14 DAY TRIAL // Grand Theft Auto 5's delay on the PC platform was made to ensure that the title can deliver a quality experience on that platform and that fans won't be disappointed, at least according to the game's publisher, Take-Two Interactive, which defends its habit of pushing back release dates.
GTA 5 was launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles back in September of last year and quickly went on to set new sales records thanks to the huge fanbase and due to the secretive nature of developer Rockstar Games, which declined to confirm whether the title would eventually appear for the PC platform or even for the new PS4 and Xbox One consoles.
After a big period of radio silence, the studio finally announced earlier this year that Grand Theft Auto 5 would end up on the PC, PS4, and Xbox One platforms this fall season.
A few months ago, things were made even clearer, when Rockstar mentioned that GTA 5 was coming to PS4 and Xbox One in November, while PC owners would have to wait a bit more, as apparently a delay until January of 2015 had to be made.
The delay is worth it
Rockstar's publishing partner, Take-Two Interactive, touched upon the delay during its latest financial earnings call, via GameSpot.
According to CEO Strauss Zelnick, the publisher has made a habit of delaying games if it considers more time is necessary, as this philosophy applies across Take-Two's Rockstar and 2K labels, no matter the game.
The company's main goal is to delight fans with great products, so having to wait a bit more is usually worth it, as the final product more than delivers on its promises.
"When we move a title, it's almost always the same answer, which is giving a title a bit more development time to make sure that it can be everything that it ought to be," Zelnick says.
Delays have proved to be great decisions
Take-Two has delayed plenty of its major games, such as BioShock Infinite, and in many cases the move was great both for customers and the company overall, according to Zelnick.
"While we would prefer never to change a release date, it's proven to be a good move for us in general. We have the highest Metacritic ratings in the business, and that correlates with revenue and ultimately, of course, profitability," he adds.
Grand Theft Auto 5 launches for PS4 and Xbox One on November 18 worldwide. Expect to hear more about it in the following weeks.