Legends don't develop overnight; they take centuries of retelling around campfires, on parchment and over the internet, before they become lore. Therefore, to expect Rayman Legends to be released for the WiiU launch in 2012 is surely asking too much? To become Legend, it must mature into 2013 - or perhaps Ubisoft have just not finished tinkering with the game.
Having managed a hands on session at this year's Eurogamer Expo, the slip is somewhat of a surprise, the game was looking more polished than an Olympic Gold Medallists trophy cabinet. However, slip the game has, this is what Ubisoft have to say for themselves:
Rayman Legends will launch worldwide in the first quarter of 2013. We’re happy that fans are excited about the game, and we are taking the time to make sure we deliver a game that lives up to and hopefully exceeds their expectations. We’ll have more details to share soon.
The delay is a shame as Rayman Legends promised to be one of the highlights of the WiiU launch. We'll just have to content ourselves with New Super Mario Bros U instead.