Bear with my acronyms.Originally posted by beagle_28
If downloading is not a viable option due to requiring on shelf visibility, how does that work with product ordered from DR? why not take every preorder placed, bill for the game and issue CD Keys? Then ship out all the fancy box and voice add-ons when available? This is all product that won't be on the shelf, will still count as sold from DR's standpoint. If this is not possible because people will preorder now instead of buying in the shops, then why not pick a date and only issue keys for people who ordered before then. I only ordered a week or so ago, so i'm not expecting to get mine anytime soon, but some people have ordered months in advance.
In some countries, it would be illegal for DR to give FC a list of customers who have purchased NW. It boils down to consumer privacy rights; I would personally be PISSED if I found an e-mail from FC in my box saying "Digital River gave us your name as a preorder of NW. Please go here to download it, and here for your key." Not that I pre-ordered. But the theory holds.
FC and DR are not the same company. FC doesn't own DR. Nor vice versa. Therefore they cannot legally share customer data without customer permission.
DR can't offer it for download without FC's permission. FC can't give that permission due to retail agreements.
The only way this might be possible is if DR e-mailed every single pre-order and said "Can we give your name to FC in order to let you get your key before your box?", got permission, and then sent FC the list.
And by the time all that got set up, the box would be at your house.