BioShock 2 Delayed to First Half of 2010 (Updated)

Update: BioShock 2 will be released within the first half of "calendar 2010," Take-Two CEO Ben Feder clarified during a conference call. Three other major releases are planned within that timeframe: Mafia 2, Max Payne 3, and Red Dead Redemption.

As before, the company is still evaluating specific launch windows for those games.

"[BioShock 2's delay is] not related to any specific platform or any specific element of it," the company later said of the forthcoming PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game. "Generally there are some development issues that we need to deal with."

Original: Take-Two today announced that BioShock 2 has been delayed to a new release date in its 2010 fiscal year.

While the game's original release date of November 3 technically fits into the beginning of the year--which begins on November 1, 2009--the company implied a further delay to an unspecified date.

"We concluded that moving the release of BioShock 2 into fiscal year 2010 was the right decision for the product," said Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick. "We believe the result will be a more compelling consumer experience and a better performing product in the marketplace."

"The decision to shift a release date is never an easy one, especially with a product as highly anticipated as BioShock 2," added Take-Two CEO Ben Feder. "We felt that it was essential to invest the additional time to ensure that this title will deliver what its fans expect and deserve."

More details on the shift will be provided later today.