Delays in game development are all too common these days, but The Last Guardian has been delayed rather a lot more than most games. Its development began in 2007, and after an official announcement at E3 2009, it was originally intended to be released on the PlayStation 3 in 2011.
Following a series of setbacks, its creators ended up shifting development to the PlayStation 4 in 2012. But at E3 earlier this year, the long-awaited game finally got an official release date: October 25, 2016.
However, after almost a decade in development, and just weeks before its planned launch, The Last Guardian has been delayed again. A post on the PlayStation blog explained today:
A delay is a difficult decision, particularly with this game, but we have encountered more bugs than anticipated while in the final stages of development. To ensure that The Last Guardian delivers on the experience that the game’s creators have envisioned, we need to take the extra time to work on those issues.
The Last Guardian is now due to be released in the United States on December 6, in Europe on December 7, and in the UK and Ireland on December 9.