Prototype pushed to 2009 on GameSpot confirms recent rumors (story) of a delay to Radical's open-world game, though those rumors underestimated the delay's scope, as Prototype is now due in 2009. The game was originally announced with a summer 2008 release date (story). Word is the game needs more time to live up to the regards of many:

Since its announcement, Prototype has been regarded by many as groundbreaking and taking the open-world genre in new directions, and in the simplest explanation possible, we need more time to deliver the game the team initially set out to create.