Perhaps hoping to finally affix a permanent brand to the month of May after two previous successful launches in the month, Rockstar Games has today announced that Max Payne 3 has slipped from its original release date this March to the month in which Rockstar has typically released its games over the last few years.

The reason for the slipped date wasn't given (it never is, really), but it's not altogether surprising given the generally slippery nature of Max Payne's development history to date, not to mention the previous successes Rockstar has had launching titles in and around the month of May. Both Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire all but owned the month in terms of sales upon their releases, and while Grand Theft Auto IV technically came out at the very end of April, its sales numbers through the month of May acted like a flag of ownership, planted firmly in the month's dirt to scare away any other would-be claimants.

Now Max Payne 3, a sequel with a lengthy and somewhat contentious--at least insofar as fans are concerned--development history will be the latest title in the publisher's catalog to claim May in the name of Kings Houser. Whether or not the move will make Max Payne 3 as successful as the publisher's previous releases remains to be seen, but it absolutely can't hurt, considering it's just slipped out of a month that includes the releases of Mass Effect 3, Street Fighter x Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3, something like a dozen different Silent Hill games, and oh hell let's just assume Diablo III too, because hey, it could happen, right?

Perhaps hoping to finally affix a permanent brand to the month of May after two previous successful launches in the month, Rockstar Games has today announced that Max Payne 3 has slipped from its original release date this March to the month in which Rockstar has typically released its games over the last few years.

The reason for the slipped date wasn't given (it never is, really), but it's not altogether surprising given the generally slippery nature of Max Payne's development history to date, not to mention the previous successes Rockstar has had launching titles in and around the month of May. Both Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire all but owned the month in terms of sales upon their releases, and while Grand Theft Auto IV technically came out at the very end of April, its sales numbers through the month of May acted like a flag of ownership, planted firmly in the month's dirt to scare away any other would-be claimants.

Now Max Payne 3, a sequel with a lengthy and somewhat contentious--at least insofar as fans are concerned--development history will be the latest title in the publisher's catalog to claim May in the name of Kings Houser. Whether or not the move will make Max Payne 3 as successful as the publisher's previous releases remains to be seen, but it absolutely can't hurt, considering it's just slipped out of a month that includes the releases of Mass Effect 3, Street Fighter x Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3, something like a dozen different Silent Hill games, and oh hell let's just assume Diablo III too, because hey, it could happen, right?

that sucks

The person in that screenshot should not be handling that rifle.

This is really good news. I can't wait to wait.

@Donos: Anya! How do I hold this thing?

Rockstar doesn't release bad games, but I wonder if this game has any hope of living up to the hype.

Now the real question; where does this put GTA V?

Good! Too many games I want too close together.

@Lebensbaum said:

Now the real question; where does this put GTA V?

I bet GTA V will be a May 2013 game, I thought that the moment they announced it.

@Lebensbaum said:

Now the real question; where does this put GTA V?

May 2013.

As expected. Rockstar owns April/May.

I knew this was an Alex article.

@MariachiMacabre: As did I. And I quickly rushed in here.

As always, you can tell it's an Alex article just by the title.

Oh thank god. There's already Mass Effect 3, SFxT and maybe Diablo 3 in March. So any potentially interesting game not coming out in March is kind of a relief.

Hey, just a quick correction: the game is set in São Paulo, not Rio de Janeiro.

Source: Brazilian guy (not Blanka)

I'm kind of glad it's been pushed. I'm going to be busy playing Mass Effect 3 anyway. Still, I am actually really excited to play it.

VERY BALD!!! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! GET IT?!?! BECAUSE HE LACKS HAIR ON HIS HEAD!!!!!

the music for this game is being done by that band HEALTH

Hey, just a quick correction: the game is set in São Paulo, not Rio de Janeiro.

Source: Brazilian guy (not Blanka)

@numberThirtyOne said:

As always, you can tell it's an Alex article just by the title.

lol I know right. They always make me laugh though

@abara said:

the music for this game is being done by that band HEALTH

Is it? If so, that's amazing!

I'd rather have it delayed and fixed than early and broken so I'm fine with this.

@MarcusCoxus: Agreed, I think this delay definitely pushes that game out of this holiday season and in to early next year.

@TheShrubber said:

Hey, just a quick correction: the game is set in São Paulo, not Rio de Janeiro.

Source: Brazilian guy (not Blanka)

pics or your source is Blanka

With the exception of that first magazine cover, everything I've seen about this has looked amazing. Here's hoping the extra time makes it even better.

@TheShrubber said:

Hey, just a quick correction: the game is set in São Paulo, not Rio de Janeiro.

Source: Brazilian guy (not Blanka)

I giggled at the specificity in which you ended you post.

Sincerely,

another Brazilian guy (not Eddy Gordo)

Max Payne 3 in the spring and hopefully GTA V in the winter!

Navarro wins it again

Please do not suck.

FUCK!!!!!!

Sad to hear that this will get delayed. This certainly means that GTA V will be released next year. This was probably obvious to a lot of people, but I still had my hopes up. Oh well!

Another excellent Alex article.

FUCK!!!!!!

@Alex said:

[...] contentious--at least insofar as fans are concerned-

-development [...]

Wanted: em dash support for Parchment v2.

Good, now I'll actually have time to play it. I have no actual experience with Max Payne, but what I've seen so far from this game seems rad, so I'm in.

FORGOT TO ADD THE NOIR DERRRRRRR

I want this game so bad. The two max payne games really had a great story and atmosphere and were wicked fun as well. I wonder what direction rockstar will take with it.

Ugh, this just gives me more time to doubt my decision to pre-order the special edition.

I could cancel it and buy 2 and half games for that price. It's Max Payne though so its okay to spend £100 on it, right?

I'm not excited for this game at all, but at the same time I hope it maintains the Max Payne charm. I doubt it will- but then again Rockstar has been on a good roll the last couple of years so I want to give it a chance. 
Date change just means more polish (assumedly anyway) which is always nice.

I'm okay with having to wait. Now it'll come out the week before finals, meaning one week later will be Max Payne time. ;)

My birthday's in May so...yay!

I live in São Paulo O/

Interested to see how Max Payne 3 turns out.

As soon as I saw the news this morning, I was hit with sadness. One less awesome thing to look forward to on my birthday this year. Oh well, I've still got ME3, Street Fighter X Tekken, and Silent Hill HD Collection. :D

Not a problemo. Between ME3 and Reckoning, I won't have time anyway. Syndicate might cover the shooter itch for now too. May sounds good to me.

In the names of Kings Houser, I Knight thee Sir Navarro.

I am fine with this. Was originally travelling on the release date so the move to May is fine with me.

I knew they wouldn't make a March release.