Splinter Cell: Conviction Delayed

When Ubisoft didn't show Splinter Cell: Conviction at its last event, people worried a little about how the game might be doing. Fear not — the game's doing great. So great, they say, that Ubisoft just decided it'd be better off releasing it as part of its "2009-2010" lineup instead of in this year's fiscal fourth quarter. You know, to "bolster" next year, as the company said in its fiscal first quarter results statement.

Signs at Ubidays seemed to suggest that the game was undergoing a reworking, though Ubisoft's reps were specifically vague on details. We also heard that a "way too egotistical" Michael Ironside would no longer be returning as the voice of Sam Fisher.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot elaborated a bit during the company's call to investors:

LA traffic can be a real bitch, so who can blame Rockstar if there two newest Midnight Club games are a little late getting there? Originally scheduled for a September 9th in North America and September 12th in Europe, Midnight Club: Los Angeles and its PSP companion Midnight Club: LA Remix are now scheduled to pull into stores on October 7th in the states, with a European release three days later.

The press release doesn't explain the reason for the delay, or for that matter even call it a delay. In happy PR land this is just a new release date, possibly even better than the last! I'm assuming it's the usual last-minute bug-stomping, extra polish sort of thing. That or they just really like October more.

As fans probably noticed, the ultimate version of CD Projekt Red's PC RPG didn't quite make it's original May release window. The developers needed more time to make this version of the game as complete and as bug free as possible while making sure each different language version of the game featured the same high level of polish as the Polish. According to a news post on the official website for The Witcher, the The Witcher Enhanced Edition is now slated for a worldwide release this September. I'd say it's definitely worth the wait, but by now I've proven myself one of the game's biggest fanboys and it wouldn't hold all that much weight anyway.

The Witcher Enhanced Edition Release Date [Official Website]

I just returned from a very pleasant lunch at a posh Dunwoody Georgia restaurant with Strong Bad creators Mike and Matt Chapman, where we discussed the upcoming WiiWare episodic adventure game Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive people, and while the meat of said lunch (mainly beef) will be revealed next week, I did learn that the first episode of the game won't be making the original June window. From the voice of Strong Bad himself, Matt Chapman:

"The game is actually now getting pushed back to July, but the game is going to just be much better for it. It's just development time."

So it'll be just a little bit longer before Strong Bad, Homestar and crew make their console debut, but judging by the enthusiasm the Brothers Chap elicited during our gourmet meal I certainly wouldn't be worried about it. When the creators of the property are this enthused without someone poking them with a cattle prod you can generally expect something awesome. Speaking of which, look for the full interview sometime during next week's power-packed episode of Kotaku!

We've been hearing rumblings about this for a couple of days now, but now Eurogamer has received official word from EA that production on the PlayStation 3 version of Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 has come to a halt. While EA could confirm that the development of the PS3 version had ceased, they could not reveal the reason for the stoppage, nor discuss whether or not this was a temporary decision. Very, very curious indeed.

The move isn't without its benefits, however, as PC and Xbox 360 development is being bolstered by newly freed resources. You can look forward to seeing C&C Red Alert 3 on those platforms this Autumn. We'll keep you in the loop should further developments unfold for the PS3 version.

Work on Red Alert PS3 officially halted [Eurogamer]

Quickjump reports that, according to a Nintendo news release, Disaster: Day of Crisis, being developed by Monolith Soft for the Wii won't make its July 2008 release date in Japan and has been delayed indefinitely.

Reason for the delay: lengthen the development process to improve the quality of the product. That has back-to-the-drawing-board written all over it, IMHO. The game involves surviving/coping with repeated natural disaster strikes while taking down a rogue military unit that's seized a nuclear weapon — 24 meets The Day After Tomorrow meets The Core meets ... So it will need big visuals and super realistic physics to be a winner. Maybe that's the problem, who knows.

Disaster: Day of Crisis Delayed Indefinitely [Quickjump Network, thanks El Cernex]

If you're going to deliver bad news, accompanying it with a tasteful selection of screenshots is the way to go. These shots of the unique character models created for The Chronicles of Spellborn, and are delivered with the news that the game is being pushed back to Fall of 2008, due to the developers revising the server infrastructure and a possible publishing agreement. The gameplay is there, the graphics are there, and now they want to tune performance, while laying down the foundations for future expansions and new content. Meanwhile, in publishing land, Frogster Interactive has signed a letter of intent with a renowned MMOG publisher, but even the most renowned-eriffic publisher needs a good 6 months lead time for marketing. In the meantime, closed beta continues, pretty screenshots are generated, and I poke at them every so often to see if they're done yet.

Arcana Heart Delayed Slightly

Mass Effect PC Delayed To Late May

Bioware—along with development partner Demiurge Studios—has decided to delay the launch of Mass Effect for the PC. It's been pushed back to a May 28th release date in the US, and a June 6th release date in Europe. The delay will allow the development team to "incorporate more play-testing feedback, add extra polish and tune the additional features." But fret not, PC gamers. I've already saved the Universe on my Xbox 360. It was a bit jittery at times, but due to my quick actions, peaceful, intelligent life will continue to thrive. Take your time, Bioware. I can guard this shuttle craft all freakin' day.

