Topic: Resident Evil 4 Delayed?

[Jonnyboy117]

Online retailers are indicating an early 2005 release for the GameCube-exclusive horror sequel.

Numerous online retailers, including EB Games, GameStop, and Amazon, have recently updated their Resident Evil 4 information with release dates in early 2005.  GameStop is predicting a release on January 3, while EB Games and Amazon have listed February 1.

Capcom's official release date has never been clearly set, and the company promised only a "winter" release, which broadly includes months from December through March or so.  However, a blockbuster launch date in late November or early December 2004 was widely expected for the game.

Although Capcom would not confirm the reported dates, a company representative told PGC that if the game's date is eventually cemented into the early months of 2005, the move would not be considered a delay due to the loose release window given by Capcom since the game's big unveiling at E3 2004.  Therefore, we do not expect any sort of official announcement regarding the game's release date in the near future.

[Ian Sane]

The February date sounds more realistic.  Nobody releases game in early January.

I think that no matter what this is smart.  The release schedule for this year's Christmas season is insane.  GTA: San Andreas, MGS 3, Half-Life 2, Doom 3, Halo 2, and Metroid Prime 2 are all expected to be released around the same time.  This is going to totally murder the sales of other games.  By waiting until February RE4 can get more exposure because it will by default the most major release for that month.  Everybody always releases their big games around Christmas and all it does is create a lot of competition and great titles (like BG&E last year) are overlooked.  Even if they never planned to release around Christmas Capcom is smart for releasing this in early 2005.

[nitsu niflheim]

As much as I hate to see RE4 get delayed, I can spend some more time with the games I have and will be getting between Tales of Symphonia and whatever else comes out between that and through December.  I have lots of games on preorder, so I will be busy, busy.

They could release it in time for Halloween, however, but I agree, the flood of games at Christmas is not as good as one may think.  BG&E was an awesome game, that was murdered.

[ib2kool4u912]

At least this gives me more time to finally finish the other games in the series

[Djunknown]

Balderdash. I'm normally not surprised by delays, but I will if they delay this one. RE 4 has been hyped for quite a while whearas BG&E was kinda slipped in, XIII got the push and well, you know the rest.

Delaying Killer 7 was a good idea; Can any one accuratley describe what it is? I still don't know after the screenshots and footage.

[WuTangTurtle]

yeah killer7 is very odd indeed, even seeing all the footage it's still very strange.

Back on topic, I agree the Holiday season is stuffed with big name games.  Metroid Prime 2, Fire Emblem (possibly), StarFox2 (hopefully its polished by then), Paper Mario 2, Mega Man X: Command Mission, Geist, and Baten Kaitos all of which are coming out in the October to December area.

[Ian Sane]

"Delaying Killer 7 was a good idea; Can any one accuratley describe what it is?"

I'm thinking Killer 7 like PN 03 is a creative idea that just isn't turning into a very good game.  However the art style is really cool so Capcom is wisely showing some footage to create interest and hype but isn't providing enough information about the gameplay so that people don't figure out that it's not that great.  I seriously think that if the game was a classic in the making Capcom would be showing it off more.  Remember that they focused on Viewtiful Joe more than PN 03 likely because they knew VJ was going to rock and PN 03 wasn't.

[NWR_Lindy]

I think delaying RE4 until 2005 would be a horrible idea.  We're all hardcore gamers here, so we'll have plenty of other games to play and can wait until whenever.  The mainstream buying public, however, buys most of their games during the holiday season.  If RE4 slips past Christmas 2004, Capcom'll lose a ton of sales, plain and simple.  I don't see how they wouldn't.  They'll miss out on that "gift-buying" segment of the population.

silks

[KDR_11k]

The Christmas season is overloaded. The number of game releases rises by a much higher factor than the number of game sales (total, not individual titles) and this christmas is supposed to be especially crowded with big name releases. Sure, you might lose a few sales, but only if your game was the top selling one. Most games suffer from the strong competition around the time. Okay, RE4 IS a top seller, but there's no gurantee that even then it would have sold more if released in time for christmas. The christmas aftermath is the time people spend the money they received for christmas (I rarely wanted games for christmas, usually I saved the money I got from relatives for buying a game after christmas).

[Bloodworth]

Yeah, I agree that Christmas really isn't that important if you have a name as big as this.  Wind Waker did awesome in March because there was virtually no competition.  People will be finishing the games they got for Christmas and looking for something new.

[Bill Aurion]

Yeah, seriously...RE4 will have to be doing competition with not only Metroid Prime 2, but Halo 2 in the same month...It's also the same reason Geist was delayed back to next year from it's November date...

[KDR_11k]

BTW, Capcom denied any delays, though they didn't say whether they originally planned for a 2005 release.

[ib2kool4u912]

Yeah KDR, i think because all Capcom said about a release date was "winter", and February is still winter its technically not a delay.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Don't forget Capcom always said "2004" than simply "winter".

[Syl]

Capcom originally said 200X