Square Enix is determined to release Final Fantasy VII Remake on time despite most areas cracking down on the delivery of non-essential items due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
It was once believed that the only players who were guaranteed to receive a copy of the game on time were those who pre-ordered it digitally. Now, thanks to a new move by Square, digital players might actually be some of the last to get to play the game.
That’s because Square Enix has already shipped physical copies of the game to players who pre-ordered through the Square Enix store online. That means some players will be receiving their copies earlier than the game’s April 10 release date.
Players in Australia and some parts of Europe already have the game, with US pre-orders set to arrive sometime next week, likely around April 8.
Of course, when certain players get their hands on a title before others, the major concern is spoilers. Square has been very upfront with players regarding spoilers and the company’s stance on that topic. The developer even released a copy of the game’s Material Usage License online via a tweet.
Game producer Yoshinori Kitase pleaded with players who receive the game early to be respectful of other fans and not post about the game until the official release.
“If you get the game early, please think of others and don’t spoil it for them,” he said. “We know there are potential spoilers that have been out there for over two decades as the original Final Fantasy VII was released in 1997. But Final Fantasy VII Remake is a new game that still has many surprises for everyone. All our fans and players deserve to experience the game for themselves, and we ask for the support of our dedicated community around the world to ensure that.”
The Material Usage License forbids any game streaming or video content from the game to be featured online before April 10.
Unfortunately, the gaming community mostly ignored the pleas of Square Enix. Streamers on Twitch started up almost immediately when gamers received their copies. That means spoilers for the game are popping up on the internet, so it’s best to beware what sites or videos you click on in the next week.
Physical copies being delivered to retailers might still take some time to arrive, and there is no guarantee that if you pre-ordered the game from Walmart, GameStop, or other retailers that you’ll be able to play on April 10.