Mass Effect PC Release Date Changes - New Date May 28, 2008 [Bioware via Shacknews][image]

Demigod Gets Publisher, Slips To 2009

Clever press release writers, knowing that the longer the release the less likely we are to read all the way to the end. I nearly missed out on the delay of Gas Powered Games' upcoming RTS RPG Demigod in this announcement concerning a publishing agreement reached with Stardock of Sins of a Solar Empire and Object Desktop fame. Stardock will be handling publishing duties and digital delivery of Demigod for the PC, originally slated for a late 2008 release. The reason for the delay?

To fully support a public beta that will launch this summer, the launch date for Demigod has been moved to February 2009. This will give the development team sufficient time to incorporate feedback from the beta players while polishing the game.

Push it back, push it back, waaaaaay back! It helps if you imagine Warhammer orcs in cheerleader outfits, though that might just be me. Speaking during a press conference today in Paris, producer Jeff Hickman revealed that Warhammer Online: Age Of Reckoning isn't quite ready for the 2nd quarter release they were aiming for when they delayed the game the last time. The new target date for the ambitious MMO is sometime this fall. Considering the pace they've been keeping up so far, I wouldn't be surprised if the game wound up being a Christmas release. Just remember, it isn't a delay - it's an extended development cycle.

Warhammer Online delayed again [Eurogamer]

Gizmondo Delayed Yet Again

Time to party like it's 2005! Former Gizmondo chairman Carl Freer must be experiencing some pretty hardcore déjà vu as he reluctantly tells Swedish news site Realtid.se that the little handheld that most definitely didn't would be pushed back to late 2008, missing the originally promised May relaunch date. My sentiments right now neatly echo Ashcraft's from back in October of 2005 - the umpteenth time the Gizmondo was delayed in the State. Who gives a rat's ass? The only way I will ever own a Gizmondo is if they shipped me a free one, and even then it better damn well not say Gizmondo on the box or I'll refuse delivery.

Report: Gizmondo delayed until end of 2008 [GameSpot]

Drone Tactics is Atlus's turn-based strategy game for the Nintendo DS featuring armies of giant machanized insects, and it has been pushed back a couple of weeks. Now due out on April 8th, the game features highly customizeable squads of robot bugs waging war across dozens of story missions, 50 additional maps, and head to head local wireless play for those of you so inclined. In exchange for two weeks of your life, Atlus offers these new screenshots and bits of concept art to make April 8th seem even further away. Thanks a lot, Atlus!

Super Dodgeball Brawlers Re-Dated

Bad news, friends. The highly anticipated (by me) DS reimagination of the NES classic Super Dodgeball has been delayed in Japan. The good news is that we hadn't marked our calendars and it's coming out soonish anyway on March 19th. Are any digital dodgeball fans going to brave the import? I might. But then again, if there's another level like Kenya I might just say fuck it altogether...I'm getting too old for levels without power-ups.

Super Dodgeball Brawlers Delayed [TVgame via GoNintendo]

Could Nintendo's highly anticipated Super Smash Bros. Brawl be pushed back a month? According to the swirling mists of internet rumor the hot title could be slipping from it's current early February North American release window to sometime in March. I've received several reports from different sources, including one video game store owner who claims to have received an email blast from his distributor alerting him to the delay. I contacted Nintendo earlier to see if I could obtain any sort of official word on the game's release, and of course received the usual reply. All together now: "Nintendo does not comment on rumors and speculation."

So far the game stores in my area are standing by the February release date, but then again I am a notorious preorder canceler, having once canceled 20 at a time in order to pick up a new DS, so they tend to walk on eggshells around me. If the rumor does wind up being true, it is only just another month. I'll just be in my bunker hiding from rabid Smash Bros. fans if anyone needs me.

Ascaron's Diabloesque Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, once slated for a Q1 2008 release, has now been officially pushed back to September 2008. In a post on the game's official website, the company explains that the game is being delayed in order to make it the best damn Sacred 2: Fallen Angel it can possibly be.

An extension of the development process was necessary in order to ensure that we realize all the development plans and ship both PC and Xbox 360 versions with the best possible quality and stability.

Release Date Update [Ascaron]

In a post on the Rock Band Forums, Harmonix Developer hmxsean reaveals that there will be Rock Band DLC next week over the holiday. No announcement what the tracks will be yet, but we do know one thing: PS3 owners will have to wait.

There will be DLC next week. An announcement will go out today or Monday.

Sony's offices are closed next week and the DLC will be postponed for a week until they come back (but they'll be back on schedule the following week when they get a double-dose of DLC awesomeness). It will go up in the Xbox Marketplace as regularly scheduled.

Nothing like waking up the day after Christmas to find yet another gift under your tree, especially one that will keep you rockin' through the new year. If you have the 360 version that is....