In a press release yesterday for Star Wars: The Old Republic, EA announced the official Early Access and release dates for both North America (which many of you likely already knew…) and Europe.
Incoming Release Dates: Do they not want to make you sing in the rain?
The dates breakdown something like this:
Europe
Early Access begins December 13th at 6am CST
Games arrive on shelves at retailers December 15th.
North America
Early access beings December 13th at 6am CST
Games arrive n shelves at retailers December 20th.
Also notable in the press release is there are still a limited supply of Pre-Orders available, so if you have been holding out now is the time to pull the trigger to get in on Early Access time.
[Editor's Note: We spoke with BioWare this morning asking for clarification regarding SWTOR boxes for sale in Europe on the 15th.
There will be a sticker on the boxes stating something to the effect of: "Game service does not begin until the 20th". So, to get in on Early Game Access, you still need to have Pre-Ordered and redeemed your code. That said, there's still a chance to get in on Early Access even after it has already begun - if you have a Pre-Order code. So, European purchasers - ask for a Pre-Order Box/code along with your retail box if you purchase one before the 20th.]
TORWars Podcast #151: Aren't You the Pretty Kitty?
So Europe went from… 2 days behind us getting their copies of the game.. to… 5 days before us. Guarenteeing no issues with going from Early Access to the Live Game on the 20th. Grats to them!
I just hope the delivery service doesn’t screw up and deliver mine, post 20th!
this is the best day ever!
Oh yeah! I’m a EURO 8D
*Proud
Alright, fine. But how about shipping those pre-ordered CE’s a little early so we’re not penalized once early access is over. The Announcement of no grace period is not welcome news. Pre-ordered CE’s through Origin get to miss out on Launch! Awesome job guys. …except not. I suppose it’s to be expected. My First mistake was giving Origin a shot.
I bought Dragon Age Origins from them when they were just called the EA Store, I paid for next day ship and received the day before release on a Monday, so I got the game a day earlier, which is also the same day retail stores receive there copies for a midnight releases on Tuesday at 12:01 am.
If you got next day on origin you will get it Monday the 19th if they use the same shipping methods.
If you want you can add that some people in Sweden that have ordered form Webbhallen.se have already received their boxes, well at least 1 guy and it’s the CE. (Why did I order from Gamestop, why, why, why? Now I have to wait till the 15th)
Oh yeah here’s the link to the forum post: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=726431
Nevermind. Stephen tweeted that they broke the street date.
Early Access Begins December 13th
04.00 Pacific (-2)
05.00 Mountain (-1)
06.00 Central
07.00 Eastern (+1)
12.00 Greenwhich (+6)
13.00 Central European (+7)
14.00 Eastern European (+8)
15.00 Moscow Time (+9)
To correct the previous post 6AM CST = 12 noon GMT(UK) time and 1PM CET(Paris) time.
I blame Google. Thank you!
I’m slightly nervous at the moment regarding amazon.com
I’m based in the UK but have bought the CE from them so international shipping will apply – expected shipping date 21st Dec, delivery date anywhere Dec 23st – 28th.
Hopefully they will ship it a bit earlier than this. I got my pre-order in early enough that i’m expecting the full 7 days but will shed man tears if I get cut off on the 20th waiting for the box to turn up!
I think some of the comments on a previous article mentioned Amazon doing free upgrades to “Release Day Shipping.” That might only be a US offer though. You could always call?
Yeah, i contacted Amazon earlier – my concerns have been escalated to a ‘product specialist’ who will probably give me bad news in the next 24 to 48 hours
I tried to contact Amazon tonight on chat and got absolutely nowhere, not even an offer to upgrade to release day delivery. I’m not terribly impressed at this point.
I’m based in Europe too and ordered CE from Amazon.com however they’re not really replying to people’s concern so I’m actually trying to find a retailer that is still selling CE’s so I can get on there :p
Well, I just cancelled my pre-order on amazon.com and re-ordered the CE at bol.com(based in the netherlands) I called them and they said they still had copies and would make sure that I had it by 15 or 16 december, Amazon however said I would be getting it 25, that would’ve meant 5 days of not being able to play after the Early Acces.
Think I made the right decision here
Even amazon.de is sending out their copies the 14th
I believe Bollywood has posted the correct time below for the UK – will be 12pm noon GMT.
really?…nothing about grace period fiasco?…too controversial?
Can anybody explain to me why TORWars isn’t reporting the biggest issue right now which is that there will be no grace period for those receiving their box copies in the mail? Effectively if my box doesn’t arrive on the 20th then I will lose access until it does. That Amazon has said they cannot even ship the product until the release day guarantees that many people will miss launch day and even some will miss launch week.
