True Crime: Hong Kong, the next entry in Activision’s more mission-centric GTA clone, has been delayed until some time in 2011, pushed back from a late 2010 release date. Cited as reason for the delay is being able to:

“Give the development team more time to deliver the high-quality entertainment experience they envision for the game."

What this sounds like to me is Activision not expecting much out of True Crime. Certainly not enough to release it during the holiday season where even lesser games have the potential to sell better than they would otherwise. The obvious elephant in the room is the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops, also slated for late 2010. Could Activision have been thinking that it was better to clear the holiday season to make way for the juggernaut?

True Crime has always been a series with a sub par idea. At the time it was a rather new concept with the whole being able to steal cars at will, pursue suspects in foot chases, and partake in gunfights all in the same game. Since 2003, when True Crime: Streets of LA was released, the genre has grown leaps and bounds with Red Dead Redemption completely reinventing the wheel in terms of this type of game.

Hong Kong prides itself on being the game that will create realistic foot chases that will feel straight out of the Bourne franchise, but really, is that all you can give me? If your only strong element is chasing someone down the street, leaping over crates of chickens, and the rest of your game is simply a Saints Row/Dead to Rights clone then I say delay the game all you want. I just wasn't impressed by the early game trailer as much as some other people might have been.

As of right now I am not anticipating True Crime: Hong Kong in the least. It might turn out to be a revelation with its extra time to add polish, but I wouldn’t hold your breath

How do you feel about this news Ranters? Are you glad that Activision is taking their time with the game or would you have even noticed if it was released next week?

True Crime: Hong Kong is slated for an early 2011 release for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Source: CVG