Did PS3 dev troubles cause GTA IV delay?

by Dustin Burg { Aug 3rd 2007 at 12:45PM }

Yesterday's big news was that Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV was pushed back from its October release into sometime next year. But what if we told you the reason for such delay wasn't because of technical issues on the 360, but problems on the PS3 version of the game? Well, that's what analyst Michael Pachter is thinking saying that "the Rockstar team had difficulty in building an exceptionally complicated game for the PS3" and that the "delay of the PS3 version necessitated a delay of the Xbox 360 version" due to contractual obligations with Sony. So, if Mr. Pachter's theory has any weight, Rockstar may have had to delay GTA IV on the 360, because of issues with the PS3 version and them not being able to release the game before the PS3 version got out the door. Very intriguing indeed.

Tags: grandthefautoiv, gtaiv, rockstar, taketwo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gemini Ace @ Aug 3rd 2007 12:59PM

Microsoft should get their $50 million back.

Tony @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:04PM

He's basing it on absolutely nothing of real substance. I think he owns a jump to conclusions mat.

I mean, if I could see these same comments from people on sites like this or Joystiq a full day before this guy wrote his report, I have to wonder how these people even get paid. We could start our own analysis business at this rate lol.

DUG E. FRESH @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:05PM

LOL

Owned AGAIN!

Toph @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:06PM

It'd make much more sense on a technical side, sure. The 360 is built to be programmed for, the PS3 is a difficult console to work with, according to what all i've read. Has nothing to do with system graphics' power or anything.

Once again, Sony shot themselves in the foot. Whether it's PR snafus, hardware issues, lack of well-selling software, self-grandstanding, baseless egotism, bad pricing or poor marketing, Sony never surprises anymore. I've long written them off as a pebble in my shoe that keeps popping up as nothing but an irritant.

Ryan @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:06PM

FUCK YOU SONY!!!

bigmac375 @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:09PM

im not that upset just because there is like 10 games i NEED to have by the end of the year. my wallet thanks you for one less.

TheGuy @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:13PM

I hope you all realize this is just speculation. Maybe it was hard to program for the PS3, maybe it was hard to run the game smoothly on the 360 without using the hard drive or fit the game on a DVD, or maybe it's a combinations of those possibilities. The truth is that we don't know, and any jumping to conclusions is just speculation.

ccc @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:16PM

If this is the case, very amusing indeed.
Sony holding back the 360 heh. This would be a good time for ms to shell out more cash to R* and get them to bring it out on time for 360. So what if a contract is broken with Sony, fuck em. MS will pay the fees for R* no big deal. And if Sony wants to take it to court fuck them again and just dont publish the game for thier system. Like R8 is really looking forward to the maybe million in sales they'll get from the ps3 version anyways.

Toph @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:19PM

I assume someone smart at Sony knew the hurdles ahead of time (Of which i've assumed existed for months and months), and signed some agreement like that Microsoft could have the exclusive downloads as long as the commercial marketing could be targeted towards the PS3 and release dates were shared on both consoles.

Something like that sounds plausible.

clavian @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:27PM

It never fails to amaze me--the comments on this board saying "F Sony!", or "Gawd, Sony sucks, LOL!". Sony isn't developing the game, you ignorant jackasses, R* is. So if you don't like the delays, bitch at R*!

Gaming sites are chock full of retards these days.

MrKniceGuy @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:37PM

How many titles have been delayed for the PS3? And how many for 360? Common. This is OBVIOUS!! Sony and R* have been very tight in the past and I'm sure they have an agreement not to release after "other consoles" thereby delaying the 360 release date. So the next time you go over to your fiends house who has a PS3, punch him in the face for me. (I don't keep friends with PS3 owners or I'd do it myself)

The only positive thing here is the game can be tweaked even more in the next 6 months. Everything we've seen so far has been running on 360 and it looks sweet. It can only look sweeter with time.

Fezmid @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:46PM

They should've just released a crappy broken version for the PS3... :D

clavian @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:50PM

Again, you are SPECULATING that the PS3 caused the delay. What if R* wanted to rework things because it won't fit on one DVD (highly probable)? What if they are having trouble with the game overheating the 360? What if they are having stability issues because they can't cache to a HDD on the 360?

You see, you just don't know. So, go ahead and make things up if it makes you feel better. R* delayed the game for their own reasons, and until they state what those reasons are, unjustified fanboyism will likely run rampant. I own a 360 and PS3, and I'm tired of the morons on both sides of the fence. They are both great machines in their own right, and the PS3 is going to have it's time in the sun here very soon--which I am assuming is one reason that the XBOT nation is all riled up. Again, that just speculation on my part.

