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Last month, Epic Games president Mark Rein cautioned fans that a November release for Unreal Tournament 3 on the PlayStation 3 and PC was just a target and not a certainty. Epic appears to have missed the target with the PS3 edition of the game: Publisher Midway today announced that it expects that it won't ship that version of the game until the first quarter of 2008.

The warning comes in spite of a statement from Rein late Tuesday saying that the studio is still toiling to get the PS3 UT3 completed by year's end. However, Midway president and CEO David Zucker said in an investor conference call that any delay will not affect the PC edition, which is still set to release in early November.

Zucker also said there is release window yet announced for the Xbox 360 version of Unreal Tournament 3, which is set to arrive sometime next year. However, a Midway representative confirmed to GameSpot that UT3 would still see a period of console exclusivity on the PS3.

The shift in the PS3 game's release date was also listed by Midway as one of several factors contributing to the publisher reducing its quarterly and yearly revenue projections. Previously, Midway expected $50 million in revenue for the quarter ended September 30, but lowered that figure to $39 million after the PS3 edition of Stranglehold was pushed into the fourth quarter.

Events affecting the company's full-year revenue estimates include delays for the PS3 Unreal Tournament 3 as well as the PS3 edition of BlackSite: Area 51. In Europe, the game has been pushed into the first quarter of 2008, while North American Sony fans will have to wait until late November for the game, three weeks after its PC and Xbox 360 counterparts ship. Factoring in those difficulties, Midway is now projecting full-year revenues of $170 million, down from the previously expected $225 million.

In the conference call, Zucker blamed the PS3 BlackSite and Stranglehold delays on problems stemming from getting the Unreal Engine 3 up and running on Sony's console. Both will arrive before Epic Games' PS3 debut, which had been prominently promoted as being exclusive to Sony's console and the PC during the 2007 holiday shopping season.

Regardless, Zucker said the problems with the engine and the platform have been dealt with, and Midway expects its 2008 PS3 titles to ship day and date with their Xbox 360 counterparts. However, he noted that the two games would still be shipping before Epic Games' own debut PS3 Unreal Engine 3 game.

However, it wasn't all delays and bad news from the publisher. Zucker also confirmed that a number of hit franchises will be resurfacing next year.

"Looking ahead to 2008, with our core technology platform now in place, we expect to release a number of titles, including already announced console versions of Unreal Tournament 3, a next-generation installment of our NBA Ballers franchise, Wheelman, and TNA iMPACT! the video game," Zucker said in a statement. "We also expect to release several as-yet-unannounced titles such as next-generation versions of our hit franchises Blitz and Mortal Kombat, and two exciting new ambitious open world games. We intend to give more details on our 2008 release schedule in the near future."

Source:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6180254.html?tag=nl.e576

Fortunately it looks like the PC version is still on track though

A big hubbub has been made due to the announcement that Unreal Tournament 3 has gotten delayed into 2008, coinciding with the PC and 360 releases. But has it, really? First up, Mark Rein tried to comment on the delay announcement at the Epic Forums, but apparently Midway had the thread deleted. He's created another thread repeating what he said, which is basically "Midway felt an obligation to its shareholders to let them know about the possibility of a delay. Our goal is still to get the PS3 version of UT3 in stores before the end of 2007. However, we will only ship it once it's ready and is the best game we can deliver."

The good news, he says, is with the extra time the PS3 version will have all the maps the PC version will offer -- so complaining is neither here nor there. You can check out the quote on ThreeSpeech in case Mark's second post gets knocked off the forums again, due to unnecessary flaming on other members' behalf. In any case, the game has not officially been delayed, but it's a warning to expect a delay. For extra dev time, though, we don't really mind. We've got a lot to play this holiday season already.

source

So from the sounds of that second article it seems like the PC and 360 versions will be delayed as well? If so not a big deal, there are so many games coming out. I already plan on picking up Crysis, SMG, SSBB, and i'm not sure what else but i'm sure there was more. But yeah, its not like we won't have plenty to play.

No I really don't think we'll see a delay for the PC version, but if the PS3 version is delayed, they're saying that it will have all the maps the PC version has.

Right now there's a lot of wink wink talk, so we don't know if it's delayed or not. I wouldn't be surprised if it is, because this is going to be a huge trend for PS3 games and Xbox360 games in the future.

Yeah that is true. But I'm not sure if PS3 can afford to have games being delayed. They need every little boost and advantage they can get right now.

Both Microsoft and Sony are very wealthy companies. We can look at their gaming divisions and see issues, but when it comes down to they both have very deep pockets and can withstand a very long storm.

That is a good point. Personally i wouldn't mind having a PS3 but I would like to wait for better games, so right now i'd be getting it for the blu-ray player which is pointless since i don't have an hdtv. Either way i'm sure the PS3 will come back on track as soon as some more games come out.

I agree with you. No one should buy a video game system, just to buy a video game system. There has to be a compelling amount of games out there. Since we sit on the edge of the cliff with the Blu Ray/HD DVD thing, buying a PS3 for Blu Ray doesn't make sense right now. Hopefully we'll start to see some stellar games coming out soon for the PS3 that will give me a legitimate reason to purchase one.

Hopefully when UT3 is released, that will be one of those games PS3 users can look to and be proud to own.

Yeah hate to say it but UT3 will be a PC purchase for me even if i have a PS3, i just simply prefer my FPS games on the PC.

-cancels all orders for party equipment for november-

Even though I dont own a PC capable of playing this, 360 or PS3 I am forcing like 3 different people to get it

I might even push myself to get a pc capable of playing it so I get to play it in november...