PSA: Final Fantasy VII Remake confirmed not releasing early digitally.

Mr. Genuine · Apr 3, 2020

Avoiding spoilers is easy guys.

Just don't let Youtube know you're interested in the game. Never, ever, EVER watch a Youtube video for a game you're interested in before you play it.

Jashobeam · Apr 3, 2020

Sevyne said:
Y'all some real thirsty motherfuckers over a 1 week wait.

might not seem long but maybe in 1 week some of us could be in the hospital hooked up to a ventilator, struggling to breath and stay alive, possibly die before playing the game, they should do the right thing and release it digitally tomorrow

Falus · Apr 3, 2020

Preload is up at least. Already finish downloading soon

Yuntu · Apr 3, 2020

Jashobeam said:
might not seem long but maybe in 1 week some of us could be in the hospital hooked up to a ventilator, struggling to breath and stay alive, possibly die before playing the game, they should do the right thing and release it digitally tomorrow

They probably want to but there very likely isn't a "release early" button for digital games, or atleast Sony (in this case, others probably as well - maybe not on PC) probably has some sort of guideline for developers to follow there.

Blaaaarrggghhh · Apr 3, 2020

I am okay with this. I'm still playing Doom Eternal and Personal 5 Royal

Deleted member 43657 · Apr 3, 2020

Salbert said:
Avoiding spoilers is easy guys.

Just don't let Youtube know you're interested in the game. Never, ever, EVER watch a Youtube video for a game you're interested in before you play it.

Better unsubscribe from 4-8Productions, then.

Mr. Genuine · Apr 3, 2020

yuhr33 said:
Better unsubscribe from 4-8Productions, then.

No idea who that is.

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

Square were faced with a no-win situation here

If they'd done nothing in relation to allowing the physical edition to ship / dispatch ahead of time, with the variability across the world right now in relation to workforce and transit, most people may have not got their copy until April 15th +. Hell, people still may not. And then the frustration felt at digital owners would have been fierce, and likely physical preorders would have been cancelled on a large scale to go digital - hurting retailers when they need support most as it would leave them with excess stock

I really hope customers try and remember why copies are going out early and that in any other circumstance, this would not be happening. The release date is April 10th, and whilst it may seem to avid internet followers like 'everyones getting it but me', the bulk of physical copies coming through online distribution probably won't be in the hands of users till mid next week

It's easy to hate, but shitting on Square for this is terrible IMO. This is a key title they've spent five years + working on and is a lynchpin of the company for the next five years going forward - they don't want to be fucking around with fans either stock wise I'm sure.

Tigress · Apr 3, 2020

Whine whine whine. I find it's usually those of us who prefer physical that have to wait. All the sudden I see people talking about pouting and losing business over this? I ordered last year this game in June and I don't even know when I'm getting it yet (amazon). So just be thankful you know a date and you at least will get it launch day.

It's a game. It's not the end of the world some people got to early. No one promised you that you'd get it first. But you at least have a very good chance of getting it launch day. Soonest I heard anyone with an amazon order is getting it isn't April 14th. And that is if they are lucky enough amazon has even given them a date. So what some people are getting it early? They are getting it early cause square wants to make sure as many people get it by launch date as they can. I much prefer they do it that way even though I'm not benefitting then just let them get it later.

Riversands · Apr 3, 2020

Which is actually right movement because in some countries the stores will get the game way longer than april 10th

Tigress · Apr 3, 2020

ThisIsBlitz21 said:
I wont shed a tear when physical dies.

I will. Say goodbye to having full control over keeping your games. Until drm or at least online account relying drm dies, I think it's incredibly shortsighted of people to want physical to die. I mean sony is a good example of how you digital is more indefinite until company decides otherwise rental. How many stories do we have of people losing all their games on Sony because of combo of account getting compromised and so unless refusing to do anything about it and threatening to ban the account if you reverse charges which means you lose all your games attached to it? And aside from gog, every digital store is at the mercy of the company giving you an account (and easily taking it away and since all your games are locked on it say bye bye).

And I'm not sure how physical dying would really change things for digital buyers here so not even sure why you are blaming physical being an option as the problem here.

Riversands · Apr 3, 2020

hlhbk said:
What about the potential loss of sales for Sony because physical is out early?

This doestn make any sense to me. How can be sony at lost here? Unless they are selling the pirated version, theres no way it is that case.

