Take a deep breath and do not forget that delay is nice.
OK, that assertion is flawed. everytime True, however normally so. Generally delayed initiatives end in horrible video games (taking a look at you, Duke Nukem 3D), however most of the time, good issues come out of time. In artwork, it is essential to spend weeks meticulously crafting one thing excellent. It is also essential to seek out the braveness to desert concepts that appear conceptually good however do not work. Take into consideration what number of instances you’ve got purchased a half-baked sport, performed it, and wished the writer had delayed it till it was correctly ready. Did you may have that thought in your head? Sure, please wait a second.
GTA6 is late once more, however that is an excellent factor. It is in all probability higher to be late.
Rockstar has an extended historical past of delaying video games to ensure they’re prepared for market, and is surprisingly constant in its self-discipline, together with Nintendo among the many elite fraternity of studios that wait till the casserole is absolutely cooked earlier than serving it. And it is at all times scrumptious.
I have been taking part in GTA video games for so long as they have been round, beginning with the 4-player PC GTA LAN Get together. I’ve performed the least recognized (London 1969), the most effective (GTA V), and the true greatest (Chinatown Wars on DS). I have been trolling, crashing, and taking pictures these silly, great worlds for many years. And fortunately, these video games are nearly at all times behind…and never coincidentally, are at all times nice. Listed here are all of the delays in GTA historical past (Crimson Useless included).
grand theft auto iii
Rockstar’s New York workplace is positioned only a few blocks from the World Commerce Heart, and Take-Two wasted no time in quickly delaying the event of GTA III after the September 11 assaults. . Terry Donovan, Vice President of Advertising and marketing introduced a delay Only a few days after the tragedy,
“Our choice was primarily based on two elements. First, the essential communications infrastructure was intermittent at greatest, making it a bit tough to conduct work in downtown Manhattan final week. Second, given the horrific occasions all of us witnessed in the US final week, we felt an entire content material overview of all of our titles and the advertising supplies we use to symbolize them was completely essential for us.”
He additional added, “Reviewing will not be a brief course of in the case of Grand Theft Auto, as the sport is so enormous. To date, we have included a number of small contextual references that we’re not snug with, in addition to some very uncommon gameplay that did not really feel proper to us. We apologize to you and all those that are ready for this sport to ship for the delays we’re at present experiencing, however we’re assured you’ll perceive our reasoning. Relaxation assured that the sport is superb… and you may count on it to be in shops.” In late October. β
Even when the content material modifications have been minimal, the postponement was a smart choice for each Rockstar and gamers. Blowing up cops and ambulances in Liberty Metropolis proper after 1000’s of individuals died violently in all probability would not have appealed to anybody.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The joint award for shortest delay is shared between Vice Metropolis and San Andreas. Within the previous days, earlier than downloadable sport shops and day-one patches, producers would guess upfront how a lot bodily product they would wish to provide on a given launch date, and generally they’d guess flawed. Rockstar postpones Vice Metropolis Please prolong it to 7 days to provide us time to fabricate extra discs (so we will meet the large first day demand for the GTA III follow-up).
San Andreas for PS2 additionally hit the streets per week later than deliberate. This can be a strategic choice designed to provide the event workforce extra days to shine a two-year challenge.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis Tales and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Now, here is the actual story. GTA is extraordinarily laborious on handheld…so laborious that it is value dusting off your previous PlayStation Transportable or DS and giving it a attempt. GTA’s good forays into moveable gaming normally arrive on time, however Vice Metropolis Tales for the PSP 2 weeks late It is even longer in North America and even longer in components of Europe.
One of the best of all of them, GTA (battle me!), didn’t arrive precisely on time. Shelf of extremely artistic and sophisticated DS sport chits 2 months later Greater than anticipated. When it lastly got here out, critics have been throughout it, nevertheless it’s one among gaming’s nice tragedies that nobody purchased it… With the brand new Change 2, we would all be taking part in Chinatown Wars 3 by now.
Grand Theft Auto IV
After GTA III modified the online game panorama, the anticipation for GTA IV was palpable. With clunky RenderWare in place and a model new era of consoles, Rockstar Leeds was headed for the stratosphere. The last word aim is to make the imaginative and prescient a actuality. a number of months delay.
Rockstar’s Sam Hause explains: “The brand new consoles (PS3 and 360) have made it doable to create the Grand Theft Auto video games we have at all times dreamed of. Each side of the sport and its design has utterly modified. The sport is big, pushing {hardware} platforms to their absolute limits. At present, prime executives at Sony and Microsoft Our engineers are working carefully with our workforce in Edinburgh that can assist you take full benefit of the facility of each platforms. As at all times, our aim is to exceed even the wildest expectations.” β
Grand Theft Auto V
It has been a very long time coming for the most important console sport of all time. GTA V lastly arrived in September 2013, though it was initially anticipated to reach within the spring of the identical 12 months. Nonetheless, in late January 2013, Rockstar has launched the next message:
“We all know that is about 4 months later than initially deliberate, and we all know this brief delay shall be a disappointment to lots of you, however belief us, it is value the additional time. GTAV is a really bold and sophisticated sport, and we, and extra importantly… “Grand Theft Auto followers, please settle for our apologies for the delay and our promise that each one of our groups listed below are working laborious to finish the sport.” Thanks in your help and endurance as we work laborious to make sure we meet, if not exceed, expectations in September. β
They weren’t flawed. GTA V turned essentially the most profitable console sport of all time, and together with RDR2 is a real jewel in Rockstar’s crown.
pink lifeless redemption 2
Talking of RDR2…Though it isn’t a part of the GTA collection, RDR2 is Rockstar’s greatest sport and I like speaking about it. In line with Rockstar’s custom of high quality delays, I am going to add somewhat appendix by mentioning Crimson Useless Redemption 2, which was delayed twice. To start with, spring 2017 For high quality assurance functions. of second delay was launched in February 2018, and RDR2 was delayed to late October. Rockstar’s assertion additionally explains that this can be a high quality subject.
βWe’re happy to announce that Crimson Useless Redemption 2 shall be launched on October 26, 2018. We apologize to everybody who was dissatisfied by this delay. We had hoped to launch the sport sooner, however we want extra time to shine it.
“We sincerely thanks in your endurance and hope that once you play the sport, you may discover it value your whereas. Within the meantime, please test it out. these screenshots From the sport. We stay up for sharing extra info with you within the coming weeks. β
This delay, like all others right here, resolved itself gracefully, leading to a real murals that’s nonetheless unparalleled in journey video games.
So my associates, don’t despair. GTA 6 is coming, and when it does, it is nearly actually going to be fairly superior. See you in Vice Metropolis.
Be aware: This story was initially printed in Could 2025, when GTA 6 was first delayed. The whole lot there may be true!
Jared Petty is a former videogameaddicted editor who loves writing about how splendidly silly video video games are. He may be discovered at pettycommajared as Bluesky.