What happened to games being released on Tuesdays?

[Sundance_2]

I used to remember that games would always ship on Monday (or earlier) and would always be on shelves Tuesday. Around 2001, that changed though. Now new releases are made available on Wednesday instead. Anyone know the exact reasoning for the change?

 

[Gallstaff]

Probably cause it's right in the middle of the work week so people are sure they won't sell out the day of release?

 

[Nadius]

I think some stores decide to release it a day later for some reason. When Mario Kart Double Dash was released, I bought my gamecube at funco, but they said Mario Kart was supposed to be released officially at all stores on the following day; knowing their reputation of idiocy, I went to EB because I knew that it was supposed to be released that day, and they had it there.

 

[VertigoXX]

Back when I worked at Blockbuster, the official street dates were actualy Fridays. But because all the retail stores would put the games out for sale as soon as they got them, word eventualy came down that we were to do the same.

Now, if those same retailers were to break street date on a movie, they could recieve a fine of up to $50,000.00 and possibly loose access to selling ALL movies from that studio. (And when I say studio, I don't mean just the little ones. IE: break street date on a Miramax movie, and loose distribution for ALL Disney studios, break street on a New Line flick and loose distribution for ALL AOL-Time-Warner studios.)

 

[racketboy]

music and movies are still released on Tuesdays, correct?

 

[mal]

We get new movies released on Thursdays.

 

[schi0249]

Videogames use to have tight sreet dates. Some EB's broke the street date for DC. Sega punished them by shipping lower quantites to them.