What is the point of street dating new releases?

[Alkohallick]

I really don't understand what advantages there may be to forcing a store to wait until a certain date to sell a game. Does anybody benefit from this?

 

[Gradthrawn]

I really don't understand what advantages there may be to forcing a store to wait until a certain date to sell a game. Does anybody benefit from this?

If I were to guess, I would assume that it's so that shipping differences/delays between retailers doesn't give 1 retailer or store an unfair advantage. Basically allowing time for all stores to receive their shipments. But that's just a guess.

 

[homerdog]

Probably what Gradthrawn said. Many times the digital distribution version of a game is delayed one day from the street date to avoid a potentially unfair advantage to the online service. Though this is becoming less common.

 

[Alkohallick]

If I were to guess, I would assume that it's so that shipping differences/delays between retailers doesn't give 1 retailer or store an unfair advantage. Basically allowing time for all stores to receive their shipments. But that's just a guess.

ok sounds good but.....why is only an issue for certain games? it is because the hype machine has been in full effect spewing out mass amounts of money? i look at it like this if store A dose not have it yet and store B does o-well sucks for store A. I mean whats the difference in if they just ran out of copies?

 

[Scott_Arm]

ok sounds good but.....why is only an issue for certain games? it is because the hype machine has been in full effect spewing out mass amounts of money? i look at it like this if store A dose not have it yet and store B does o-well sucks for store A. I mean whats the difference in if they just ran out of copies?

Street dates apply to all games, not some of them, and it has nothing to do with hype or marketing dollars. It is a contract between the manufacturer and the retailer, and the manufacturer can impose fines and penalties on the retailer for breaking that contract.