UPDATE: Final Fantasy VII Remake Physical Copies Could Be Delayed Due to COVID-19

UPDATE 3/27/2020

In an update posted on Square-Enix’s website today, the company confirmed that many player hoping to buy a physical copy of the much anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake should expect delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“As you will be aware, many countries are limiting entry or closing their national and state borders and restricting the distribution and delivery of non-essential items. Understandably these restrictions are being implemented so that essential items can reach their destination as fast as possible. This does not mean that box copies of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE will not be dispatched, it just means that we cannot control the date the game may arrive.”

In the end, Square admits they can’t guarantee boxed sales of the game will reach their target locations by the April 10th launch of the game, and they advised gamers who pre-ordered Final Fantasy VII Remake through a retailer to contact them for the latest information, to include, “…pick-up and/or delivery information.”

In a bit of good news, Square-Enix admitted they’re working to get pre-orders from their store to players on April 10th, so those who pre-ordered the pricey 1st Class Edition may be in luck.

The update comes down to this: if you planned to purchase Final Fantasy VII Remake from a store you may not be able to until after launch. I’d advise those affected by this to follow Square-Enix’s advice and contact their local retailer to see what their plan is.

Original Article 03/18/2020

In a tweet posted earlier today, Square-Enix shared with fans of the much anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake that some of their physical copies could be delayed. The ever-escalating COVID-19 crisis has led to, “…unforeseeable changes in the distribution and retail landscape which varies across countries….”

To put it bluntly, Square-Enix doesn’t feel confident it can get the physical copies of Final Fantasy VII Remake out the door and into eager fans’ hands by the April 10th launch date (which they confirmed is not being moved). The company said they are working with their partners and retailers across Europe and the Americas to see what can be done, but they won’t have an official update until Friday, March 20th.

Final Fantasy VII Remake had quite a few high-end physical editions on sale (including the 1st Class Edition, which I personally had pre-ordered up until two months ago when I decided I didn’t need a statue of Cloud for the office), so fans who excitedly preordered one of these physical editions are no doubt upset. But, in these trying times, I can’t say this announcement is entirely unexpected. Fans who can’t wait to get their hands on Final Fantasy VII Remake at launch can still opt for a digital edition of the game, but that means either cancelling the goods or buying two copies of the game.

We’ll report on what Square-Enix announces March 20th, so stick around here for the update.