THQ has delayed the release of Saints Row 2 by two months due to product quality and marketing considerations.

The game will now be released on October 14 instead of August 26, meaning it will miss the publisher's fiscal second quarter.

THQ is counting on Saints Row 2 and Red Faction Guerilla to be sales drivers during the current fiscal year after failing to meet its revenue and profit targets during the financial year ended March 31, 2008.

Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, told Reuters that Saints Row 2's delay will not affect the company's financial outlook for its 2009 fiscal year.

Saints Row 2 is the sequel to 2006's Xbox 360 exclusive Saints Row, a wholly owned THQ intellectual property which sold over a million units. Developed by Volition, the open world action series offers a free-roaming experience in the Grand Theft Auto mold.

Hmmm, a GTA clone gets delayed in the wake of GTA IV raising expectations through the roof. What a coincidence.

Courtesy of CVG

May 29, 2008