‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ Delayed To Spring 2016, Naughty Dog Explains Why

Gamers play "Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception" developed by Naughty Dog on Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3) during the Electronic Entertainment Expo or E3 in Los Angeles June 7, 2011. Reuters

Sony has announced that its marquee PlayStation 4 exclusive “Uncharted 4: A Thief's End” has been delayed to Spring 2016. The announcement is the latest in a long line of high profile delays suffered by the publisher this generation, following similar delays to games like “Driveclub,” “The Order: 1886” and “Bloodborne.”

In a joint statement, Game Director Bruce Straley and Creative Director Neil Druckmann broke the news on the PlayStation Blog. The two apologised for the delay, stating that as “Uncharted 4” has come together, the team has begun to realise it’s a much more ambitious undertaking than they initially expected. Druckmann and Straley say that the delay is necessary to ensure “A Thief’s End” lives up to the hype and promise that the team will be working hard through the end of 2015 to ensure it does.

“Giving us a few extra months will make certain that ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ not only meets the team’s high standards, but the high standards that gamers have come to expect from a Naughty Dog title. Thank you for your patience — we know the extra wait will be excruciating, but you’ll see it will be worth it as we reveal more about ‘Uncharted 4’ over the next year,” the pair said.

While unwelcome, the delay is perhaps not the biggest surprise considering the game’s somewhat tumultuous development history. In March 2014, IGN reported that series creative director and former lead writer on “Uncharted 4,” Amy Hennig had left the studio suddenly, after 10 years. Hennig’s departure was followed closely by the resignation of then-Game Director Justin Richmond and the recasting of actor Todd Stashwick, who was set to play a major role in the game.

Speaking with Game Informer in June, Naughty Dog Co-presidents Christophe Balestra and Evan Wells addressed the departures, stating that it wasn’t an unusual amount of turnover for a major development studio. Referencing the handing over of the “Uncharted 4” project to Straley and Druckmann, Balestra stated that the duo would have to adjust the content they’d inherited, and would make the changes they feel were right for the game.

As noted by Engadget in its coverage, the delay puts Sony in a tough position with regard to this year’s lineup of games. The company no longer has a tentpole release scheduled for holiday 2015, a period during which Microsoft’s competing console will see the release of exclusive titles like “Halo 5: Guardians” and “Rise of the Tomb Raider.”