Mixup Involving GameStop, Sony, and "The Last Guardian" Cancellation

The Last Guardian, a game in the works by Team Ico, was recently pulled from GameStop's pre-order listings, which prompted the following automated message to be sent to all gamers who pre-ordered their copy of the game:

"Hello, this is GameStop calling with important news regarding your reservation. We've been notified by the vendor that The Last Guardian has been canceled. To reserve a different title or have your reservation money refunded, please go to your local store.

"To repeat, we've been notified that the vendor has canceled production of the game The Last Guardian. If you have any questions please call your local store. Thank you. Goodbye."

When Kotaku, GameInformer, and other big-name game news networks contacted Sony in a frenzy, the publisher replied to every inquiry with the short and succinct statements: "It's not true. The game is still in development. It hasn't been canceled." Gamers breathed a little easier thereafter, and GameStop sent out an official explanation as to why the mixup occurred:

"The Last Guardian has not been canceled by Sony as we incorrectly stated in an automated call to reservation customers. Because the game did not have a specific release date, GameStop made the decision to remove the game from our system. The Last Guardian will be reinstated for pre-order when a firm launch date is known."

So, thankfully, the game is still in production, although no specific release date is known. The game is a Playstation 3 exclusive title, under production by Team Ico Studios, and a delaying of the release date until 2012 was revealed on April 20, 2011. The Last Guardian will have thematic similarities to previous Team Ico games, namely Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. While the game doesn't have its own official website, you can still f ind more about it by viewing the trailer below. The description for the game reads:

"The Last Guardian is the third game by the acclaimed development staff behind ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. In the game, a young boy and a bizarre, gigantic creature form a heartfelt bond as they attempt to maneuver their way through an unfriendly world."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHzHoMT5eRg

Sources:

EuroGamer.net: http://www.eurogamer...elease-schedule

GameInformer.com: http://www.gameinfor...-cancelled.aspx