The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a notable impact on the retail release of some major games, but Square Enix has found a solution for the hard-copy release of the Final Fantasy VII Remake.
In a statement posted to the company’s official website on Mar. 30, it was revealed that the company had intentionally shipped copies of the game early in order to better ensure most retailers could provide the game to customers by its original release date of Apr. 10.
Copies have already been shipped to and received by some retailers in Europe and Australia. More of the game’s full release total will be shipped to other countries in the western regions in the near future, though the company can’t give a specific date or time due to the odd circumstances and the challenges in tracking said shipments at this time.
This also resulted in a heartfelt plea from the team behind the game to anyone who receives the title before its intended launch date.
“If you get the game early, please think of others and don’t spoil it for them. 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,” the statement reads.
“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 Final Fantasy VII Remake is currently slated for its full release on Apr. 10 exclusively on PlayStation 4. For more on the game, check out this behind the scenes video going in-depth into its production process, a recent commercial teasing what’s in store from the story and a recently announced line of figures based on the original game.
