We’ve just gotten off the phone with a store clerk in South Yarra’s Big W, Victoria, who has confirmed that they are now selling Skyrim for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Numerous other Targets are also reported to be selling copies of the game ahead of the official release date.
All other specialist retailers are currently standing strong with the Street Date, although there are numerous rumours from several different sources stating that EB plan to start selling at 3pm — presumably they’re waiting for all stores to get stock before pulling the plug on the Street Date.
At the moment it definitely appears as though the game is being sold only in select stores across the country — not all Big W stores are selling, and it could be the case that those selling may stop once distributors get wind of the break.
However, we fully expect that all specialist retailers will follow suit at some point today. Stay tuned for updates.
UPDATE: The South Yarra Big W is reportedly no longer selling Skyrim. However, there have been plenty of fresh reports of other mainstream retailers such as KMart selling.
UPDATE 2: Both GAME and EB are now selling across all stores.
Samuel
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 11:55 AMJust break it already FFS!!!!
kn0de
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 11:58 AMYes please I need my Skyrim fix tonight
mchaza
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 11:58 AMjust bought my for 56 dollars, downloading on steam right now
Thom
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:07 PMVirtual IP?
lichbane
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 11:58 AMPC version is steamlocked so breaking street date is irrelevant.
Kotick
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:00 PMOf course, but there’s a lock on the Big W inventory system so you can’t actually BUY it…
Code47
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:01 PMWhen will kotaku realize that’s Oblivion not Skyrim in that picture
Mark Serrels
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:15 PMI don’t know why I did that. I know! That’s twice now! FIXED!
Greg
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:01 PMbut the piratres have had it all week i am literally afraid to go onto 4chan because of spoilers
Wash
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:14 PMYeah, cause that’s the main reason to be afraid of going onto 4chan :P
Tristan Birkinshaw
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:01 PMI’ve got mine pre-ordered in the City so I won’t be picking it up until I go to Uni tomorrow anyway.
Lil Timmy
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 1:47 PMThanks for the update tristan
IphStich
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 2:19 PMis there some reason you have to be such an arse?
Bilbo Baggins
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 2:29 PMI lol’d
Ashley
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 12:19 AMThen you can go back to the MCR and come up with a better pretend surname
Joshy206
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:01 PMOh, yay. These date breaks aren’t good for anyone.
Ynefel
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:03 PMThey work for me.
Dylan
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 2:13 PMI like them
Vergas
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:02 PMWhy do we even HAVE a street date anymore?
Hermes and Thoth
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:02 PM#thingsiexpectedtoreadtoday
Ynefel
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:02 PMOh and I finish work early today! Been on call all week and get off tomorrow – weekend of Skyrim? I think so.
Jarvgrimr
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:02 PMI’m keen as for this game, but shame on you Australia… at least keep one street date in-tact you bloody idiots!
I really hope these retail stores get in trouble over this, I’m getting sick of it. Bethesda have picked a great date, worked hard to release the game on time and it all gets shat on by some idiotic retail monkey, followed by the money grubbing of the rest of the retail troop.
McGarnical
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:08 PMModern Warfare 3 held firm.
Chris
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:09 PMI would expect that people handing over their hard earned money for the product would be recogntion for the hard work put in by Bethesda.
thyco1
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:16 PMI actualy give bethesda credit for finally doing worldwide release and its a shame that the game will break the date by a couple of hours but in this day and age the release date should really be the date when the store gets the game in. In most cases your local EB/JB?etc will get the big AAA release in their store a week before its ment to be released
Choc
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:35 PMand if this one does break nationally you can expect this to be the last time Australia is included in a bethesda worldwide launch date
RAGE and SKYRIM both broken, not good. If only you guys knew….
Zar
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:56 PMRemembrance day is a terrible street date
Lpkustom
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 1:38 PMYou’re an idiot, The Netherlands and other European countries have already broken the release date, that is why EB and JB are considering releasing it
sam
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 2:56 PMI really don’t see how breaking a street date bis bad for the publisher. Its not like people are going to go “Oh Game X is coming out a day early, time to cancel my preorder”. Publishers just say its bad and call in the spin doctors to bullshit everyone.
brendan
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 3:32 PMfor true aussies its not the best date as 11th of november is rememberance day so today is better
Meeeeeee
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 7:20 PMConsidering Australia get every single game, movie, album days (and sometimes weeks/months) after the US and Europe; and considering we pay way more for our games for no good reason than you guys do … I couldn’t give a flying fuck.
Cry harder next time.
Besides it’s not like PC versions can unlock until Steam says so.
Sam Foote
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:03 PMHope Eb in box hill breaks it :D
Andre
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:04 PMI literally just rang them(south yarra big w), and spoke to games, she said its not available, its on sale tomorow…..so who did you speak to kotaku???
Adam
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:06 PMHaha, I’m tempted to report this comment :)
Mark Serrels
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:08 PMI even mentioned this in the story. It could be shut down already. She even told me she’d sold it, and had told six people to come in and get it already!
TheLastQuestion
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:28 PMThe powah of reading compels ye!
Ynefel
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:18 PMI’d say after this article, she’s probably had several dozen calls from people doing exactly what you did and has done a massive backpedal.
Ivan
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:05 PM@Jarvgrimr the end result? We get to play earlier.
Thats all that happens, the whole “bad for the industry” thing is bullshit. Want to lobby against things in retail that hurt games? Fight Pre-owned,
In other news, I’ll be playing this afternoon and I have tomorrow off, all is right with the world.
Jarvgrimr
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:23 PM@Ivan: Not for those on PC, sadly. I can understand the desire to get it early. I just feel bad for Beth that their aimed plan goes down the shitter for such paltry reasons.
I don’t know the specifics about “bad for the industry” but it certainly isn’t helping anything.
I am against pre-owned titles, very much so. I never get ‘em as the money just goes to the middle man. I hate middle men.
Andre
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:24 PMShe has lol, said i dont know who told everyone this, everyone is calling for this skyrim thing, its on embargo, we arent selling it, its not on the shop floor etc
tom
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:05 PM‘Bout time. Maybe they can stop that f-ing live action trailer they’ve played non-stop for two weeks.
PA
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:05 PMAlso heard that EB was planning to start selling this “morning” Perth time. 3PM EST sounds plausible.
emett
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:05 PMNo, breaking street date allows me to play from 9pm tonight. W.A. FTW
Ruffleberg
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:08 PMI think we need to stop asking for street date breaks. It’s not going to be good in the long run.
PuppyLicks
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:11 PMTarget are selling them, through an oblivion gate. They are popping up everywhere!
Lord Fartingsworth
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 1:06 PMAnd that checkout chic with the spider body told me it was just a halloween costume…
dmag87
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:12 PMCOME ON COME ON COME ON COME ON!!!!!!!
Wash
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:15 PMhmmm and 11:11:11 was such a brilliant date
dmag87
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:16 PMJust rang EBGames in Launceston Tas and they have no word of a street break yet
Dizzy
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 12:21 PMI doubt that the Eastgardens GAME would break the street date. Though I will leave on the first bus if they did.