With the news that two major 3DS games, Luigi’s Mansion and Castlevania Lords of Shadow, were delayed until 2013, it got us to thinking — were these games ever going to exist?

Practically every high profile game in development is now due for 2013: Beyond, Tomb Raider, South Park: Stick of Truth, Dead Space 3, Crysis 3, The Last of Us, Watch Dogs, Bioshock Infinite, Metro: Last Light, Prey 2 and so much more. Those not originally slated for next year have now been pushed there. While delays are commonplace in this industry, never before have we seen them on this scale.

Have developers and publishers simply jumped the gun announcing their games too soon in hopes of beating the competition? Have games become so advanced that refining even small issues take substantially longer? Or — does the industry expect the world will end before 2013 and is trying to maximize profits before the apocolypse?

With so many delays, we have to start leaning towards the whole “world is ending” theory. Think about it: if the world is ending before next year, why not simply announce every title in development and then push them to 2013? Instead of staggering announcements, maybe the industry is showing the market everything in an attempt to boost investor interest. If the world ends, you go out sitting in a swimming pool of money. If it doesn’t, you release the games as time permits.

It’s even possible these games were never in development at all. Doesn’t it seem odd that practically every popular franchise currently has a new entry announced? What if everything we’ve seen from The Last of Us or Watch Dogs is just a pre-rendered video? Watch Dogs did run pretty smooth. If the world doesn’t end, the games get shockingly cancelled. Or, actually developed and eventually released.

While this theory can’t be proven until January, it’s the best explanation we have for why you’d delay the bulk of your recently-announced lineup.