2K Marin’s divisive XCOM reboot is going to sit out for the first few months of 2012, and it’s all thanks to Max Payne. Publisher Take Two apparently doesn’t believe there’s enough room in March 2012 for both releases, so Max Payne 3 has pistol-dived ahead of its more tactically-inclined, 1950’s styled brother, who’s alien invasion has been postponed until anytime between April and 2013.
The new XCOM game has been mired in controversy since it was unveiled, with old-school fans of the series deriding the game’s shift from strategy towards action. Personally, I was a big fan of 2K Marin’s work on Bioshock 2, which I felt that, despite not having as strong of a narrative as its predecessor, was superior to the original in terms of gameplay.
The delay comes amid rumors that Take Two is planning a series of layoffs within its development studios to cut costs, and the XCOM game itself hasn’t made much in the way of public appearances or demoes in several months, leading some to question whether the game’s development has stalled. Regardless of whether those rumors are true or not, we’re all going to have to wait even longer to see if 2K Marin’s new take on XCOM pans out when (if) the game gets released.
Chris Hernandez
Mass effect 3 is also coming in March. Perhaps they thought there’s only room enough for one sci-fi game.