program looks set to drift into a 2015 release window, although the company's wording leaves the matter unclear. In an update on the pre-built PCs, Valve's Eric Hope said pending improvements tied to the Steam Controller would realistically mean a delay until next year. Hope didn't state specifically if that's for the Controller and/or the Machines, but the context points to the latter at least. Hope wrote, "We're now using wireless prototype controllers to conduct live playtests, with everyone from industry professionals to die-hard gamers to casual gamers. It's generating a ton of useful feedback, and it means we'll be able to make the controller a lot better. Of course, it's also keeping us pretty busy making all those improvements. Realistically, we're now looking at a release window of 2015, not 2014. "Obviously we're just as eager as you are to get a Steam Machine in your hands. But our number one priority is making sure that when you do, you'll be getting the best gaming experience possible. We hope you'll be patient with us while we get there. Until then, we'll continue to post updates as we have more stories to share." That suggests Steam Machines won't be available until 2015, although the program's homepage still notes a 2014 release window. We've reached out to Valve for clarification. [Image: Valve]
Tesla Effect slinks back into the shadows for now, out May 7
Full-motion space quest Tesla Effect isn't touching down today as planned, after dev Big Finish Games decided to hold it back a couple of weeks for some finishing touches. The PC and Mac game's new release date is May 7, when it will come to GOG.com and Steam. Players can expect another serving of near-future ham and cheese in Tex Murphy's returning adventure, which sees the hapless gumshoe wrestling with more murders, more secrets and more trouble with the ladies. Also, he's managed to forget the last seven years of his life, which proves to be somewhat of a bummer. Tesla Effect charges a regular price of $20, but pre-orders are going for $18 and come with previous entry The Pandora Detective and the game's Tex Murphy Live Jazz soundtrack. [Image: Atlus]
Lego: The Hobbit isn't setting off for Wii U just yet
Warner Bros. revealed it's pushed back the Wii U version of Lego: The Hobbit until April 22 in North America, despite releasing the game on other platforms this week. According to a press release sent to Joystiq, Warner Bros UK is releasing the Wii U version alongside other platforms on April 11, while Vooks reports a May 7 due date for Nintendo's home console, in contrast to April 16 on other systems. WB didn't explain why it's holding back Bilbo and his dwarven pals from Wii U adventures, but the publisher does have a bit of a history with the Nintendo console. The Wii U didn't get mulitplayer content or campaign DLC for Batman: Arkham Origins, and that version was also delayed in the UK. Add in the recent week's delay for the Wii U version of Arkham Origins: Blackgate in Europe, and then there's the year or so Europeans had to wait for Scribblenauts Unlimited on Nintendo systems. As for Lego: The Hobbit itself, the game chronicles the first two films of the trilogy based on Tolkein's beloved book. Reportedly, dev Traveler's Tales is bringing There and Back Again to the game as DLC, with plans to release it when the third film hits cinemas in December. While Wii U owners have to wait a little longer, if you fancy a halfling with the latest Lego game you can get it now on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Vita, 3DS and PC. [Image: Warner Bros.]
