Grand Theft Auto V won’t be released until the 2012 Christmas holiday season at the earliest, reckons Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz.
Writing in an investors note, Creutz feels that GTA V may potentially hinder sales of Max Payne 3 – which hits stores in March 2012 – if both games are released in close proximity to each other.
"With the announcement, we are increasingly convinced that we will not see the next Grand Theft Auto title until (at least) holiday 2012," he said.
"We doubt that Rockstar would launch two of its titles in close proximity to each other given the studio’s elaborate marketing campaigns and the likelihood that GTA could cannibalize sales from MP3 if launched in late spring."
Grand Theft Auto V hasn’t been officially unveiled yet, but there’s been plenty of Internet gossip indicating the game is well into development.
Stay tuned.