Oh, and according to this little tidbit, not every developer is "having trouble with the PS3":
http://www.ps3blog.net/2007/08/03/unreal-tournament-3-interview-mods-are-supported/

ccc @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:54PM

@10

Heh, U actually really did'nt understand my post did U chil. read it again and think harder.

Nick @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:55PM

This isn't rocket science. The Dev team overextended itself by trying to develop the same game on two different OS's. They didn't realize that they either needed more time or two teams, announced a release date way too early, and now are paying for their sloppy strategy. This has nothing to do with Sony, and everything to do with Rock Star.

clavian @ Aug 3rd 2007 1:59PM

@14 - I wasn't directing anything towards you. You were actually smart enough to put a sort of disclaimer on yours by saying "If this is the case, very amusing indeed" instead of just taking it as fact as many of the people around here do.

But I will say this, if you think that GTAIV will only sell a "million of so" on the PS3, well, you are flat delusional.

Ryan @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:01PM

so because of the PS3's labyrinth, perfectly working copies of the 360 build are sitting and waiting for next year?

RaZor @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:05PM

lol,
I own both consoles as well and they are what they are.
But for me, between running emulators and other cool stuff in Linux, Blu-ray, Web Browsing, PS2 & PS3 titles, the PS3 was such a great investment.

I can install a 160GB HardDrive for under a hundred bucks on the PS3 when all I do with the 360 is pray I don't get red rings of death on a 'rushed to the market' console.

ccc @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:09PM

@16

Yes I realized U wern't talking to me after reviewing the comments again and cing the guy that said that. On the other hand, As of right now if a million copies of GTA4 were to sell on the ps3 that would be about 87 percent of ps3 owners buying it. Highly unlikley. Rethink ur math. Even if the PS3 is at 3 million in sales by the time GTA4 comes out, its sales will still be dwarfed in comparrassion to the 360's.

razer @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:13PM

Your name is too close for my liking.

Good for your PS3 troll! Let me just say that I've never had an issue with the 360 ever and I also enjoy web browsing, extensive media playback, custom soundtracks oh and here is the real kicker.. I've actually got GAMES TO PLAY! I don't even have time to take advantage of the back compat of the 360 because there are so many good games out right now that are current-gen. So while you are emulating Pac-Man in Linux on the PS3, I'm playing full HD games at 1080p.

This is typical Sony doing their weasel routine in the background with these developers. If they want to screw their fanbase with the trojan horse Blu-ray player of a game machine that's fine. But when it starts delaying games on the 360 then that is just lame.

MYPS3KilledMy360 @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:26PM

R* cant give anymore information than that, after releasing that DVD and lack of HDD also hinders development what more is there to say you made the story shorter, shortened the content probably had to drop off a few textures in the buildings so it can show up on screen without glitching since you cant cache. That would go aginst MS policy all games will not require A HDD plus you end up getting exclusive content that should of been in the game that didnt fit on DVD. Now who got screwed over. With vip screening of GTAIV the game was ran on the 360 and said to look unpolished with a very slow frame rate with the same problems that plagued the GTA series with textures popping up and buildings disappearing off screen in the distance. But why dont you use your old excuse fanboys. i meen you used it when you heard unreal wasnt comming out this year. "O its just gonna be overshadowed by HALO3 and Mass Effect because thats all im gonna be playing".

this goes out to you!!

KAZY KAM

MrKniceGuy @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:34PM

clavian, I hope your right about the PS3 getting it's "time in the sun." It is needed. But of course I am speculating. Was a formal announcement made? NO. Do I work at R*? Hell no! Do I work for Sony? Oh please.

There are many factors involved in developing a game for any console. To point at 360 and list off the "problems" like the DVD structure/size (not an issue) overheating (again, not likely game related) and HDD 'caching' are asinine. I will however note that you link is for the Unreal Engine, which was brand new when used for Gears of War but has been used a lot since then, so of course production time is less. That's part of the reason to even make Gears of War. Sony has been working with Epic and the Unreal Engine since before the launch, so that's not really a fair statement. It's an unusual circumstance it seems so far for a 3rd party to launch a game of that caliber on time. 3rd party development for the console has been weak to date. Not for lack of trying, it's just a difficult programing environment. So a delay announcement SEEMS to be along the same lines, optimizing the code for the "labyrinth" (good one Ryan).

