My theory on why GTA IV was severly delayed

I'm totally just day dreaming here, but maybe they weren't actually having programming difficulties.

Perhaps the reason they had to delay GTA IV for so long was because of the gameplay. That is: What if they had alot of gamplay elements simliar (or the same) as Manhunt 2? I bet they did.

Knowing full well that type of interactivity is essentially banned from ever seeing the light of day, perhaps they had to make some changes. Some MAJOR changes.
The PS3 version was sighted as the main problem right? Well, it's the only system with motion controls that this game is coming out on. No motion controled killing allowed = time to make some changes.

Just a theory. And I think it's very possible.

Any thoughts?

Ehh, I don't think they'd ban motion-controlled killing... look at the Godfather for the Wii. Besides, GTA's violence has never been as bad as Manhunt's, anyways...

I'm actually thinking that they may have done it to space out their releases a little bit, since it was announced after Manhunt 2 was temporarily suspended... This way Manhunt 2 will be on the market for a few months before GTAIV comes out.

Ehh, I don't think they'd ban motion-controlled killing... look at the Godfather for the Wii. Besides, GTA's violence has never been as bad as Manhunt's, anyways...

I'm actually thinking that they may have done it to space out their releases a little bit, since it was announced after Manhunt 2 was temporarily suspended... This way Manhunt 2 will be on the market for a few months before GTAIV comes out.

Funkyhamster

Exactly what I was thinking. The entire board of directors was replaced. What better way to show improvement than to start off the next year with a bang, rather than try to repair a year of bad financial reports.

The reason GTAIV was delayed is:

MAIN REASON: The 360 DVD9 is giving devs some problems...MS is releasing new compression technology in 2008.

Other reasons: The PS3 is harder to develop and development of GTAIV for the PS3 is a couple weeks behind the 360, 360 doesn't have a standard HDD thus 360 loading times are a problem, TAKE-TWO is in financial troubles and GTAIV was never really meant to be released in 2007,.