AlixeniusTheGreat

Join Date 08/2010

Canadian Retail Situation

Okay, I'm a gamer that needs physical media as storage for my games. I hate buying digital downloads, I'm always paranoid about companies shutting down services, so I purchase the retail edition of most games. I also live in Canada. When I heard about this game, I was really excited and went to my local EB Games about 1 month from release to preorder. I was saddened to learn that they weren't accepting preorders, and had never heard of the game. I was disappointed, but I thought, "They'll have it on release. They aren't daft enough to NOT get it, are they?" Turns out they were. No store in Canada has even one disc of this game, and Amazon.ca has only a listing of the game under the title "Elemental", and they have no image for it, and no platform information, and none in stock, most importantly. Me and my friends were hugely disappointed.

Long story short, Stardock, you guys are awesome, but you should promote in Canada more, because you're missing out on a lot of valuable customers!

elemental

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I can't recall for sure, but isn't there a download + package version you can buy off impulse? So you can play right away, but you also get a physical piece of media? Maybe that would work for you?

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Get the deluxe edition as Phil said.

I did this for Demigod.. you order it.. then you can download the game RIGHT AWAY to play, while your DISC and box and manual,etc.. get sent in the mail.

Worked very well for me I got to play the game before I got my box,etc.. in the mail.

Also I heard WALMART has the game, a friend of mine said he got hsi copy there (We are in Canada btw).

So call up Walmart near ya and see if they have it! If not then order the BOXED version from stardock/Impulse and you can play NOW, while you wait for the boxed game.

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I was in the same boat intially, went to EB Games, BestBuy, Futureshop and even Walmart - no luck and no one knew diddly. So I downloaded it and now I am playing, woohoo.

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Alright thanks Katalist, I'll do that right when the store opens tomorrow. Also, I know about the deluxe edition with the download + boxed edition, I didn't get it because of the 25$ extra in exchange rate and S&H. I'm on a bit of a budget. :C

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Quoting AlixeniusTheGreat,

reply 4

You don't have to get the Limited Edition to get the box from Stardock. You can order the digital download + boxed regular game for same price as regular game.

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It costs $20 just to ship to Canada (at least where I live), would be $40+ to get the LE shipped to Canada (over just digital download).

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Quoting AndonSage,

reply 5

Quoting AlixeniusTheGreat, reply 4Alright thanks Katalist, I'll do that right when the store opens tomorrow. Also, I know about the deluxe edition with the download + boxed edition, I didn't get it because of the 25$ extra in exchange rate and S&H. I'm on a bit of a budget. :C

You don't have to get the Limited Edition to get the box from Stardock. You can order the digital download + boxed regular game for same price as regular game.

Even if you buy the regular game for 49.99 US from Impulse ($52 and change CAD), but you pay an additional $20 for shipping to Canada. StarDock said in one of their posts on July 31st by Draginol, "In North America, you’re set. Walmart, Best Buy, Gamestop have all been in the beta (yes, their buyers do play the games before they pick them up). And they all plan to carry it. Pretty much everyone who carries PC games in North America will be carrying it." I'm very sad I have to pay an additional $20 for a game above the retail price especially since in the same posting StarDock said "One world. One price." Guess that wasn't a whole truth.

I really am excited for the game, and I've loved so many of your games in the past. I'm unfortunately not happy about a company that promises something and delivers something else, without some form of communication saying distribution strategies have changed.

Will Canada get the game in retail stores soon? Ever?

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Not sure the strategy has changed - but retailers have odd internal distribution patterns.

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I work for Gamestop in US near the Canadian border.. We get a lot of Canadians who come to us to get their game. there is a issue when product cross the boarder that for some titles.. it seems they take weeks to reach Canada.. I do not know why.. I just know its why a lot of Canadian customers cross the border and buy / reserve their games at my store..

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Quoting Twohawks,

reply 9

Thanks for that insight, I guess I was just disappointed that I couldn't get this game Tuesday and still couldn't get it today. I hope it gets to Canadian retail stores soon. I'm sure when I do get it, it will be amazing.

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Well this sucks. BOTH my local Walmarts, and all my local gaming stores have never even heard of ths game. Thanks a lot Stardock, I don't even have the game and I'm already having problems with it.

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Yup it makes you wonder how really rushed not just development was, but also distribution. Even many US customers are finding it near impossible to find at retail.

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Tridus

Join Date 03/2008

+110

None of the Walmarts around me are carrying it either, and EB has no idea what it is. Future Shop doesn't have it either (and my Future Shop is th best place in town for PC games, if they don't have it nobody will).

Do you have a DVD burner? If so, your best bet is to buy it digitally, without the box. Then you can go to Impulse Anywhere and download an archive version that can be installed offline. Burn that to a DVD, and you're done.

I kind of wish Stardock would advertise Impulse Anywhere more, it's a GREAT feature.

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Ohh that is a good feature, thanks for the heads up on that. That being given; the box is useless as the manual is waste of tree.

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Hmmm, maybe I will end up buying the digital version this time around. But next time, Stardock should ensure better distribution in retail.

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Living in Canada is a bit frustrating because of this sort of thing.

We're such a small market for video games compared to the US mere miles away, lots of distributors don't bother with us. Heck, I know game developers here in Canada who have to struggle to get their games carried in Canadian stores!

This is why I really like the digital distribution options like Impulse. Not only do I get the game immediately, I also keep from cluttering up my home with boxes.

However, if things are this far behind on getting games to Canadian retailers, it might be worth it for Stardock to look into the deal they have with their distributors so see what's up.

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Yea just get the boxed version from Impulse bud. And then download the game while its being shipped.
Might sound like a pain in the butt, but it worked fine for me (:

Hope you get the game soon! Im having tons of fun with it!
Thats the crap thing about livign in Canada, we dont get some smaller known videogames and movies later.

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Ah well, at least we have free health care and only a mildly corrupted government.

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In my experience, the Canadian distribution system has always been atleast 2 weeks behind unless it is a simultatneous World wide or north American release. This is why I aways get a digital download now if I absolutely need to have the game on launch day.

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