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GameStop to release Doom Eternal early

Gamers will be able to get their hands on the necks of demonspawn early thanks to GameStop releasing Doom Eteneral on Thursday, citing CDC-recommendations for social distancing.

Sam Chandler

March 18, 2020 7:27 PM

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There’s not a lot of good news when it comes to the novel coronavirus. Between delays, cancelations, and people getting sick, everyone is searching for any glimmer of hope. Enter GameStop, who – seeking to adhere to the CDC-recommended social distancing guidelines – will be releasing Doom Eternal a day early on Thursday, March 19.

Get Doom Eternal a day early at GameStop

This news comes straight from the horse’s mouth. GameStop revealed in a tweet that the company will be releasing Doom Eternal on Thursday, March 19 – one full day ahead of its intended release. This good news amid the COVID-19 pandemic is going to allow more people to play a game that our own Josh Hawkins said makes him feel like an absolute badass in his Doom Eternal review. He went on to state that, “While other games have tried to capture that same feeling, none have ever done it as well as id Software has with Doom.”

To ensure we adhere to CDC-recommended social distancing guidelines, we will be selling DOOM Eternal a day early on Thursday, 3/19 as a safety precaution for our customers and associates. Animal Crossing will release on Friday 3/20 to further help separate the crowds.

— GameStop (@GameStop) March 19, 2020

What this means for other stores is yet to be seen. Right now though, it appears as if GameStop is simply following the recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This should allow shoppers to more safely acquire their new title, as opposed to cramming together in a horde.

Interestingly, the tweet does note that Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a game that was scheduled to release on the same day, will not be releasing early like its bloody counterpart. This is surely disappointing for fans of both that wanted both an upper and a downer while locked in self-isolation. Thankfully, it's only one more day until we can escape to a virtual island.

Another point worth mentioning is digital copies. This format is usually prevented from releasing early as part of physical distribution agreements. What this means for those who preordered digitally is currently unknown. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as this develops. For now though, it looks like gamers will be razing hell a little early.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler