THQ turned heads again today with an announcement that their upcoming game Saint’s Row 2, the sequel to the popular 2006 title, will be delayed into the third quarter of this year.

Originally scheduled for release on August 26th, Saint’s Row 2 is now slated to hit shelves on October 14th, a change of about six weeks. THQ spokesman Bob Aniello claimed that the change to a later fiscal quarter will not change the company’s financial outlook for the year.

While THQ claims the move is to polish an already finished game, it can’t help but be noticed that the date change puts the game closer into the holiday season and further from proposed downloadable content for rival franchise Grand Theft Auto IV, which is due in early fall. The October release date gives THQ some breathing room from its main competitor, but it also sets the game against other big-name titles due out in the Christmas season, a historically busy time for game releases.

As for what the specific “polish” that is being applied actually entails, THQ has not released any specific statements. Most speculation revolves around online multiplayer functionality, an area that GTA IV makes available, but in limited quantities. THQ does, however, claim that Saint’s Row 2 is relatively complete, and only minor changes and adjustments are being made.