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Amazon delaying 'nonessential' shipments to focus on coronavirus needs

If you have a game for pre-order with Amazon, you may want to check again, because the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak is leading to the retailer delaying 'nonessential' shipments for the immediate future.

Ozzie Mejia

March 17, 2020 6:50 PM

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Update: Amazon has responded to those who have received notifications regarding Final Fantasy VII Remake's release date via Twitter. However, the company has not offered indications on whether video game shipments would go out on time, given the current emergency situation.

Some of our customers may have received a message that states that the Release Date has changed on Final Fantasy VII Remake. The Release Date is still slated for April 10th, 2020

— Amazon Video Games (@amazongames) March 18, 2020

Original story: Undeniably, the biggest story in the world continues to be the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. It has essentially brought life as everyone knows it to a screeching halt, as nations scramble to protect themselves and others by stopping the virus from spreading any further. For many across the United States, it has led to the closure of businesses, while many more have been confined to their homes in the name of social distancing. Some might interpret this as, "Well, at least we can stay home and play video games, right? When is that Amazon shipment coming in?" Those people may want to sit down for this. With Amazon dealing with an unprecedented demand for essentials, that means the billion-dollar monolith is working to help fulfill millions of orders. That means nonessentials are taking a back seat, including your video game orders, which may now be delayed.

Anyone else getting this? https://t.co/FCu4q2bUy3

— Cheap Ass Gamer (@videogamedeals) March 18, 2020

Among those noticing the delay are the folks at Cheapassgamer. They have been among many who have received notifications that a number of games that they've pre-ordered are suddenly delayed. That's because Amazon is working to meet the demand for essentials, specifically groceries, beauty and personal care items, baby products, health and household items, industrial and scientific items, and pet supplies. According to Business Insider, Amazon sent out a memo on Tuesday informing sellers and vendors that it would prioritize shipments of those aforementioned essentials. Since video games are most definitely not classified as essentials, that means they are now subject to delay. And it appears that games like Final Fantasy VII Remake are being hit with shipping delays.

Here is the note, as obtained by Business Insider:

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?