How can TORwars ignore this? I mean… I don’t want to suspect you guys are incapable of reporting news that is negative and only want to focus on the positives but… have you seen the TOR forums? Pretty much anybody who has an online order for a physical copy is posting and is really mad.
Why are you guys ignoring this?
Let’s all take a deep breath or three.
@P*Funk, @ujelly What would you like us to report? There is no squelching of the story. Simply this: No one on staff has felt the need to write something up about it.
There is no grace period.
Yes, I wish there was. BioWare has stated they are doing their best to get retailers to send out boxes as quickly as possible. Complaints/opinions/forum trolling or stories on TORWars will do little to convince EA to grant a grace period at this stage.
We’re all in the same boat (I ordered a physical CE from Amazon back in July), but really this is a storm in a teacup. Did you Pre-Order? Then you will be in-game between the 13-19th and have the opportunity to create your characters before launch.
Deep breaths,people. Deep breaths…
It matters David, because you as a site putting it out there, helps everyone show EA/BW that they royally screwed the, erh you get the idea, on this one.
Almost 24 hours since S.R.’s post and no response from them, help the affected customers stop them from sweeping it under the rug, as my preferred fansite of this game, i dont think that is asking alot.
Side bonus: I’d love to see what kinda humor you guys could spin on it
Its just that you reported every piece of info coming out of the last few days about launch except something that is actually kind of a big deal. Its a hot topic. Its not some forum troll, there are plenty of us literally saying ‘so why didn’t we know this sooner, why aren’t there measures to keep physical pre-orders which must be shipped from being late, why is there so little information?’
Why does it seem like a big deal? Because Stephen Reid has said they’re working to make sure that retailers get the game out, but I didn’t read that here. I read his tweets, the multitude of them. Why is it not newsworthy if the company has to do some last minute leg work to make sure the game gets there on time when lots of people are currently being told that their estimated shipping time is as much as a week after launch?
Its not like you guys have to get on the bandwagon, its not like have to say ‘omg we were lied to!!!’. You just have to say ‘this is what Stephen Reid has been talking about on his twitter all day’.
Its news. If I wasn’t reading the TOR forums but instead just reading I’d find out perhaps rather rudely on the 20th without even realizing it that I need my game to keep playing.
You’re a TOR news site, you should have all the news, especially if the Community Manager is frantically tweeting about how they’re going to fix it. He’s not saying ‘its not a problem guys’ he’s saying ‘we’ll make sure it isn’t a problem’. Sounds a bit more serious than some forum overreactions.
It’s true what “This is my name” says. I ordered from Webhallen and I they sent it two days ago, wich meens that I probably will recive it tomorrow or on monday.
How can you not report on Bioware revoking the Grace Period they promised the player base? You claim you’re not squelching the story, well look at the TOR boards. They’ve had to recreate the thread on this subject twice already due to volume, and the third iteration is almost 450 pages long.
We would like you to find the answer to the following four questions:
I have pre-orderd Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector’s Edition (hereafter, TOR). At the time, we were told by Stephen Reid, Senior Online Community Manager for Bioware, that we would have a Grace Period between the game’s official launch and when we would have to input the game key to permit play. This grace period was put into place because, for various reasons, not all players could be assured of obtaining the game on launch day.
On 12/7, Bioware suddenly and without explanation revoked the Grace Period, in contravention of previous statements by Mr. Reid, and other members of Bioware’s customer service. I respectfully request an answer to the following four questions:
1. Why was the Grace Period removed, after it had been explicitly promised, and after people relied on the promise to make their decisions as to how to get the game?
2. What do you have to say to the people who relied on your misrepresentations?
3. When did you know about the Grace Period revocation? If it was before 12/7, why did you wait to communicate it?
4. Why does Europe get the game in stores on the 15th, but North American Players must wait until the 20th? Do you realize that allowing NA retailers to sell by the 15th would remove Grace Period concerns?
David, i would like you to report the simple fact that there is no grace period…unless you have already somewhere else and i missed it. That seems fairly self-evident in my initial post.
Not being snide, i am a fan of you guys.
I’m not too worried about the lack of grave period, honestly. Early Access ends at 10 pm and I have to be at work at 7 am the next morning. I could easily pick up my pre-ordered copy afterwards, which is right across the street from my job, and enjoy it when I get home.
Besides, you’re getting up to seven days to play before launch day. To me, that more than makes up for any “lost” time!
