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Amazon Rolls Out Release-Day Game Delivery

Posted by Soulskill on from the for-the-lazy-and-impatient dept.

1Up reports that Amazon has launched a new service for getting certain games into the hands of customers on release day, rather than simply shipping the games on release day. According to the press release, the service will be free for Amazon Prime customers, and available to everyone else for a $5.98 charge on upcoming titles Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Fable 2 and Gears of War 2. They tested the program recently with the release of Soul Calibur IV.

7 of 126 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm? by MeanderingMind · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Isn't there always someone who brags about getting their Amazon ordered copy of a game before the release date, or has that become a thing of the past?

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    1. Re:Hmm? by gad_zuki! · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It should be. Why are we wasting packaging and transportation on digital files? How about they sell me digital delivery instead of more extra fees for "SUPER FAST SHIPPING!!!"

      Its incredible how behind the times the game industry is in digital delivery.

  2. Great! by moo083 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have Amazon Prime, and got Soul Calibur IV from them and this was awesome. I hope they'll do this for all new games!

  3. Amazon Prime by oahazmatt · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I tried Amazon Prime. I got a free trial and decided to pick up some random things that didn't qualify for the super-saver shipping.

    The problem with that, is while the 3-5 day shipping comes UPS at around 6:00 PM, when I'm home from work, the 2-day shipping comes during business hours and requires a signature and they won't leave it with the apartment's office. So in order to get the items I ordered I had to drive 30 minutes to the UPS center, wait until they opened it for pick-up, and then wait for my driver to show up with my delivery.

    I cancelled AP before it rolled over into a charge. I was hoping there was some sort of feedback form, but there was not.

    Be careful of any special shipping you get from Amazon, because there's a chance it becomes two-day-get-your-butt-over-here-and-pick-it-up-yourself.

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  4. Re:Costs too much. by sangreal66 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It isn't a surcharge, its the shipping fee. Overnight delivery used to cost upwards of $15 on games for non-Prime accounts before this change

  5. Re:$5.98 by terrarum · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Where I work in the UK the pennies are a code; a £599.99 laptop is a current model, a £599.97 computer is out of line and we won't be getting more. I think .98 means something slightly different, can't remember. I've been told a lot of other companies do this as well.

  6. Re:$5.98 by SBacks · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've noticed that Best Buy has a system for this too. Sale items always end differently than a regular priced item. .x5 vs .x9 I believe.