Pre-order Cataclysm in the Netherlands to play the moment it goes online(how?)

[Deleted]

Hello,

I couldn't find this anywhere else on this website nor on the internet so I'll start this new topic about it.

I'd like to pre-order Cataclysm somewhere in the Netherlands so that I can play Cata the moment it goes online (like 00:01). I pre-orderd Wotlk @ gameshop but it came the next day around 16:00 while my mates got it around 14:00. It was a pain to see them install while I was running to the mailbox every 20 minutes . But the real deal was that we wanted to play the moment wotlk went live, and not waiting for some packet to arrive.

I've always heard people going online @ 00:01 and I wonder how it's possible. The game goes live @ 00:01, but retail only starts @ that time right? So how can you buy, install the game and go online within one minute :/? So logic tells me those people get the game before the official release and just have to activate the game @ 00:01. Can someone explain this to me? How is it possible to be able to play Cataclysm, assuming it will go the same way as the release of Wotlk, the moment it goes live! (In the netherlands, don't want to order abroad)

I really hope someone has an answer for me and the rest of the dutch community !

edit: How can I play @ 00:01 LEGAL. I know it's possible to go to midnight sales or get it deliverd the next day, but that IS NOT my question.

[Sadley]

Find a retailer who has no idea how to sell videogames (7-11 in the States broke the street date on a ton of different games before they figured out not to do that) and buy it from them early.

Or, apply to work at a games retailer and steal a copy when they are shipped to you (at least a day or two before the street date).

Some online stores may offer a digital copy, which could theoretically be downloaded and installed within an hour of release. But my personal experience with an online digital copy of other games has been very poor (and you could end up waiting a full day for the retailer's download servers to kick in).

[Deleted]

Hello,

I couldn't find this anywhere else on this website nor on the internet so I'll start this new topic about it.

I'd like to pre-order Cataclysm somewhere in the Netherlands so that I can play Cata the moment it goes online (like 00:01). I pre-orderd Wotlk @ gameshop but it came the next day around 16:00 while my mates got it around 14:00. It was a pain to see them install while I was running to the mailbox every 20 minutes . But the real deal was that we wanted to play the moment wotlk went live, and not waiting for some packet to arrive.

I've always heard people going online @ 00:01 and I wonder how it's possible. The game goes live @ 00:01, but retail only starts @ that time right? So how can you buy, install the game and go online within one minute :/? So logic tells me those people get the game before the official release and just have to activate the game @ 00:01. Can someone explain this to me? How is it possible to be able to play Cataclysm, assuming it will go the same way as the release of Wotlk, the moment it goes live! (In the netherlands, don't want to order abroad)

I really hope someone has an answer for me and the rest of the dutch community !

What i can remember from the launch of WOTLK was almost all Media Markt stores in holland (well the onces in big citys) open there doors at 00:01 on the launch day. So thats what i did, and i could play within the hour i got home or so give or take. Problem solved?

[Deleted]

Oh and btw if there isnt a Media Markt near you, (what i doubt thoug, they are everywhere here in holland) i can remember just before the launch blizzard anounced (before WOTLK) which stores n which country / city will open there doors at midnight.

[Sirsimeon]

Oh and btw if there isnt a Media Markt near you, (what i doubt thoug, they are everywhere here in holland) i can remember just before the launch blizzard anounced (before WOTLK) which stores n which country / city will open there doors at midnight.

Oh we just got a mediamarkt in our city a year ago (I'm not dutch), and our city didn't have any store for midnight openings last release. Think Mediamarkt will have midnight openings in all countries?

[Deleted]

Oh we just got a mediamarkt in our city a year ago (I'm not dutch), and our city didn't have any store for midnight openings last release. Think Mediamarkt will have midnight openings in all countries?

depends. only thing i know is that in holland during the WOTLK launch the / some of the major citys had it open at that time.

[Sirsimeon]

depends. only thing i know is that in holland during the WOTLK launch the / some of the major citys had it open at that time.

Darnit.
Ah well, I can probably live with playing a few hours later than others, I mean not aiming for Server First :P

[Thetruth1400]

Lots of stores do midnight openings, so you can get it within a minute if you live close enough to said place. I had my WotLK bought, home, and installed within an hour of it being live in the states. I was one of the first in Northrend. If you can find an option like that, go for it.

