The company had previously specified a February 10 release (also a Sunday) for the highly-anticipated mascot fighter, itself a delay from the initial December 3 date, which fell on a Monday.

"I deeply apologize to the people who have looked forward to playing the game for so long and ask that you hold on just a little longer," director Masahiro Sakurai pleaded on the game's official site. "Thank you for your patience."

The game has also been postponed in Japan, but only for a week; it will now arrive on January 31 instead of January 24. European regions, meanwhile, are still without a specific release date, though it is possible the title may arrive there as soon as April.