From what i know retailers buy the game from the company maybe under 60 bucks, and they are to sell the copies to buyers for 60. In that case the company has already got their cut

Deleted member 61326 · Apr 3, 2020

SpoonyGundam said:
Square just shot themselves in the foot.
I don't know how much the rest of you know about Japanese culture (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in America where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in Japan, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.
What this means is the japanese public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase FFVIIR for either medium, nor will they purchase any of Square's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Square has alienated an entire market with this move.
Square, publicly apologize and release FFVIIR digitally or you can kiss your business goodbye.

I work in tech, trust me, I can confirm this.

Chibs · Apr 3, 2020

Kingsora said:
Very logical, it would be a knife in the back of every retailer in the world if they do that. I can't even understand that there are people that would think they would consider it.

Exactly, thought it was very strange how so many people were demanding this and didn't even consider retailers.
This is already a very difficult time for video game retail stores, doing this with a game like Final Fantasy VII (it's only of the most hyped games since... forever?) would have a major impact on some.

Deleted member 61326 · Apr 3, 2020

skeezx said:
chapter 11 is an option. but i don't see a way out for them, maybe they can start selling CBD oil or something

Tech popularity is circular. There will always be money in walkmans and VCRs

CosmicGP · Apr 3, 2020

That's disappointing but ok. I've got RE3 to tide me over.

Deleted member 26746 · Apr 3, 2020

Sony just moved forward the predownload to prevent ppl from canceling the PSN preorder... knowing that when it releases digitally the game will be out for more than a week in the wild.

I can understand that you ship the games to retailers for they to have stock ready for the 10th... but not that you let them sell it early instores and not only for deliver the release date.

Instead of securing the physical shipments for release date you have fucked the digital market.

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

N30RYU said:
I can understand that you ship the games to retailers for they to have stock ready for the 10th... but not that you let them sell it early instores and not only for deliver the release date.

Instead of securing the physical shipments for release date you have fucked the digital market.

I guarantee if Square hadn't staggered allowing retailers to sell in store globally as they have done and still maintained advertising leading people globally to go shopping for it on April 10th, they would have caught major flak (likely on Era also) for 'encouraging people to go out en mass at a time of major lockdowns'.

Deleted member 51789 · Apr 3, 2020

Anyone who thought otherwise was only fooling themselves

Moms_Spaghetti · Apr 3, 2020

Does anyone know if us retailers will be able to sell early once their shipments are in? Seems only fair if they are hoping to be relatively consistent with their current strategy...

Deleted member 51789 · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
Square were faced with a no-win situation here

If they'd done nothing in relation to allowing the physical edition to ship / dispatch ahead of time, with the variability across the world right now in relation to workforce and transit, most people may have not got their copy until April 15th +. Hell, people still may not. And then the frustration felt at digital owners would have been fierce, and likely physical preorders would have been cancelled on a large scale to go digital - hurting retailers when they need support most as it would leave them with excess stock

I really hope customers try and remember why copies are going out early and that in any other circumstance, this would not be happening. The release date is April 10th, and whilst it may seem to avid internet followers like 'everyones getting it but me', the bulk of physical copies coming through online distribution probably won't be in the hands of users till mid next week

It's easy to hate, but shitting on Square for this is terrible IMO. This is a key title they've spent five years + working on and is a lynchpin of the company for the next five years going forward - they don't want to be fucking around with fans either stock wise I'm sure.

This.

Some of the gamer-rage I've seen about this alongside the delay to TLoU is ridiculous. Context is important.

Yankee Ruin X · Apr 3, 2020

In the UK can you get a refund if you download the preload? Wondering if this is why they brought it forward to stop people being able to get refunds and buying it physical instead

ZeoVGM · Apr 3, 2020

panama chief said:
Sorry square but this some bullshit. Who is going to stores to pick up a physical copy anyways?

Many people.

ZeoVGM · Apr 3, 2020

ThisIsBlitz21 said:
I wont shed a tear when physical dies.

Thankfully, it won't be happening for a very long time. So you'll have to wait quite a while on that tear you're not shedding.

Feep · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
Square were faced with a no-win situation here

If they'd done nothing in relation to allowing the physical edition to ship / dispatch ahead of time, with the variability across the world right now in relation to workforce and transit, most people may have not got their copy until April 15th +. Hell, people still may not. And then the frustration felt at digital owners would have been fierce, and likely physical preorders would have been cancelled on a large scale to go digital - hurting retailers when they need support most as it would leave them with excess stock

I really hope customers try and remember why copies are going out early and that in any other circumstance, this would not be happening. The release date is April 10th, and whilst it may seem to avid internet followers like 'everyones getting it but me', the bulk of physical copies coming through online distribution probably won't be in the hands of users till mid next week

It's easy to hate, but shitting on Square for this is terrible IMO. This is a key title they've spent five years + working on and is a lynchpin of the company for the next five years going forward - they don't want to be fucking around with fans either stock wise I'm sure.