There are some places that are stupid as well and will release games to people before they are supposed to. If that's the case, you can do it that way, then have it installed and ready for midnight and hop right on. Other people work at stores and the day before it goes to retail will take a copy for themselves.

[Craze]

Like people said Mediamarkt might have another midnight sale.
However i think most of the online stores ship out their copies so that you get them the day the expansion goes life.
Which means you get it during the day and have plenty of time to install it before it goes live.

Only thing you need to do is order it from a decent retailer. (bol.com?)

[Deleted]

Just hope blizzard will do like last year, and they anounces the stores that are open at midnight, or just find some gamestores on internet / your local city / village when the final release date is rdy and just ask the storeclerk if they are open, or know any store that is.

Mhm bit long sentence, but you get what i mean

[Deleted]

Only thing you need to do is order it from a decent retailer. (bol.com?)

when it comes to mailorder, Bol.com is a good choice in holland, but, i dont think they will deliver during the night. So that would mean at best you get it the day itself when the mailman arives. If you can live with that, then go for it. they advertise for a loooong time already: order before 21:30...next day delivered.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Although some of you miss the point. I'm wondering how people get to play @ 00:01. The moment the game goes live. Not like some of you say: buy the game @ midnight sale. But as far as I see; those people who play @ 00:01 are being illegal :-X. I might go to a mid-night sale @ mediamarkt if there's no legit way of going online @ 00:01. So for now, although I admire your responses, please keep it to the question: How can I play @ 00:01 LEGAL. I know it's possible to go to midnight sales, but that wasn't my question.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Although some of you miss the point. I'm wondering how people get to play @ 00:01. The moment the game goes live. Not like some of you say: buy the game @ midnight sale. But as far as I see; those people who play @ 00:01 are being illegal :-X. I might go to a mid-night sale @ mediamarkt if there's no legit way of going online @ 00:01. So for now, although I admire your responses, please keep it to the question: How can I play @ 00:01 LEGAL. I know it's possible to go to midnight sales, but that wasn't my question.

whats wrong with being online 00:01 ? Thats the first minute of the day it is launched, means legal to play. That they got there copy and installed it before midnight is another story. Thoug i have seen DKs coming online a hour before midnight

[0xdeadc0de]

Servers are so unstable @0.01, that you barely can play.
Get your copy at midnight, install it and go to bed. Wake up early in the morning and play.

That's what I did for both BC and Wotlk. In fact for BC I "tried" to play about an hour after midnight and it was nearly impossible.

[Nialyah]

Although I live in Denmark, my friend got his game around 11am.
While I had to go to a big nerd event in a Blockbuster, wait in line, get my game and get back home and play.

(For some odd reason my friend were able to play prior to midnight. He got lots of whispers)

[pomterri]

You just can buy it illegally from mediamarkets(because it is illegal to sell the product before the day announced) pre install it and log in at 00.01 BUT. You can not play at that time because of the stability of the servers. I mean I was online at 02.00 a.m in the morning and servers were still going shut down. World server down etc...

[Deleted]

You just can buy it illegally from mediamarkets(because it is illegal to sell the product before the day announced) pre install it and log in at 00.01 BUT. You can not play at that time because of the stability of the servers. I mean I was online at 02.00 a.m in the morning and servers were still going shut down. World server down etc...

thats why they opened at 00:01

[Sirsimeon]

whats wrong with being online 00:01 ? Thats the first minute of the day it is launched, means legal to play. That they got there copy and installed it before midnight is another story. Thoug i have seen DKs coming online a hour before midnight

Time zones maybe? Hour before midnight for you may be midnight for him :P

[mikka]

saturn (recommend that) or media markt midnight sales usually do the trick for me. when wotlk came out, there were several waffle/hot punch stands nearby <3

[nalle]

I remember when wotlk was released that 2 of my guildies were in northrend at 22.00 (10pm) leveling.

They had recieved the game in the mailbox 1-2 days before the release date and the northrend servers (atleast the one for shattered hand eu) apparently went online at 22.00 instead off around midnight (they both were level 72 before I started playing).

So it is possible to get the game, install it and be ready to play right as the servers come online IF you get lucky with the online store that you ordered it from.