Midway Delaying Wheelman to Q1 2009

When we played the Vin Diesel vehicle Wheelman at E3 last week, we were mostly surprised to learn that the game was coming out in the Fall. "What, this game?" we thought. While enjoyable junk food and technically impressive in parts, Wheelman felt like a game that was six months out, in need of a bit of polish before it went public.

Fortunately, that's what it sounds like Midway is planning to do, as reps told us at Comic-Con tonight that the title, originally scheduled for a release this year will get more time in the development incubator. Now planned for a Q1 '09 release, Wheelman will still beat the movie of the same name to the theaters, it will arrive just a bit later and hopefully be the better for it.

We also hope they'll rewrite that pedestrian car dodging logic. Far too many suicidal Barcelonans in this game...

Haze Delayed Again

Free Radical's drug-friendly FPS Haze has been delayed yet again. Now it's been pushed back for a vague release within the 2008 fiscal year, meaning sometime between April 2008 and March 2009, for any and all platforms. Yes, that's quite a wide range, but the news came out in a financial report, not a press release packaged neatly for gamers to devour. I blame my own, nasal, not-so-kind impressions for destroying the team's progress. Apparently even Crecente's more positive take couldn't balance out the jarring to Free Radical's studio.

Haze PS3 Delayed Again [shacknews]

"The Nintendo 1st & 3rd party Software lineup release schedule which was distributed by Nintendo on Thursday 6th December confirmed launch dates for Nintendo titles launching in Q1 2008...Nintendo also included some titles which were fixed for release beyond Q1 2008 such as Mario Kart Wii. All Nintendo software titles launching in Q2 2008 have not been finalised or confirmed to date."

GTA IV, You'll Get It When You Get It

In a recent conference, Take 2 chariman Strauss Zelnick refused to be more specific on a release date for GTA IV than the vague February to April 2008 time frame offered following the game's delay. He explained:

We're going to give a firm date when we are utterly convinced that we have it and that isn't right now...we're not in the business of disappointing investors.

Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising Delayed (Again)

Orange Box PS3 Delay Not Because of PS3, Really!

We told you yesterday that Valve's Orange Box would see a delay on the PS3 platform. But Valve wants to make sure everyone knows that's it's not the hardware, oh no. It's a commuting thing. While PC and Xbox 360 work is done by the core team in the states, the PS3 version is handled by an EA UK group. And that's like, thousands of miles away. Maybe tens of thousands. Maybe millions. No one knows for sure. So it takes longer. Especially when all communication is transfered by letters being transported by boats. Old ones. With sails. And masts. And poop decks.

That's why Orange Box PS3 is going to come out a few weeks late. Now you know.

Valve explains PS3 Orange Box delay [eurogamer] [image]

The Strategy of Game Delays

Burning Crusade Delayed!

Further Euro Delays Pish-Poshed by Sony

Rumor: Wii Delayed For Europe Until 2007

Darkly Ominous Yet Unsubstantiated Rumor: Red Steel Delayed Until 2007

Quake Wars Delayed Until 2007