Rockstar are now consider or should I say have already confirmed that GTA IV will be pushed back two weeks so the two game releases don't clash with each other. Halo 3 is set to be released on September 26th while GTA IV on October 19th. As you can see the two release dates are pretty close to each other and Rockstar will be pushing the GTA IV release two weeks back, so the new release date will be sometime at the end of October.

But this is only analyst prediction, so it's not confirmed. Although CVG is contacting Rockstar for an official statement towards this subject.

We were starting to suffer withdrawal symptoms from analyst reports until Wedbush Morgan man Michael Pachter piped up, who reckons that Take-Two may decide to push back Grand Theft Auto IV to avoid clashing with this year's other mammoth release, Halo 3.

Pachter believes Take-Two may push Rockstar's sequel back a few weeks for both financial reasons and to get further away from the likely massive release of Microsoft's shooter. At the moment Halo 3 is pencilled in for release on September 26 and GTA IV on October 19.

"We believe that it is possible that the company will choose to 'throw in the towel' on FY:07 by shifting the release date for Grand Theft Auto IV by a few weeks, increasing the losses incurred this year and improving the company's prospects for FY:08," Pachter explains.

"We believe that a two-week delay would provide a reasonable gap between the launch of Halo 3 and the launch of GTA IV, and would actually help sales of both games. In addition, a delay of the 'normal' SKU for GTA IV by two or three weeks could allow Take-Two to maximize revenues from the $89.99 Collector's Edition of the game by shipping that SKU on October 17, and to increase overall profitability."

We contacted Rockstar for an official comment on the analyst's prediction but we're still waiting for its PR ninjas to return our call. Look out for MASSIVE bold update text in the strapline when they do.

ITANI via computerandvideogames.com »