The Last Guardian, Team Ico Collection delayed

PlayStation 3 gamers looking for a release of any kind from Team Ico are in for some disappointment this morning. As relayed by the official PlayStation Blog, both The Last Guardian and the HD revamp of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus have been delayed beyond their respective holiday 2011 and spring 2011 release windows.

"I announced at last year’s Tokyo Game Show that the release timing of The Last Guardian, which is currently being developed, would be holiday 2011," said Team Ico lead Fumito Ueda of The Last Guardian. "However, to provide more challenging and better quality of content to users and to fulfill First Party Studio’s obligations, I decided to postpone its release timing."

"All the members of my production team are working together at a fast pace to develop and release the game in First Party Studio quality," Ueda continued. "I sincerely apologize to all the customers who have been waiting for The Last Guardian for so long, but I beg for your patience. I will also announce the new release timing at a later time."

Formally announced at the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, The Last Guardian tells a boy-and-his-dog tale, where the dog is a giant and feathered, yet seemingly amiable, beast. Team Ico has not been forthcoming with specific plot details, but gameplay will involve the boy manipulating his companion to navigate a variety of environmental puzzles.

As for Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, the two PlayStation 2 classics have been redone in high definition for the PS3. The titles--which were released in 2001 and 2005, respectively--will both feature full 3D support. Further, Ico will include the European ending rather than the US ending, making it the "complete game," according to Ueda.

For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of The Last Guardian and the Team Ico HD collection.