MGS5: Ground Zeroes delayed a week in Australia, New Zealand
Idle animation Snake. Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes is keeping players waiting a bit longer in Australia and New Zealand, where the open-world stealth game won't hit retail shelves for another week. Konami confirmed the new release date of March 27 to NZGamer, and the publisher didn't offer a reason for the delay. It's the second Konami game to receive a downunder delay in a month, after Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 was pushed back by a week in Australia and New Zealand. As NZGamer notes, the downloadable versions of Lords of Shadow 2 weren't affected by what was then a "shipping delay," and while it's not confirmed there's the possibility the same may apply to Ground Zeroes. In other Ground Zeroes news, series creator Hideo Kojima explained this morning the game doesn't feature a Platinum trophy on PS4 because of Sony regulations. Speaking on Twitter, Kojima said, "They won't allow us to have them for [a] non-full price game." [Image: Konami]
Shovel Knight staying underground for a few more weeks
Yacht Club Games announced a short delay for retro platformer Shovel Knight so it can make sure the final version is polished to satisfaction. The Wii U, 3DS, and Steam game was due on March 31, but it's now expected to surface a few weeks after that. "This isn't a major delay, or a long one," reads an update on the Kickstarter page, "it's simply a stretch of time to get everything polished and aligned. While major development is quickly drawing to a close, there are still some external factors, like submission preparation, which need a little bit more breathing room before the game goes live." The delay should see Shovel Knight arrive close to exactly a year after it was crowdfunded, when it received more than four times its asking amount. Backers clearly bought in to the game's 8-bit aesthetic, as well as the clear nods to classics like Castlevania, Mega Man, and DuckTales. Let's hope the delay helps the final game to deliver on its potential in spades. [Image: Yacht Club Games]
UPS and FedEx buckle under holiday load, leaving retailers and families in the lurch
Didn't get your Christmas presents in time? You're far from alone. Seems that both FedEx and UPS greatly underestimated the number of packages that would be passing through their systems this holiday season. More consumers are doing their gift shopping from the comfort and safety of their computers, bombarding our already stretched parcel services -- it's not surprising that something had to give. According to a spokesperson, FedEx handled roughly 275 million packages between Thanksgiving and December 22nd, while the US Postal Service said it saw a 19 percent increase in volume over last year (UPS declined to say exactly how much its expectations were exceeded). While these companies insist that the vast majority of packages were delivered by their promised December 24th deadline, a small portion did not make it in time to be placed under the tree on Christmas morning. Both the delivery companies and retailers are working to repair the damage, but the writing may be on the wall for 2014. The deadline for Christmas orders will undoubtedly be earlier next year, but the more immediate problem will be making things right with consumers this year.
Hearthstone open beta pushed into 2014
Despite Blizzard's hope of launching Hearthstone into open beta sometime this month, it appears as though bug-catching, card-tweaking, and fine-tuning have gotten the better of the team. The studio today announced that Hearthstone's open beta has been delayed to ensure the game is "ready for wider testing." According to Blizzard, Hearthstone's open beta is still "very close." Blizzard tempered the bad news with an announcement that it is expanding the closed beta substantially; everyone who opted in before December 16th, 2013, should have received an invite. If you haven't yet opted in, you have until January 7th, 2014, to sign up. No further card data wipes are planned as Hearthstone edges its way to launch.
Driveclub delayed to early 2014
Sony confirmed the rumored last-minute delay to PS4 launch game Driveclub, pushing back the Evolution Studios racer to "early 2014." Vaudevillian puzzle-platformer Contrast will take Driveclub's place as one of the two PS Plus games available at the PS4's launch, the other being Resogun. Sony Worldwide Studios chief Shuhei Yoshida assured fans a PS Plus version of Driveclub will still be available when the game is eventually released. Writing on the PS Blog, Yoshida said Driveclub requires more development time before it can deliver on Evolution Studios and Sony's vision: "We understand that the delay is disappointing news, but can assure you that the reason we have made this decision is to ensure that when Driveclub launches, it will realize the next-gen racing vision." Driveclub is the second PS4 launch game to be delayed this week, although Ubisoft's Watch Dogs is multiplatform in contrast. Yoshida moved to allay fears over the dwindling line-up, name-checking Killzone Shadow Fall, Knack, Assassin's Creed 4, FIFA 14, Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Battlefield 4 as some of the remaining PS4 launch games. "A broad portfolio of games will be available on PS4 before the end of the year," Yoshida added, "And with games such Infamous Second Son, The Order 1886, Destiny, Watch Dogs and now Driveclub coming next year, the strength of the software line-up on PS4 is unprecedented."
