Take a deep breath and remember: Delays are often beneficial.
Sure, not all delays lead to success (just ask Duke Nukem 3D), but more often than not, taking extra time can lead to better results. In the world of art, meticulous attention to detail and the courage to discard flawed ideas can make all the difference. Think about the times you've played a game that felt rushed and incomplete, and how you wished it had been delayed until it was fully ready. Keep that in mind as we discuss the latest news.
GTA 6 is delayed, and that's good news. It's likely to be a better game because of it.
Rockstar has a proven track record of delaying games to ensure they meet high standards, a practice that aligns them with the likes of Nintendo. This commitment to quality has consistently resulted in exceptional games. As a long-time fan of the GTA series, from the early days of four-player PC LAN parties to classics like London 1969, GTA V, and the underappreciated gem Chinatown Wars on the DS, I can attest to the positive impact of these delays. Let's take a look at the history of delays in the GTA series (and a couple from Red Dead).
Grand Theft Auto III
Rockstar's New York offices were just a few blocks from the World Trade Center, and following the tragic events of September 11, Take Two made the decision to briefly delay the release of GTA III. Marketing VP Terry Donovan announced the delay shortly after the attacks:
"Our decision is based on two factors. Firstly, it has been challenging to work in downtown Manhattan over the past week due to intermittent basic communications infrastructure. Secondly, we felt a full review of all our titles and marketing materials was necessary in light of the horrifying events we witnessed. As for Grand Theft Auto, the game is vast, and the review process is extensive. We've identified some small contextual references and gameplay instances that no longer felt appropriate. We apologize for the delays, but we believe you'll understand our reasoning. Rest assured, the game will be phenomenal and will hit shelves in late October."
Even with minor content adjustments, the delay was a wise move for both Rockstar and the gaming community. Releasing a game involving violence against emergency services so soon after such a tragedy would have been insensitive.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Both Vice City and San Andreas share the record for the shortest delay in the series. In the era before digital downloads and day-one patches, physical production estimates were crucial. Rockstar delayed Vice City by just seven days to meet the high demand for more copies of the game following the success of GTA III.
Similarly, the PS2 version of San Andreas was released a week later than planned to give the development team additional time to polish their extensive two-year project.
Every Celebrity in GTA: San Andreas
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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
The handheld GTA games are often overlooked but are incredibly engaging. While most of these titles hit their release dates, Vice City Stories for PSP was delayed by two weeks in North America and longer in parts of Europe.
The critically acclaimed Chinatown Wars for the DS, which I believe is the best in the series, was delayed by two months. When it finally hit the shelves, it received widespread acclaim but unfortunately didn't sell as well as it deserved. Had it been more successful, we might be enjoying a sequel on the latest gaming platforms.
Grand Theft Auto IV
Following the groundbreaking success of GTA III, anticipation for GTA IV was immense. Moving away from the outdated RenderWare engine and utilizing the power of the new console generation, Rockstar Leeds aimed high. The development process required several months of delay to bring their ambitious vision to life.
As Rockstar's Sam Hause explained, "The new consoles [PS3 and 360] are allowing us to create the Grand Theft Auto game we always dreamed about. Every aspect of the game and its design has been completely transformed. The game is huge and is pushing the hardware platforms to their absolute limits. The top engineers from Sony and Microsoft are working closely with the team in Edinburgh right now, helping us to fully leverage the power of both platforms. As always, our goal is to surpass even the wildest expectations of the game's fans, and to create the ultimate high definition video game experience."
Grand Theft Auto V
The biggest console game of all time, GTA V, took its time to arrive. Originally slated for a spring 2013 release, it was delayed until September of that year. In late January 2013, Rockstar released the following message:
"We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require. To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience."
Their promise held true. GTA V became the most successful console game ever and, alongside Red Dead Redemption 2, remains a crown jewel in Rockstar's portfolio.
Red Dead Redemption 2
While not part of the GTA series, Red Dead Redemption 2 deserves a mention due to its significance in Rockstar's lineup. Following the tradition of quality-based delays, RDR2 was delayed twice. The first delay occurred in spring 2017 for quality assurance, and the second delay in February 2018 pushed the release to late October. Rockstar's statement explained:
"We are excited to announce that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on October 26th, 2018. We apologize to everyone disappointed by this delay. While we had hoped to have the game out sooner, we require a little extra time for polish. We sincerely thank you for your patience and hope that when you get to play the game, you will agree the wait will have been worth it. In the meantime, please check out these screenshots from the game. We look forward to sharing a lot more information with you in the coming weeks."
The delays paid off, delivering a masterpiece that remains unmatched in the adventure gaming genre.
So, don't worry. GTA 6 will come, and when it does, it will almost certainly be a remarkable game. See you in Vice City.
