Right, so why not a universal release date?

[Snerk]

Ok so it's not the most original topic but I still fail to see the point of it. I don't see what they have to gain from separate release dates. It'll probably just lead to fair amount of people torrenting it instead of waiting for it's international release, no?

 

[blackcatatonic]

I don't understand all the complaining about this issue. Yes, it's annoying and probably unnecessary, but can people really not wait 3 days?!

 

[DemonMaster]

I don't understand all the complaining about this issue. Yes, it's annoying and probably unnecessary, but can people really not wait 3 days?!

Hmm, no

 

[blackcatatonic]

It looks that way anyway

I guess it suits me fine because I wouldn't have been able to take time off to play before Friday anyway

I assume the different release dates has something to do with sales weeks in Europe starting on a different day to those in America.

 

[GustavBjorklund]

I don't understand all the complaining about this issue. Yes, it's annoying and probably unnecessary, but can people really not wait 3 days?!

Because New York isn't thousands of miles away, it's a hundred milliseconds away.

To answer the OPs question: Blame brick and mortar stores, whose relationship with publishers means we customers get the short end of the stick.

 

[janboruta]

I can live through those 3 days only because G&K music was already posted on youtube. Plus an influx of screenshots. But I really can't wait.

I understand why the devs wanted to maximize their sales indicators both in the US and Europe. Seems to be a common practice and I got used to games being released on Fridays in Europe. It makes it much easier that it begins the weekend

 

[Greasy Dave]

I've got to admit, it's kind of frustrating. But I won't have time to play it for a month or so anyway.

I'm a cynic. I believe it is down to Firaxis/2K/publisher incompetence, rather than some economic overarching strategy. Where I live the local shops had the due delivery as 19.6.12 up until last week. Then it got put back to 22.6. Now some of the shops are saying 26.6. I'm guessing that the delivery of the various language localised dvds got delayed and so Europe as a whole was put on hold, including steam- it absolute nonsense that i can't download it right now, because I live in Europe.

But then it's nonsense that I should have to pay 30 Euros for a download when in the US they pay 30 dollars and in the country where I live, I can pay the equivalent of 25 dollars for a dvd from a bricks and mortar shop - but hey, a games publisher screwing up - that can't be possible?

 

[GoodSarmatian]

I don't understand all the complaining about this issue. Yes, it's annoying and probably unnecessary, but can people really not wait 3 days?!

Of course we can, we just don't want to.

 

[kattana]

what the good people outside of the US dont understand is just how much more firaxis cares about you. they beta test the launch today, find issues and fix them before they launch it for you all.

see..how much they care about you?

;>)

 

[Baleur]

Because awful stores like Gamestop and the like are using their commercial influence to coerce publishers into pushing back digital release dates to match the physical store release dates, so they can remain competitive.

This is why I never buy boxed copies anymore, I can't support this bs that only hurts the games industry and games sales as a whole. As the topic starter said, torrents will run wild, while if it was released worldwide at the same hour, people would get sick of waiting and just buy it instead. (the ones that are capable of pirating it i mean)

There really is no good outcome of it, except for Gamestop etc.
Cheers for them, hipp hipp hurrah.... Bastards.