‘South Park’ Game Delayed Until 2013

Fans of the upcoming South Park game will be in for more of a wait than expected, with THQ announcing in their fiscal reports that the release date of the game is now resting in the fourth quarter 2013. Granted, in the eyes of investors this is a very good Holiday window to be in, but not everyone will enjoy the extra year’s worth of wait to get their hands the product of such a much beloved – and infamous – franchise.

The South Park game (recently re-titled South Park: The Stick of Truth) was expected to have a late 2012 release, so it isn’t surprising that THQ let the news of a delay roll out quietly in a fiscal report. The game is a proper RPG, where players can choose from playable classes such as Fighter, Magic, Cleric, Thief and Jew (yes, you read that right). Players will play the role of a new kid in town, earning acceptance by joining in on a roleplaying game which quickly turns into a real adventure, where you’ll no doubt run into many characters from the show.

While it hasn’t been announced if some of the actors will reprise their roles and voice their own characters, it wouldn’t be surprising and would add much depth to the production value. Seeing as South Park will look exactly like a regular episode, there isn’t a reason why it shouldn’t sound like one as well.

Given that developer Obsidian Entertainment suffered layoffs a few months ago, compounded with THQ suffering from severe financial woes and dropping out of E3 2012, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that the firings may be related to the delaying of the game. Still, the game is in good hands with Obsidian, the development studio behind such games as Fallout: New Vegas and Neverwinter Nights 2. With the creative guidance and writing of both Trey Parker and Matt Stone, an entertaining title for fans of the show is almost guaranteed, regardless of studio delays.

The game looks like it came straight out of an episode, and it’s clear that the studio wants to make this game a polished and presentable experience (unlike cash grabs like XBLA flop South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge). While a year’s worth of waiting may seem like a terrible thing now, an extra year of production value is sure to make a difference.

What do you think about South Park being delayed a full year? What do you think the reasons were behind it?