Sony has fined a Russian video game retailer for breaking theDeath Strandingstreet date. Video game street dates are often broken by retailers, with theCall of Duty: Modern Warfarestreet date being brokendays ahead of its official release date, but this is one of few times when a publisher has issued a fine over it.
An article byRussia Todayreveals that a Russian electronics retailer called M.Video has been issued a fine of one million Rubles (or $15,625) by Sony after a warehouse worker took a copy ofDeath Strandinghome. The worker is alleged to have taken the copy of the game home before playing it on his PS4, which allowed Sony to identify him. Sony began to investigate after it linked the warehouse worker to his PlayStation Network account, which then led the company to his workplace.
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The situation was leaked online after one user shared a corporate email on social media. A screenshot of the email, which seemed to be signed by Natalya Zavyalova, M.Video’s sales development manager, said that the warehouse worker had been fired and that the company had been issued with a fine from Sony. Zavyalova also told store managers to keep copies ofDeath Strandingin locked offices and safes and to put the discs in taped boxes until its official release date of November 8. The precautions aren’t as extreme as thelockedDeath Strandingcases being sent to YouTubers, but it will probably be enough to stop any other sneaky employees from getting a copy of the game early.
The worker probably isn’t the only one who has thought about begging retailers to give them a copy ofDeath Strandingearly. The firstDeath Strandingreviewshave been mixed but fans of creator Hideo Kojima and his other works, such as theMetal Gear Solidseries, are hugely excited to get to play the game. Kojima and Sony have been teasing it for three years and fans may be looking for any way to get to play it now that it’s available.
Death Strandingalso has a huge amount of secrets to discover. FromDeath Stranding’s celebrity characters, to the potential Easter eggs and all of the strange story ideas, it’s no surprise why some fans would like to be among the first to see what Death Stranding is hiding.
Death Strandingis out on November 8 for PS4, followed by a PC release in Summer 2020.
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