This is correct. People, we've all been looking forward to this game, but Square told you April 10th, and you're getting April 10th. Australia got a little bonus; let them enjoy it. Allowing early digital is a horrible move for businesses and screwing over people getting physical (internet issues, collector's editions, there are a variety of legitimate reasons) in most areas of the world.

Some of the entitlement, yeesh.

Jolkien · Apr 3, 2020

Even if Sony CDN are far from being the best in the world it makes no sense that it'd be a digital launching nightmare. Just say you don't want to instead of giving us bullshit reason.

ffvorax · Apr 3, 2020

Well expected... SE did the best to let everyone to have the game on the expected date, but stores didnt respect the release date... so its the stores fault in the end... :|
I waited so much that I can live with one more week, and will avoid any spoiler about the game.

TheRaidenPT · Apr 3, 2020

ffvorax said:
Well expected... SE did the best to let everyone to have the game on the expected date, but stores didnt respect the release date... so its the stores fault in the end... :|
I waited so much that I can live with one more week, and will avoid any spoiler about the game.

In some European countries the release date is a holiday.. Hoping we get our game on Thursday

Oreiller · Apr 3, 2020

Disappointing but totally understandable and logical. KH3 was also out in the wild well before its official release date too.

Kingsora · Apr 3, 2020

Edge said:
Which retailer?

Every big retailer in the world normally also has an online shop where they sell the physical games. And most of them are still open to get at least some revenue in these difficult times.

hlhbk said:
Yet every major retailer having a green light to sell it as soon as they get it to try to make sure people have it by launch isn't a knife into the back of Sony? If the pattern holds and it releases in the states physically early Sony will have lost my and other sales.

Not 'every' major retailer in the world. And it's not like Sony doesn't get a cut for physical games.

BlueTsunami · Apr 3, 2020

Sevyne said:
Y'all some real thirsty motherfuckers over a 1 week wait.

A lot of people are literally twiddling their thumbs right now due to the stay at home orders. It's understandable.

Decarb · Apr 3, 2020

ThisIsBlitz21 said:
I wont shed a tear when physical dies.

.

dunkzilla · Apr 3, 2020

Silly in my opinion. But not a huge deal. Same as Marvel and DC indefinitely delaying digital comics for this week/the future. I think it would have been a good PR exercise and get some good will releasing it early. But yeah it's only a week, y'all will still get to play the game.

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

For the people saying they 'won't shed a tear when physical dies'...

I paid £39.95 at the The Game Collection in the the UK for the physical version pre-order

The price for it on PSN is £59.99

You want an all-digital future, fine, but expect to pay more and have less choice and control of your purchases

dunkzilla · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
For the people saying they 'won't shed a tear when physical dies'...

I paid £39.95 at the The Game Collection in the the UK for the physical version pre-order

The price for it on PSN is £59.99

You want an all-digital future, fine, but expect to pay more and have less choice and control of your purchases

This comes up every time. I live in Ireland. If I want a game day 1 I have to buy at GameStop where it's more expensive than digital. Or hope Argos have got it in, which they usually don't.

I won't shed a tear for my personal use, because physical is a last resort for me. It will suck for others though.

Your experience isn't universal, and neither is mine.

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

dunkzilla said:
I won't shed a tear for my personal use, because physical is a last resort for me. It will suck for others though.

Your experience isn't universal, and neither is mine.

I know, and appreciate this. You saying it will suck for others means you have empathy, which is all that's needed.

Others screaming at Square to release early digitally is another matter - to help shop retailers right now and to help us who like the option of physical going forward, we're just asking for a bit of understanding in a horrible, extreme set of circumstances

Thorn · Apr 3, 2020

I'm probably still getting physical if I can. That filesize is yikes.

Pastel Melon · Apr 3, 2020

Thorn said:
I'm probably still getting physical if I can. That filesize is yikes.

Sorry, I am not sure how big it is as download but it is also kinda big on my storage with physical copy for me. (90,66)

Decarb · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
For the people saying they 'won't shed a tear when physical dies'...

I paid £39.95 at the The Game Collection in the the UK for the physical version pre-order

The price for it on PSN is £59.99

You want an all-digital future, fine, but expect to pay more and have less choice and control of your purchases

Digital costs less here compared to physical, sometimes way less thanks to regional pricing. Physical doesn't give a shit about regional income and pricing, and thankfully been mostly out of business because of it.

dunkzilla · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
I know, and appreciate this. You saying it will suck for others means you have empathy, which is all that's needed.

