Skyrim - December?

[Eccentrick]

So, Skyrim has about the most memorable release date in the history of such things, right? 11-11-11. It's in all the advertising, every announcement.

But the Steam store says it's, "Available: December, 2011."

Is this a regional restriction (I'm in Japan)? Is Bethesda holding back digital sales of the game? Is the store page just wrong?

Anybody have any insight? Because if I have to wait an additional 3-8 weeks to play, I'll just break down and have a hard copy shipped to myself.

[Vasir]

I can confirm for north America (Canada, actually) that it says November.

[dannythefool]

I've seen nothing from Bethesda where they announced Nov 11 as anything other than a worldwide release date. But Steam has to have the idea from somewhere... maybe a delay due to an agreement with a Japanese distributor? That happened before. In any case, if Steam thinks it'll be available only in December, an imported retail copy may not help you since it's a Steamworks game, and Steam won't let you run it before the release date in the region you're in. (The catch being that it determines the region based on your connection to the internet, which might be a VPN connection to somewhere outside Japan...)

Edit: adding ?cc=jp to the URL definitely makes the release date switch to December.

[Thaifun]

Western games tend to get released at a later point in Japan, says:
Available: November, 2011 for me.
Can't say for sure though.

[Micknator]

I can confirm for the Netherlands that the release date op Steam is November 2011.

[fenrirtokara]

November on South America ( Argentina )

[peteed1985]

Australia - November too

[WildKarrde]

Says Nov. 2011 for me.

[BWpunisher]

Says November, 2011 for me. In Canada.

[Eccentrick]

Thanks for the insight, everyone. I inquired with Steam and it seems that despite everyone else getting the game in November, my region has to wait for December. So, I'll be buying a copy by mail and hoping that the Steam connectivity requirement doesn't block me from playing something I own. I can't imagine it would.

[dannythefool]

It's possible that it won't unlock as long as Steam thinks you're in Japan, as I wrote before, VPN might help...

[peteed1985]

Thanks for the insight, everyone. I inquired with Steam and it seems that despite everyone else getting the game in November, my region has to wait for December. So, I'll be buying a copy by mail and hoping that the Steam connectivity requirement doesn't block me from playing something I own. I can't imagine it would.

Won't work. It'll throw up "This game is not released yet" and refuse to install.

[Eccentrick]

Won't work. It'll throw up "This game is not released yet" and refuse to install.

Have to give it a try. I'd hoped PlayAsia wouldn't be selling it if it wouldn't run. Worst case scenario is I use a VPN to pay my US copy of a game that's been released and I've paid exaggerated shipping on. This game better make me sandwiches and give footrubs if that's the case, though.

[ufarax]

It's possible that it won't unlock as long as Steam thinks you're in Japan, as I wrote before, VPN might help...

Is this a steam only game.

[dannythefool]

Is this a steam only game.

Yes, they have stated it's going to be a Steamworks game.