The fans who were hoping to download and play Final Fantasy 7 Remake before April 10 are out of luck, as Square Enix will not release the game early on the PlayStation Network. The current global epidemic has caused confusion in regards to recent video game releases, with physical copies of Final Fantasy 7 Remake set to be delayed due to issues with retailers not being able to ship copies.
Square Enix then went in the other direction and released physical copies of Final Fantasy 7 Remake early in certain territories, in order to ensure that fans received their copies on time. There are now copies of Final Fantasy 7 Remake out in the wild and people are posting unboxing videos all over the Internet. It's even possible to buy Final Fantasy 7 Remake in Australia by going into a store and purchasing it, even though it's not meant to be released for another week.
The fans who have purchased the digital version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake have been asking Square Enix to release the game early on the PlayStation Network, seeing as street dates are being broken around the world. The pre-load of the game was pushed forward, so fans want the full game now. The official Square Enix website has addressed these requests with a heartfelt denial, as the digital release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake will go on as planned and won't be pushed forward. Check out there official response here:
While we understand the frustration of seeing the game for sale in some locations, the bulk of our shipments to retailers around the globe are still scheduled to arrive in stores for our April 10 street date. Also, changing the digital release date at this point-in-time could lead to logistical issues that could disrupt the digital launch for everyone. Therefore, we will be adhering to an April 10 digital release date. Thank you for your understanding.
It seems unfair that some fans will have to wait longer than others to enjoy the game, but this is due to extraordinary real-life circumstances and is not the actions of a publisher being greedy, selfish, or thoughtless. There are some fans who have been waiting for a remake of Final Fantasy 7 for decades and the wait is exacerbated with the knowledge that other people are enjoying the game, but it's not a situation that is easily resolved in light of what is happening in the world.
Square Enix has asked fans to avoid spoiling Final Fantasy 7 Remake and most of the people who have managed to acquire the game have avoided doing so. The Internet will be a minefield for the next week for the fans who want to avoid spoilers, but it seems as if the game will be worth the wait. The train to Midgar is almost here and the fans just need to be patient for a little longer.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be officially released for PlayStation 4 on April 10, 2020.
Source: Square Enix