Another day of the Demo?

[iJeebus]

So where is this bloody thing?

After announcing that the release date was pushed back (in North America) from 6/2008 to 7/8/2008 to accompany the DS release, no retailers have it in stock; at least in my metropolitan area.

So, in fact, the release date is 7/9 and not 7/8; right?

2k/Firaxis already took a huge risk in releasing outside the US first (not that the US is more important socially) because if it tanked in Europe, it would likely not even have a chance here. Now they're further bungling things by not having product in stores on the announced release date.

I know this game won't approach Halo 3, GTAIV, or other premiere titles in sales, possibly warranting a more limited retail release, but at least get the bloody thing in the game stores.

Congratulations. The release of this game has been nearly completely marginalized in one of the largest game-consuming markets in the world.

Nice, guys. Nice.

[Snap]

Ok seriously, do you even know anything about game release dates?

For the last time people. Only HUGE games like Halo 3, GTAIV, Mario Kart, ETC have actual RELEASE DATES. These are dates when the "street date" is the release date. This means games sit in the back of stores for sometimes weeks on end waiting for the "BIG DAY".

CivRev is a normal game release. It ships on the normal gaming Tuesday, in stores (usually) on the new game Wednesday.

It's been like this FOR YEARS PEOPLE. Get over it.

[redbirdpat]

The mods have told us multiple times that the stores will get the game on the 8th. But the customers cannot buy it until the 9th. It has been stated multiple times that you cannot go buy it until Wednesday.

[Snap]

The mods have told us multiple times that the stores will get the game on the 8th. But the customers cannot buy it until the 9th. It has been stated multiple times that you cannot go buy it until Wednesday.

Stores do not have this game yet, if they did, they'd sell it to you. The game has SHIPPED from 2K's warehouses to gaming retailers all over the place.

The game will arrive in stores tomorrow. Not today and sell tomorrow, but in stores tomorrow to sell tomorrow.

This game has no street date other than it's shipping date of today.

[Dire Wombat]

Stores do not have this game yet, if they did, they'd sell it to you. The game has SHIPPED from 2K's warehouses to gaming retailers all over the place.

The game will arrive in stores tomorrow. Not today and sell tomorrow, but in stores tomorrow to sell tomorrow.

This game has no street date other than it's shipping date of today.

To be fair, if that's actually what's happening, it's NOT how these things usually work. Generally speaking, media releases (this includes games, DVDs, music, and even books) happen like this:

1. Item is shipped on whatever day of the week that the store normally gets shipments (for me, it was always Friday), typically the week before its "street date."
2. Street dates are on Tuesday.
3. The item is on sale either Tuesday, or whenever the employees manage to get the time to unbox it and get it on the shelves (so, often Wednesday if the shipment didn't arrive until later).

For major releases, the item is shipped out longer ahead of time, and sometimes in a special shipment (Harry Potter books, for instance, shipped to stores in a huge special shipment about 3 weeks in advance, with big warning stickers threatening legal action if you even OPENED the boxes before the street date). Big releases usually also street on Tuesday, but sometimes on some other day of the week if the publisher decides to be different for some reason.

There are exceptions. Some "minor" releases don't have a street date and just go on sale whenever they arrive. This is most common for books, which have many, many times more releases than games (and are cheaper) and so far more of what you could call "minor" releases.

It's also possible to have a special shipment or non-Tuesday street date for a non-major release, but this is rare. Usually, something that's not a Halo 3 or a Harry Potter or a Stephen King novel just comes in the normal shipments and sits in boxes/on shelves until it's street date on a Tuesday.

So, to make a long story short: CivRev is probably not shipping to most stores today; most of them probably have it in their stockrooms, and have had it there for at least a few days. Its actual street date appears to be Wednesday, which is unusual, and it shouldn't surprise anyone that this is confusing some people. And finally, unless they really are doing special shipments of the game today (which, as I said, would be unusual), there are probably some very naughty retailers out there who didn't check the street date and put Civ on the shelf on Tuesday with the other releases.

Not that anyone should call around to find such a retailer. That would be wrong, and how would you ever live with yourself?