Rumor: PS4 launch title Driveclub delayed
Two reports are claiming that PS4 launch title Driveclub may be the latest title to receive a last-minute delay. Ominous silence from publisher Sony and developer Evolution Studios isn't allaying fears after this week's Watch Dogs delay. The rumblings began yesterday at UK-based site The Same Coin, which reported it received word from an "anonymous source" that Evolution Studios' racer was being pushed back to spring 2014. The Same Coin told Joystiq the anonymous source is a Sony employee, but we've not been able to verify this. The rumor was then followed up by Kotaku, who posted that "a person familiar with goings-on at Sony" told the site that The Same Coin's report is accurate. Kotaku also noted Driveclub was originally part of the line-up at a PS4 event in San Francisco yesterday, but was later removed because of a "scheduling conflict," according to a Sony representative. We're also unable to verify that Same Coin and Kotaku aren't talking to the same source. We've reached out to Sony for comment, but we've yet to hear back. Meanwhile, Evolution Design Director Paul Rustchynsky seemed to deflect multiple queries about the rumor on Twitter, instead saying, "Unfortunately guys I don't have any new information on Driveclub to share. I've been out if the office for a week looking after my newborn!" Driveclub is due to launch alongside the PS4 on November 15 in North America, and November 25 in Europe. There's a free, beta version of the game allegedly coming to PS Plus subscribers that's missing "a few assets" from the full version.
The Crew projected to sell over 2.5 million, Watch Dogs forecast unchanged
Ubisoft expects the The Crew to sell more than 2.5 million units, while Watch Dogs is still projected to exceed the 6.2 million first-year sales of the first Assassin's Creed. In an investors' conference call, CFO Alain Martinez said Ubisoft is "still in line" with its Watch Dogs projections despite the publisher delaying the formerly next-gen launch title to spring 2014. In the case of The Crew, pushed back to mid-2014 at least, Martinez noted a "more limited potential" compared to Watch Dogs because it's a racer. "We generally have spoken to about over two-and-a-half million units" said Martinez. "We'll see where we go and we believe that we have a nice potential for the future." Ubisoft Reflections' open-world multiplayer racer was previously slated to arrive on Xbox One, PS4, and PC in the first calendar quarter of 2014 (January to March 2014). In Ubisoft's press release regarding both the Watch Dogs and The Crew delays, co-founder and CEO Yves Guillemot stated, "In a context of growing successes for mega-blockbusters, the additional time given to the development of our titles will allow them to fulfill their huge ambitions and thus offer players even more exceptional experiences." When pressed on the Watch Dogs delay during the conference call, Guillemot said that Ubisoft was playtesting the game until the last minute before making the decision: "What we saw in the playtests is that we were very close to the quality we wanted but not exactly at the level, and we saw that with more time we could give it a far bigger potential. So we think it's the best way to take care of this brand, is to make sure it has everything ... it can supply to the customers who are expecting it."
Flipnote Studio 3D delayed in Europe due to 'unexpectedly high' use in Japan
European 3DS owners hoping to flip some 3D notes this week will have to wait a bit longer. Flipnote Studio 3D was coming to the continent this week, but Nintendo postponed the animation software's launch in light of "unexpectedly high" uptake in Japan after last week's launch over there. Nintendo of Europe provided us with the following statement: "Nintendo of Europe regrets to announce that Flipnote Studio 3D, originally due for a European launch on Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS on 1st August, will be delayed. Due to unexpectedly high levels of user activity since the launch of the application in Japan on 24th July, we decided to postpone our European launch until we can deliver the best possible service to users. We apologize for any inconvenience this delay may cause, and will announce a new launch date as soon as possible." We've reached out to Nintendo of America to find out if the European delay will impact the North American launch, which remains listed as "early August" on the software's website. When it does launch, the free 3DS successor to Flipnote will bring with the ability to use 3D effects, doodle in six colors - yes, six - and export creations as AVIs and GIFs. And if there's anything the Internet needs, it's more GIFs ... No, we're not joking.
Tearaway tears away from release date, delayed until November
You might want to tear away a few tissues, because Media Molecule's next whimsical adventure, Tearaway, has been delayed. Originally slated to arrive in October, the game will now hit shelves on November 22. The delay has been announced by both the American and European PS Blog, so it appears to be worldwide. Tearaway takes place in a papercraft universe, allowing players to interact with the world using the PlayStation Vita's unique hardware features, including the touch screen and rear touch pad.