@vecna00
I think you miss the point. There are people who could miss upwards of a week of gameplay because there’s no grace period to make up for the kinds of shipping delays inherent to online ordering, not to mention its Christmas.
I just think its suspicious that this isn’t considered news.
Early access adds 2 days. Thats news.
Release is the 20th but in the EU they get it on the 15th. Thats news.
Grace Period no longer happening. Not news?
All this info was put out at the same time, the early EU release has the positive effect of making shipping a non issue mostly. Extra start time is just nice. No grace period is definitely a negative thing.
The only pattern to the reporting is that the positive news is put up front but the negative news is considered unimportant. I don’t want to accuse anybody at TorWars of anything sinister, but its just hard to ignore that pattern.
Maybe you just didn’t report it because of all the excessive negative energy revolving around it? Maybe you don’t want people to be trolling on your comments page?
I don’t know, but its just suspicious. Usually anything Stephen Reid puts on twitter is front page news here. He spends all of yesterday answering concerned and NON TROLLING questions on twitter and discussing what to expect in terms of shipping and thats NOT news?
I’m sorry, I just don’t buy it. And I don’t want to think badly of TorWars. Its my favourite podcast. It just… disappoints me that this is your reaction. If they confirmed grace period I’m pretty sure you’d have that as a news story.
@P*Funk and all: Alrighty. I hear your concerns. We’ll be reporting on this soon. Thanks for your thoughts and passion. I’ll see if I can get some official response.
When I said before no one wanted to report on this topic I forgot that someone did suggest posting a Hitler parody video. Sorry, but I don’t find Adolf Hitler very chuckle-worthy.
I’ll just reiterate again – I, and others on staff have physical boxes ordered as well. And we’re in the same boat.
I guess as someone who’s been playing MMOs for 12 years and eagerly awaiting various game launches over the past 40 years I’ve learned not to get my knickers in a twist over things out of my control.
Finally, I’ll add – please remember Stephen Reid is the messenger. He doesn’t set EA’s policy by any stretch of the imagination. The best he can do is express the community’s concerns to the higher ups.
12 year mmo gamer here aswell, and I have never, ever, seen a company pull a promised graceperiod 12 days before launch.
As for S.R. he not only posted that promise on the forums he also tweeted it, and then in his initial post about the removal, tried to make it sound like, we the users, had misunderstood him, to me these words “there will be a grace period” can only mean one thing.
Messenger or not, he is as much a part of this mess as any decision makers.
Personally, because of that broken promise, I am looking at 5-12 days of lockout, if my latest correspondance with amazon.com is 100% spot on and depending on winter/christmas weather.
If you believe it’s such a big deal, make your own site and cover negative items. Bottom line, get over, play when you can and have fun, this is not going to be a game killer if we cannot play on the launch day. The servers are going to be so choked with players in every zone which to me is not fun. I’d rather play +2 or +3 days after launch, patch, or expansion anyway. I am hearing a lot of Wahhhhh!
Yep, I got an update from Amazon. They cannot shift the date so I expect to get cut off from my SWTOR crack addiction for at least 7 days, if not longer due to the crimbo hols. I’m fairly annoyed with Bioware at this point but will find a way to survive the drought
Seriously, it’s an ONLINE ONLY GAME, street dates mean NOTHIN. Just let us get everything set up for release FFS. It’s not like getting the box on the 15th is going to hurt anything. Why let Europe get in early and screw the USA people, that makes no bloody sense at all, and that’s coming from an Aussie who has to get a friend in the USA to grab him an extra copy of the game, and a time card, while I wait for my CE to arrive from AMAZON, because there’s no way in HELL I am getting left behind damnit.
Pathos.
The fact that the grace period only effect those of us more in the North American release area, pisses me off big time. In a sense, alienating all of of North America by BIOwares/EA allowing the retail to sale or send their copies to costumer prior to the original release date for European costumers. If the street release date was Dec. 15th in the same as Europe then it wouldn’t matter if there was a grace period, since more than likely the major of us would have already have received the psychical game by launch. However, the fact that all the NA retailers are held to a strict street release date license agreement by EA the games publisher is the true issue.
I for one am very surprised that the company has not resolved these issues already. I know that it will not effect the hardcore fans like many of us who are just happy the game is finally here for real….that being said I think it is terrible for anyone to try and lesson the reality of the issue and make it seem less then what it is. This is almost a game buster for many people that are not as hardcore fans as some of us. I also think the staggered EAG is wonderful but, they should have a more specific system in place to give some sort of rough estimate for when you personally will be aloud in for planning purposes. The holidays are a busy time of year and some of us have other things to plan this around.