The release date for the latest Batman video game, Arkham Knight, has been delayed until the beginning of 2015.<\/p>\n
The adventure, which is the third in a series, was initially scheduled to go on sale for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC platforms later this year.<\/p>\n
The postponement follows a spate of delays to other high-profile games, including Dying Light, Mad Max, Quantum Break and The Order: 1886.<\/p>\n
They are all “next gen” games, which use the most complex visual effects.<\/p>\n
Mark Ward, a spokesman for Warner Bros Games – which owns the London-based developers of Batman, Rocksteady – said the decision to “extend the development of the game” was taken “to ensure that the trilogy gets the epic conclusion that Batman fans want and deserve”.<\/p>\n
Mr Ward added that Batman: Arkham Knight is the “most ambitious title Rocksteady has ever created”.<\/p>\n
High risk<\/p>\n
The recently delayed “blockbuster” releases are all graphically intensive games, which use cutting-edge visual effects technologies and have high development costs.<\/p>\n
Crucially, they are all next generation games, which are only available on the most up-to-date consoles, forcing devoted users to upgrade.<\/p>\n
Ed Barton, an analyst at Ovum, told the BBC games developers were making fewer games and spending more on the titles they did produce.<\/p>\n
Due to the risk of failure, which is “higher than it’s ever been” companies prefer to “make the market wait a few more months and spend more on development,” he added.<\/p>\n