Lost Planet 3 delayed until August 27 in NA, August 30 in EU
At the very end of a long press release detailing Capcom's lineup for the next few months, Capcom sneaked in news of a delay for Lost Planet 3. According to the announcement, Spark Unlimited's Akrid-drilling sequel is now due August 27 in North America, and August 30 in Europe, for PS3, Xbox, and PC.The last known release dates were June 25 and 28 for North America and Europe, respectively – following a delay out of the "early 2013" release window.
HTC flagship becomes the One to wait for, component shortages blamed for delays
Fresh on the heels of last week's editorial comes confirmation that HTC's superior hardware isn't being overlooked by consumers alone. According to a statement in the Wall Street Journal, an HTC executive has acknowledged that a reduced shipment forecast prompted certain suppliers to downgrade the company's status, saying "HTC has had difficulty in securing adequate camera components as it is no longer a tier-one customer." That component, along with metal casings, is being blamed for the HTC One's shipment delays -- the device may still reach pre-order customers this month, but many markets won't see the flagship smartphone until April. The company has a lot riding on this very well-received device, but with Samsung's unrivaled marketing spend and these latest supply issues, glowing reviews alone won't carry the One to success.
Ubisoft wants better relationship with PC players
Ubisoft is working to smooth out years of open hostility against legitimate customers of its PC products. Speaking with MCV, Uplay Director Stephanie Perotti announced more third-party partners for the publisher's digital distribution network, adding, "It shows our commitment to PC, and we want to improve our relationship with the PC community."Ubisoft's messaging on this better relationship hangs on larger retail offerings through Uplay and the removal of always-on DRM from its games.Not mentioned are the notorious delays of the publisher's major games between console and PC launches. Although Far Cry 3 didn't experience the standard PC release lag – since it launched so late a delay would have missed the holiday window – Assassin's Creed 3 arrived a month later on PC. We've yet to see what 2013 brings in terms of major Ubisoft games and how launch timing will shape up.
Rayman Legends delayed to September, also coming to Xbox 360 and PS3
Rayman Legends has been delayed once again, to "early September." This is annoying news for Wii U owners, who already saw it delayed out of the launch window and into February and March. But it's good news for PS3 and Xbox owners who had yet to pick up a Wii U, as the game is now planned for simultaneous release on those platforms.Ubisoft Montpellier is developing all three versions. The Wii U game includes significant touchscreen elements, including simultaneous multiplayer between the GamePad and Wii Remote. It'll be interesting to see how, or if, those elements translate to more traditional control schemes.We contacted Ubisoft regarding the Wii U delay. The publisher offered no additional comment.
Scribblenauts Unlimited delayed in Europe, no ETA provided
Scribblenauts fans in Europe are left waiting for Unlimited once more after Nintendo delayed the game's arrival in the continent, just days ahead of release. Nintendo's announcement didn't provide any date or window for the delayed launch.The 5th Cell game was initially expected for the Wii U's launch in Europe, but was then given a release date of February 8. That push-back was, according to 5th Cell CEO Jeremiah Slaczka, "due to things outside of development." This time, Nintendo says it's emerged that changes need to be made before the 3DS and Wii U games can launch in Europe.When approached, a Nintendo representative told us, "This is all the information we have at present," referring to the statement we've reproduced after the break. We've also reached out to developer 5th Cell for comment.
Scott Pilgrim DLC delayed again
We had such a good feeling about the prospects for the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World online multiplayer DLC. It was due to be released on XBLA and PSN this week, but Ubisoft has delayed it once again – one day before release.In a statement sent to Destructoid, Ubisoft says it is "addressing feedback from the community on the best ways to honor retro games in the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game DLC in an accurate and respectful manner."That likely translates to removing the elements that appear to be cribbed from Sonic Battle. This is the weirdest DLC ever. Sorry, Soulcalibur 5.
