In an interesting report on 1up.com today, we learnt that publisher (and burgeoning publishing powerhouse) Take 2 Interactive has suffered a slight 'hiccup' in its seemingly impregnable financial confidence. Sales expectations for the quarter were lowered from $412 million to $385 million; with the bankruptcy of Kay-Bee Toys (to whom debts were owed to Take 2), the cancellation of two titles, and finally the "continued disappointing sales" of 2 being blamed.

All in all, not a disaster for the rapidly growing publisher, but certainly a warning that things don't always go as planned. Mind you, quite why you silly lot didn't snap-up the excellent Max Payne 2 in droves is beyond me. One of the finest games of 2003 without a doubt: shame on you. Go and buy it now so we can have a third. Ahem.

Take 2 also waggled an accusative finger at the slippage of on the Xbox, which pushes its release into the next quarter and therefore also dents predictions. As 1up.com notes, the launch of the next title in Rockstar's GTA series at the end of the year is sure to turn-around any disappointment these revisions may have been to the PLC's shareholders, so there's no need to feel too sorry for them.

By Luke Guttridge