Empire Interactive has informed SPOnG today that our most-awaited Xbox LIVE title of the year, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, has been delayed by until mid-October.

“It will be out sometime in October, it’s currently with Microsoft,” Empire’s James Spice informed us this morning, crushing our dreams of spending most of the autumn reliving the glory days of the Amiga. Ah well, let’s hope it’s an Indian Summer after all then…

More on Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe as we get it, though we’re reliably informed that it’s going to feature a nice high def makeover and will set you back 800 Microsoft points or £6.80 in Earth money.

Coming up, Empire also has Full Metal Alchemist (DS, just out), Animal Paradise (DS, late Nov) and Jackass (26 Oct on PS2, November on PSP) and PC titles Sudden Strike 3 and Stranger (release dates to be confirmed).

Empire's budget division, Xplosiv has also just made a bunch of budget re-release announcements for the autumn, including Galactic Civilization 2, Panzer Elite Action Gold, Spellforce 2, Rush For Berlin, Paraworld and the bizarrely named Secret Files: Tunguska.