Has one of the PlayStation 4's big launch exclusives has been pushed back to next year? Rumors are swirling that DriveClub has been delayed to 2014, but Sony won't comment on the matter.
UPDATE (10/18): Sony has confirmed the delay.
A website called The Same Coin sparked the rumor earlier today, claiming they'd heard from "an anonymous source" that Sony's big racing game, originally slated for release alongside the PS4 on November 15, has been bumped to next spring. "Treat this as 100% rumour for now," they wrote. "Hopefully it will turn out to be false."
While I hadn't heard of this website before today, a person familiar with goings-on at Sony told me this afternoon that the report is true.
To add some fuel to this rumor fire, today in San Francisco, Sony is holding an event to show off their PS4 games. Although DriveClub was originally part of the lineup, a Sony rep told me this afternoon that it has been removed due to a "scheduling conflict."
When I asked if the game has been delayed, the Sony rep said they don't comment on rumors and speculation.
DriveClub design director Paul Rustchynsky wrote on Twitter today that he doesn't have "any new information on DRIVECLUB to share."
At E3 in June, Sony promised that their PlayStation Plus membership program will include access to a free, stripped-down version of DriveClub, among other benefits. If DriveClub is indeed delayed, Sony may need to find a way to replace that offer.
These rumors come a day after the delay of Watch Dogs, the sci-fi open world game that was also originally set to launch alongside next-gen consoles this November. Maybe something's in the water this week. We'll keep you updated as we hear more.