Have you ever gotten a game earlier than release date?

Started by Pendraflare February 13th, 2014 8:51 PM
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  • 17 replies

Pendraflare

Age 32
Male
Pennsylvania
Seen July 30th, 2021
Posted March 29th, 2021
6,263 posts
9.8 Years
As the title says, have you ever gotten your hands on any video game before it was supposed to be released to the world?

This has in fact happened to me, once. I ordered Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity on Target.com in February 2013, and it came in the mail on March 23, which was a day before it was scheduled to release in stores, if memory serves. I don't even think I used express delivery or anything like that. It wasn't anything really major, but I thought it was worth a mention.

I ask because i'm sure people are curious how those get their hands on certain games so people can spoil themselves before they're even in stores as opposed to playing blind. But have you been lucky enough to be one of them? Discuss.
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Brendino

The Ruins of Alph
Seen 5 Days Ago
Posted April 6th, 2023
8,567 posts
13.5 Years
When I used to do game-testing for EA, I managed to snag a copy of NHL 12 a day or two before the release date. It's kind of cool knowing that you've got a game before the general public, but it's not like there are any secret modes or easter eggs in a game like that, so it's not a huge deal getting it beforehand other than being able to say you did.

Arma

The Hyena

Age 30
Male
The Hague
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Posted June 9th, 2020
1,681 posts
13.4 Years
Nope, I rarely pre-order games or buy them as soon as they come out.
Only exception was Fire Emblem Awakening, I wanted to buy it on the day it got released, but it wasn't even on display in the store yet, so they had to fetch me a copy from the warehouse. XD
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Raine

Age 29
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Ontario, Canada
Seen December 16th, 2017
Posted October 5th, 2017
3,722 posts
9.3 Years
Unfortunately, I have not. Though I did pre-order Bravely Default from Amazon and was close to getting it on launch day; it came the Monday following the weekend so close enough :P Next will be Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD Remaster, which I also pre-ordered from EBGames.

Ivysaur

Grass dinosaur extraordinaire

Age 32
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Madrid, Europe
Seen 1 Day Ago
Posted April 5th, 2023
21,076 posts
16.2 Years
Several! Shops in Spain are incredibly lax about release dates- they are usually set on Fridays, but you are pretty much free to ask for the games starting on Wednesday.

The last one I bought early was Mario&Luigi Dream Team in July (Wednesday, 2 days early), and I would have done the same with Pokémon Y if I had been in Spain back when it was released.

Morkula

Get in the Game

Age 34
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Virginia
Seen February 6th, 2020
Posted March 4th, 2018
7,294 posts
19.3 Years
I wish. Stores around here are really vigilant about release dates - sometimes for smaller games they don't even put them out until a day or two after release. :|

The only game I've ever gotten before release was Rock Band Blitz, and that was because I received a copy from the publisher to review on 4P. Of course there were embargoes and such that meant I couldn't talk about the game or post the review until release day.

Sheep

She/Her
Australia
Seen 12 Hours Ago
Posted 15 Hours Ago
39,266 posts
16.6 Years
Oh, if only.

Like the above, stores here are pretty tight regarding release dates. Most big titles are hard to get from the store even on release day at all if you didn't reserve a copy so more than once I've had to wait even longer. Getting a game early probably won't ever happen. :(

Satoshi Ookami

Memento Mori

Age 30
Male
Abyss of Time, Great Seal
Seen August 5th, 2018
Posted July 3rd, 2018
14,253 posts
14.8 Years
Since I don't pre-order games neither buy it immediately after release day I can't say this happened to me in case of hard copies.
I did find and play Pokemon ROMs before their actual release date, though.
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Age 33
Male
Somewhere next to your motherboard
Seen July 24th, 2014
Posted July 21st, 2014
480 posts
10.4 Years
I could have, My local Shopko had Pokemon Black and White on there shelves 2 days earlier then the release date, but since I already had pre-ordered my copy, I didn't really see the point of getting it at the time.

Xander Olivieri

Seen 6 Days Ago
Posted November 8th, 2022
5,616 posts
13 Years
Never..How to get game before release date?
Some stores are
1) allowed to break street date based on special requirements.
2) will break release date if its not coded into the system and doesn't block the sales
3) Wal-marts are known to break the release date and sell games if you get employees that don't know enough or threaten the manager for false advertisement. (latter almost always gets the game though it makes them pretty pissy.)


Some sites, if you Pre-order ship it so you receive the game at least 3 to 4 days before the release date if the date falls too close to a black out date for shipments. (Special holidays, Union time off and stuff like this.)