DOA4 delayed again?

The year 2003 ended with the announcement that a highly anticipated game from Tecmo, Ninja Gaiden, had been delayed until the following year.

Two years later, it looks likely that history may repeat itself. Dead or Alive 4, Tecmo's much-anticipated Xbox 360 game, has found itself in release limbo. Initially slated to be a launch title for Microsoft's next-gen console, which went on sale November 22, the game was pushed back thrice--first to December 1, then to December 7, and then to December 14.

Now it appears that the game has been pushed back yet again. GameStop's online store has begun listing the game with a December 22 ship date, over a week later than its previous date. Strangely, though, EBgames.com, which is now owned by GameStop, still lists the game as shipping on the 14th--next Wednesday.

That said, the delay remains unofficial. As of press time, Tecmo had not responded to requests for comment from GameSpot. However, those irked by the game's delay can look to the Ninja Gaiden case for hope--when the Xbox-exclusive game finally hit the market, it went on to become one of the highest-rated games of the year.