Marvel's Avengers will not be released in May and will instead be delayed by four months. Crystal Dynamics said that while the release delay is a regular occurrence, the company wants to spend more time brushing up and fine-tuning the game. [Studio bosses Ron Rosenberg and Scot Amos apologized for the postponement on their blog.

"As fans ourselves, it is an honor and privilege to work with these legendary characters. When we set out to bring our vision of "Marvel's Avengers" to you, we promised to deliver original story-driven campaigns, engaging co-op and engaging content for years to come. Therefore, during this additional development period, we will focus on fine-tuning and brushing up the game to the high standards that our fans have come to expect and deserve."

I admit I completely forgot that Avengers is coming out in May, and while its unveiling at E3 wasn't well received, when I played it at Gamescom it was a lot more fun than it initially seemed.

"I was disappointed with this demo, but it is clearly just a small taste of what Crystal Dynamics has in store," Samuel Roberts wrote in his preview of The Avengers. 'It's a perfectly fine action game with high production values, but I don't see the incentive to play it for the long haul.' In my interview with Amos, I was encouraged by the game's long-term vision: more characters, more levels, more story over the years, all at no extra cost.

Marvel's Avengers will be released on September 4.