Mafia II may not turn a profit

Although third-person action-adventure video game Mafia II has claimed the first place in the ELSPA GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top 40 this week, it is unlikely to turn a profit, according to an expert.

Published by 2K Games, the title is the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. Mafia II was originally announced in August 2007, but it got released only in August 2010 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

US analyst Michael Pachter said: "The continued strength from Red Dead Redemption is offsetting weakness from weak Mafia II sales.

"Mafia II's average Metacritic score of 74 is well below expectations, and consumer interest appears to be waning, as the game's position has dropped in many best-seller lists in its first week. With six years in development, we believe the game is unlikely to achieve profitability."

Pachter also thinks much-awaited title LA Noire will not be released this year. The game is expected to be launched on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

He said: "Game delays have become the norm at Take-Two, and we expect the company to announce a shift in release dates for LA Noire out of 2010 and into 2011.

"This follows last quarter's announcement of a similar delay for Max Payne 3. It is important to note that both games have been in development for longer than five years, making their break even hurdles significantly higher than a typical game."

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