[2K Elizabeth]

hey guys,

it's true, there are generally 2 different kinds of releases.

a "street date" means that stores ARE NOT allowed to sell the game before this date. but they all have the game (unless something bad happens) BEFORE this date, so they are ready. this usually happens for really, really high profile games. your GTA, Halo, BioShock games.

for this game, we're just a regular release. that's why you will see some stores get the game on the 10th or 11th. we are shipping out of our warehouse today everywhere. generally this only takes a day to get into retailer's hands, but sometimes longer.

this game isn't street dated, however, which is the cause for confusion.

[2K Elizabeth]

So, to make a long story short: CivRev is probably not shipping to most stores today; most of them probably have it in their stockrooms, and have had it there for at least a few days.

This is not the case. The game is shipping out of our warehouses today. It did not ship before today.

*I* don't have a single copy of the game, except my green disc. Yep, we have no retail copies here in the US office right now. Hopefully they get to us tomorrow, but you never know! Retailers first.

[Snap]

To be fair, if that's actually what's happening, it's NOT how these things usually work. Generally speaking, media releases (this includes games, DVDs, music, and even books) happen like this:

1. Item is shipped on whatever day of the week that the store normally gets shipments (for me, it was always Friday), typically the week before its "street date."
2. Street dates are on Tuesday.
3. The item is on sale either Tuesday, or whenever the employees manage to get the time to unbox it and get it on the shelves (so, often Wednesday if the shipment didn't arrive until later).

As 2KElizabeth just stated, this is really how it works for GAMES. Sorry, but it's been like this for years now. I've been disappointed myself several times a few years ago and finally learned the system and have now dealt with it.

Music/Books/Games are ALL different. Everyone who buys CDs knows that Tuesday is new CD day. Every week new games are released. Unless a specific game has a specific "street date", those games are always shipped on Tuesday and will START (keyword here) arriving in stores on Wednesday.

[Dire Wombat]

Hey, thanks for clearing that up, Elizabeth. I was wondering why there'd be a Wednesday street date for the game (adding to the confusion was that some online retailers, e.g., Target.com, already moved the game from pre-order status to regular sales today).

And now I won't be faced with the moral dilemma of deciding whether to check local merchants for broken street dates.

[2K Elizabeth]

Hey, thanks for clearing that up, Elizabeth. I was wondering why there'd be a Wednesday street date for the game (adding to the confusion was that some online retailers, e.g., Target.com, already moved the game from pre-order status to regular sales today).

And now I won't be faced with the moral dilemma of deciding whether to check local merchants for broken street dates.

glad to help!

i had employees coming into my office before the weekend saying they needed their Civilization Revolution fix and they knew i was hiding the retails! i thought they might storm my desk and ransack it, but alas, i had nothing to give!

[Dire Wombat]

As 2KElizabeth just stated, this is really how it works for GAMES. Sorry, but it's been like this for years now. I've been disappointed myself several times a few years ago and finally learned the system and have now dealt with it.

Music/Books/Games are ALL different. Everyone who buys CDs knows that Tuesday is new CD day. Every week new games are released. Unless a specific game has a specific "street date", those games are always shipped on Tuesday and will START (keyword here) arriving in stores on Wednesday.

Yeah, my personal experience is mostly with books, movies, and music... my store rarely stocked games, but I talked shop with friends who worked for gamestop, EB, etc. Sounds like I missed some differences in the way games are released (unless this was long enough ago that things have changed on me... dang, I feel old). Oops. Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up.

[pmw1718]

It's been my experience that on the day it comes out, in our case wednesday, that UPS will have it delivered to the stores receiving clerk to scan into the store for inventory purposes then go out to the shelf. Almost always before noon

[2b2gbi]

Sadly UPS trucks don't travel at Mach 2. I so wish they did!

-JC

[Tone Marley]

Whoo hoo!!..today is finally the day... going to pick mine up first thing after my Gamestop opens....its just a shame that I have to drive almost 50 miles to get it.

But, in another 2 hours and 100 miles Ill finally be able to play past 1250 AD...and get to use more than Egypt and Rome....