So Uncharted has broken street date — technically. We’ve been on the phone with two Target store clerks who have confirmed that they have received stock and have sold multiple copies of the game a day ahead of street date. The Target in Bourke Street in Melbourne has begun selling early, as has the Mulgrave Store. All specialist retailers, however, are sticking rigidly to the date.
We also got in contact with retailers local to the stores in which Target are selling — at the moment EB are aware that Target has started selling the game, but don’t deem the sales a big enough issue to follow suit and sell early.
We called around a number of Target stores in Melbourne, and it appears as though Target are willing to sell if they have the game in stock. A fair majority of Target stores, however, haven’t received their copies of the game.
For the most part, all sales of the game appear to be restricted only to Target — other mainstream retailers such as Big W have held the street date, and it looks as though all specialist retailers will do the same thing.
We’ll update this story if we hear any further news.
J-Rod
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:02 PMDang, EB just do it! Lol
pulstar
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:03 PMfine them big so they dont do it again, this is getting ridiculous
weresmurf
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:57 PMWho the hell are you? The fair trade commissioner? What do you mean ‘getting ridiculous’. If a game breaks date early how on EARTH does that disadvantage the consumer in any way? The only possible thing it does, is benefit. You can: Get your game and start playing it earlier than expected! What bloody negatives are there?
Twi
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 6:05 PMThere are negatives in the long term for consumers, and short term for retailers. Not everyone receives stock at the same time. This is the point of street dates – if stores get stock early, by selling early they take business away from other retailers who may not even have stock yet. While this seems good for consumers, if this practise becomes too commonplace, publishers may decide to react by sending stock to arrive on the date of release rather than early, which means if there are any delays in shipping we end up getting our games later than the release. We should encourage everyone to continue playing fair, so no one’s business is undercut, and the publishers stay happy. I’m not saying don’t take advantage of it when it happens, just that there *are* repercussions for it becoming commonplace, and you should keep that in mind when hoping for a break.
Draus
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 6:22 PMhttp://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/10/why-street-date-breaks-are-bad-for-the-games-industry-as-a-whole/
blunt
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 6:25 PMWays breaking street dates can disadvantage customers can be a lack of competition and less competitive pricing. Store A won’t put the game on the shelf until tomorrow for $79 but Store B is selling it now for $119 – and some people are that desperate to play a particular title that they will let themselves be taken advantage of. It can also lead to pre-order and included DLC not working as the game hasn’t been ‘officially’ released, the files haven’t been uploaded to XBL or PSN, thus creating more headaches for customers.
But the hell with all that, I just want my game now regardless and cannot wait a single day! First world problems for the 99%! Perhaps being an aggressive mouth-breather on a message board will make the game come out faster! No? Well it should! ANGST ANGST ANGST.
Chill out, broseph.
Adam
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 8:18 PMSo what? If someone wants to pay $119 to get it ASAP, then let them. If someone wants to wait a day to get the game for less, let them. That’s how markets work. Making out that games are some sort of special case is the ridiculous thing. They are a product like any other and all this nonsense over the breaking of street dates is just that – nonsense,
blunt
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 11:59 PMWhen companies see in practice that customers are willing to pay premium dollar for any product, that leads to less competitive pricing and eventually there will be very little difference on the price tag between retailers. This is not isolated to just games but to most consumer products. The reasoning of street dates themselves is debatable but having them in place only to be continuously broken makes everyone look kind of stupid.
But hey, I’m a patient guy. I’ll wait here while you hold your breath and try to change the market overnight. Let me know when you succeed or the lack of oxygen results in permanent brain damage. Either way I’ll be playing Uncharted 3 tomorrow.
redartifice
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:04 PMGametraders Marion, follow suit please!
Neo-Kaiser
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:04 PMStreet dates can only really be broken once and have people get away with it. I’m surprised the last couple managed to but not surprised that they’re not willing to risk it this time.
toasey
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:04 PMWont somebody think of the children ?!?
Pakka
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:25 PMIt’s rated MA15+ anyway, so they shouldn’t be playing the game.
Trav
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:04 PMDungeon Crawl selling at their retail store according to Twitter. EB just dont wanna budge :(
Mark Serrels
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:06 PMThose will most likely be import copies I would imagine.
syvRaen
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:17 PMFor $69, I’m pretty sure they are imported.
I think Dungeon Crawl import their stock from the UK.
andye
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:05 PMyeah… when games have been sold out everywhere i find k-mart often has copies. these places are also pretty lax when it comes to the street date thing. i am not sure it is deliberate or just that nobody cares!
redartifice
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:06 PMKmart’s games are usually pretty terrible- I’m starting to think they shouldn’t bother
Brendan
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:24 PMI dunno, I saw MW3 and BF3 for about 79 there…
Baron
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 8:04 AMIt all depends if they have an embargo sticker attached to the stock when it arrives…….ah the joys of having a g/f working at kmart
NegativeZero
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:06 PMMeh. Will finish Batman tonight and grab it tomorrow, it’s not as if we’re currently starved for good games to play.
