Local Video Game Chains May Receive Red Dead Redemption 2 at a Later Date

Independent video game retailers are in something of a crisis. According to distributors, as well as other small local chains of video games stores interviewed by Kotaku, Red Dead Redemption 2 will be shipping to them later than the game’s initial release. One specific instance was mentioned regarding Zach Gieg, owner of a local chain of video game stores in Pennsylvania, and how he spent over $3,300 dollars at the store’s expense to help promote the game, figuring the marketing loss would easily be recovered in sales when the game released. Customers had reportedly been preordering the game two years before its release within Gieg’s stores, but will now most likely download it or buy it elsewhere, effectively shutting his business out of what could be one of the largest launch weeks to date. Gieg had this to say regarding the issue:

I’m telling you: Gamers don’t like to wait. We have a very loyal customer base, per se, but I don’t think I’d want to wait for a week. It’s ridiculous. They’re gonna download it or go elsewhere and buy it at a big box retailer.”

It’s been reported that GameFly will also be receiving the game beyond its initial release date. Rumors claim that Rockstar is currently suffering a distribution issue, while others believe the company is trying to maintain a tighter grip on suppressing potential leaks before the game’s release.

Are any of you going to be affected by this distribution crisis? People getting it on time might not even be able to play it a week later, anyway, what with that mammoth download size. Be sure to check in with local game stores if that’s where you’ve preordered to find out if you’ll be affected. For those that aren’t, be sure to check out our preorder guide before the game’s release. Let us know if you’re going to be affected in the comments!

[Source: Games Industry via Kotaku]