And I apologize for my remarks of punching Sony-fanboys. I don't hate people who own PS3s. I just don't have any respect for anyone who thinks it's "superior" just because it's a Sony product. So far its performance has been _yawn_ pretty boring. I too am sick of morons not looking at the facts and running their mouths off.

There is one more angle here. That perhaps R* and the bloated company, gorging itself off the success of the previous titles really did mess up and announce the release date much too early. The only reason I don't buy that is everything we've seen thus far is being rendered on the 360 with no problems. Don't you think with the 'relationship' and history with Sony they would be using both? Just something to consider.

LunarDuality @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:35PM

Level Up has much more informed speculation if you'd like the other side of the story.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/archive/2007/08/02/speculation-on-the-factors-behind-gta-iv-delay.aspx

Basically, why would MS recently send a crack team of engineers to Rockstar if the 360 version was working perfectly?

Nim @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:00PM

FUCK ROCKSTAR THOSE CORPORATE SELLOUTS. AND FUCK THE ASSHOLES AT SONY.. FUCKEM ALL

MrKniceGuy @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:18PM

LunarDuality:

That is an excellent write up. Thanks for finding that! Really sheds some light on some obscure comments made by R*.

CHINESE BABON @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:25PM

But the PS3 is God, how could such a superior machine be so depressing?(Note my sarcasm).

clavian @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:41PM

Fair enough MrKniceGuy. But consider this: If you are going to cry foul when Epic makes a comparison between the work-in-progress on Gears of War vs. UT3, I'm going to cry foul on people who sit around and say "SONY HAS NOOOOOO GAMES, LOL" less than 1 year into it's lifespan. It's a lame, shortsided, uneducated comment to make, and many people are making it.

And I haven't seen anyone on this particular thread say Sony's machine is better "just because it's SONY". On the flip side, I can't stand people who bash Sony, just because it's Sony.

And what the hell are you talking about when you say "everything we've seen thus far is being rendered on the 360 with no problem"? How can you come to that conclusion from 2 trailers? I hope, by now, you've read the link posted below your comment, because it's filled with some actual insight instead of the mindless ramblings that dominate these forums.

All I ask is that people show some respect and ability to think, critically, for themselves.

clavian @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:47PM

And one more thing: I wasn't citing ""problems" like the DVD structure/size (not an issue) overheating (again, not likely game related) and HDD 'caching'", as legitimate reasons the game is being delayed. I was trying to make a point. Which is, we don't KNOW what caused the delay. So, speculation is, well, "asinine".

But, for the record (and these are the words of R* developers), the space constraints on DVD9 *ARE* an issue.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/05/02/xbox-360-cant-handle-all-of-gta-iv/

Don't shoot the messenger.

jeffrey @ Aug 3rd 2007 8:20PM

LOL AT #12 :]]]

MYPS3KilledMy360 @ Aug 3rd 2007 8:48PM

@22 im no bashing please do not curse at me. Epic would actually do better with the 360 because by comparing both of the consoles the 360s Arc actually is very similar in some ways to a PCs but at the same time keeping the original xbox in mind there for making the transition a lot easier for epic to optimize an engine for the 360. Epic says that there at farther point in development than the 360 at this time optimizing the engine for the PS3 (thanks to Sony). So intern making it a fair statment by EPIC. When the games and content start rolling people will clearly see the the superiority in the PS3. Just look at it From the actual hardware if i wanted more space i can buy a new HDD, totally wireless keyboard, mouse, headset, internet browser, controllers(rumble sixaxis and USB charges) streaming videos and other content from my PC no matter what format, blu ray, DVR capabilities(deal with tivo), multiple tipes of memory card slots + usb, communicates with PSP, silent, variety in games(LBP, LAIR), HOME, almost compatible with every PS1 and PS2 game todate, 2% failure rate.

sorry for my constent sony evangelism i just find this system hard to dislike or even hate the first year is alway slow for a nextgen sytems(Wii is not next gen the 360 and PS3 can easily copy Guncon is basicaly the same technology). Yeah the 360 has great games, great content and great graphics but the hardware over all is shit 30% you know what, , it scratches disks, some consoles have faulty power supplys, the fan is not strong enough or it chips out, disc erros, terrible customer service(a whole month), 3 year warrenty only covers RRoD (what am i gonna do now "play my PS3", it has been proven that the 360 casing is too small causing it to over heat. the thing that pisses me off is that they deny it. then Fanboys proudly rejoice the games are just that good! NOT FOR ME! UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED HALO3 will be sitting in a glass case since i already pre ordered like a damn idiot.