Andrew
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:06 PMThis is why street dates exist! Target is taking an unfair advantage because they have a faster delivery method than many smaller retailers. They deserve a whopping fine / sanction.
toasey
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:09 PMGame and EB have had them in the backrooms since Monday…
Andrew
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:12 PMSure, but not all places are that efficient. What would the point of street days be if everyone had the stock a few days before hand?
toasey
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:22 PMhuh?? they do have the stock a few days before hand to have ready for the release date, as for effiency, the stock is already entered when it gets delivered so someone just has to walk out the back pick them up and put them on the shelf
Andrew
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:25 PMSorry, I meant that not every store in the country would have a good enough delivery system to have the game in stock a few days before, some only get them the afternoon before release.
Granted, most should have them by now, but clearly not all do (as stated in the article).
Adam
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 8:22 PMBut it is the afternoon before the release. And no one is selling it days before the release date. So anyone could sell it now, including small retailers. Efficient stocking systems are irrelevant. (And how many small retailers are around selling games, by the way.)
syvRaen
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:06 PMIf you are in Melbourne, Dungeon Crawl started selling copies today as well. They are imports, so I guess they aren’t bound by the same agreements or expectations as other Australian retailers.
Meowgravy
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:07 PMim off to GAME rite now! Hope they’re still open by the time I get there!
Mark Serrels
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:11 PMGAME won’t sell, I guarantee it! Go to Target!
Meowgravy
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:18 PMNah you were rite! But I did learn that Sonic Generations just broke street date!!
toasey
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:08 PMIn a related story Golden Eye Reloaded broke yesterday….
Vook
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:08 PMBless you, the young, disillusioned retailer workers of Australia. Your apathic work ethic will continue the street date breaks. I salute you.
kksl1der
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:09 PMThe videogame gods have spoken. Retailers Australia-wide are going to videogame hell!
Nath
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:10 PMI tried to convince EB North Sydney to sell me a copy today. The guy valued his job too much to comply.
ross
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:10 PMBig w Brisbane cbd has it on shelf now. And for some reason the bottom one at that…
D.C.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:10 PMWho would’ve thought they’d have the nerve to make us wait until the regularly scheduled time!?! :D
toasey
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:11 PMWho are you and what have you done with the real “D.C”?
D.C.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:13 PM(I’ve just sent my sister to investigate Target, for what it’s worth. haha)
toasey
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:15 PMphew
D.C.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:17 PMThey’re not selling it. Grrrr!
Vgp
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:13 PMI just went to my local target, and they have copies, and they refused to sell it and said they don’t know why people are saying target, all others in the area are doing the same. Boo!
4len
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:14 PMThat’s it though isn’t it… GAME and EB have definitely had then since Monday, but they are adhering to the date… To have fair competition and to maximize focus On the day of release… I don’t see why someone who doesn’t even care about their video game section would break date… Tsk tsk tsk
doubleDizz
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:16 PMRUH ROH
fled
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:20 PMSomeone is claiming HN Woden selling, too: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1804495&p=17
McGarnical
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:23 PMWhere’s my Skyrim?
James Mac
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:46 PMI’ll see your Skyrim and raise you a face hugging octopus.
Where’s Saints Row!
McGarnical
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:55 PMThe thing is if I REALLY wanted to play Skyrim I could you know, “get a copy” right now. I feel like an idiot when I just calmly wait for Bethesda to go, “Oh ok, go on then” in ten days’ time.
Mase
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:06 PMIf Saints Row breaks street date I’m going to force my local EBAY Games store to honor my pre-order till 48 hours after the official release date. I work in Melbourne CBD till 5pm and cant get to my local EB till after 6pm (which is why Wednesday/Thursday release dates work great for me). A street date break earlier in the week means I either lose money from leaving work early, or risk losing my pre-order due to EB’s policy
Mase
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:08 PMIn the early part of my comment I mean EB Games not EBAY Games… Stupid iPad and lack of an edit comment button
McGarnical
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:39 PMI actually didn’t notice! I just read it as “EB games”.
glenn
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:24 PMI’m excited for a proper Street Date break, and I can’t even figure out why… I’m in Singapore until next Thursday and I’ve still got from chapter 22 onwards of Uncharted 2 to finish…. Uncharted marathon FTW!
Grim
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:25 PMNot really surprising given playstation.com listed the date as Nov 2 until about midday today (when it changed to Nov 3)
Violet
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 5:27 PMRetailers actually get in a lot of trouble for breaking street date, so I can’t understand why Target has the audacity to do it unless they’re just rolling in money in Australia and nobody told me.