GTA V won’t release before late 2012- analyst

Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz believes Rockstar and Take-Two won’t probably release Grand Theft Auto V before late next year, because they wouldn’t want to cannibalize the sales and success of Max Payne 3, which they announced earlier today would be released in March next year.

“With the announcement, we are increasingly convinced that we will not see the next Grand Theft Auto title until (at least) holiday 2012,” Creutz said in an investor note.

“We doubt that Rockstar would launch two of its titles in close proximity to each other given the studio’s elaborate marketing campaigns and the likelihood that GTA could cannibalize sales from MP3 if launched in late spring.”

Last month, Pachter said he believes GTA V can sell as much as 18-24 million.

Stay tuned for more updates.