Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz has said that the firm doesn’t expect Grand Theft Auto V to see the light of day in Take-Two’s FY 12, which ends March 2012.
Creutz’s comments come following the publishing giant’s Q3 financial results, which failed to turn up any news on an anticipated fifth instalment in the multi-million dollar selling franchise.
Writing in a research note, Creutz commented, "Our belief that a FY12 release of GTA V is highly unlikely at this point.”
Internet chatter on GTA V has been trickling in on a semi-regular basis over the past year so, with the most recent comments emanating from Wedbush Morgan’s Michael Pachter, who reckons the sequel is “well into its development.”
Said Pachter: "We fully expect the next instalment of Grand Theft Auto to be released by Q4:12 at the latest, as the company’s contracts with the three employees most instrumental in the game’s development (Les Benzies, Sam and Dan Houser) expire in January 2012."
"In our view, management would have been irresponsible to enter into a contract with the three without some type of milestone for delivery of the game prior to expiration."
Stay tuned for more developments on GTA V as they break.