Others screaming at Square to release early digitally is another matter - to help shop retailers right now and to help us who like the option of physical going forward, we're just asking for a bit of understanding in a horrible, extreme set of circumstances

That's fair. These are unique times and it's an impossible question for Square to answer. They would have had the whole lead time mapped out and releasing it now would scupper those plans.

But as I said, I think it would be good PR to release it now digitally. I saw in the OT people breaking the stay at home rules to try get it physically which is silly imo.

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

Decarb said:
Digital costs less here compared to physical, sometimes way less thanks to regional pricing. Physical doesn't give a shit about regional income and pricing, and thankfully been mostly out of business because of it.

Hey, I'm all in for PSN digital sales with the rest of you. Half my purchases are digital.

It doesn't help with the specific example given though, and im just asking for some support of physical in dark times. I'm not advocating people buy physical here, just to lay off pushing Square to release digital early or giving them a hard time right now

That's all

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

dunkzilla said:
That's fair. These are unique times and it's an impossible question for Square to answer. They would have had the whole lead time mapped out and releasing it now would scupper those plans.

But as I said, I think it would be good PR to release it now digitally. I saw in the OT people breaking the stay at home rules to try get it physically which is silly imo.

I think depending on how next week goes retail shipping wise globally, which they'll be monitoring in region, maybe they will push the button on digital Wednesday / Thursday and it not be unreasonable. It's their call

dunkzilla · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
I think depending on how next week goes retail shipping wise globally, which they'll be monitoring in region, maybe they will push the button on digital Wednesday / Thursday and it not be unreasonable. It's their call

A similar issue is happening with comics at the moment. The distributor for Marvel/DC/Image has said they're stopping work so getting the books out to shops won't happen. The publishers have decided to forego any kind of release this week, so no physical or digital which I think is the complete wrong move.

ZeoVGM · Apr 3, 2020

Decarb said:
.

Why . a terrible post like that?

It's not happening soon. At all. And hoping it dies is straight up ignorant and dumb.

Decarb · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
Hey, I'm all in for PSN digital sales with the rest of you. Half my purchases are digital.

It doesn't help with the specific example given though, and im just asking for some support of physical in dark times. I'm not advocating people buy physical here, just to lay off pushing Square to release digital early or giving them a hard time right now

That's all

Well in this case, even if physical was cheaper, I literally can't go out and buy it because of lock down without being arrested, nor can I order it online because nonessential stores and deliveries are shut down until the end of April.

ZeoVGM said:
Why . a terrible post like that?

It's not happening soon. At all. And hoping it dies is straight up ignorant and dumb.

I'm not hoping it dies, but I sure as shit won't care if it did.

liquidtmd · Apr 3, 2020

Decarb said:
Well in this case, even if physical was cheaper, I literally can't go out and buy it because of lock down without being arrested, nor can I order it online because nonessential stores and deliveries are shut down until the end of April.

If that's the case dependent on where you are in the world, you have my sympathy and hope you're ok right now

UK is in lockdown but supermarket trips are allowed (where games are sold so you could pick it up whilst food shopping) and online game retailers are still shipping with the cavaet of potential delays

The games official launch was always and will be April 10th. Hopefully it's worth the years of waiting and I'm here online dodging spoilers with everyone else right now

artsi · Apr 3, 2020

I hoped for an early digital release but looks like Gigantti in Finland is also selling the game now both online and in-store, going to get my copy later today.

Decarb · Apr 3, 2020

liquidtmd said:
If that's the case dependent on where you are in the world, you have my sympathy and hope you're ok right now

UK is in lockdown but supermarket trips are allowed (where games are sold so you could pick it up whilst food shopping) and online game retailers are still shipping with the cavaet of potential delays

The games official launch was always and will be April 10th. Hopefully it's worth the years of waiting and I'm here online dodging spoilers with everyone else right now

Thanks, yeah its been crazy couple of weeks and looks like it is going to get worse. We're one step away from total house arrest and people are starting to lose their minds. Maybe I should stay away from FF7 threads and tweets for my own sanity lol.

Deleted member 8674 · Apr 3, 2020

Retails contacted SE and said the situation is getting worse by the day and it's our profit on the line so we have to sell what we have. SE said okay fine go ahead but don't advertise it and keep the official word that the game is still on schedule for 10 April release.

Deleted member 9857 · Apr 3, 2020

Falus said:
Preload is up at least. Already finish downloading soon

yeah my entire ~85GB preload finished downloading overnight

now the icon is just sitting there taunting me

PSA: Final Fantasy VII Remake confirmed not releasing early digitally.

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