In an unprecedented move, GameStop just revealed via Twitter that it will be releasing DOOM Eternal beginning March 19th, a day early “as a safety precaution for our customers and associates” in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The reason for the early release is to separate it from Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which is also set to launch Friday with both titles expected to sell many, many copies. While the early launch is exciting for DOOM fans, Animal Crossing fans are upset that they couldn’t begin their island getaway a day early.
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This news comes on the heels of GameStop announcing it will be cancelling midnight launches for both DOOM Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons in an effort to reduce social gathering. Additionally, it will also be limiting the amount of customers in store to 10 at any given time until further notice.
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
This isn’t the first positive piece of news to stem from the COVID-19 outbreak as Universal announced recently that it will begin distributing theatrical releases early beginning March 20th including The Invisible Man, The Hunt, and Emma. Disney also surprised fans by releasing Frozen 2 on Disney+ three months earlier than expected.
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Since DOOM is coming sooner than expected why not check out these 6 Things You Need to Know About DOOM Eternal before you jump in. Also, read our review for DOOM Eternal’s single player campaign, which is one of the best we’ve played in years.
Also, we’ve put together a page for tips on how you can help and stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Matthew Adler is a News and Features writer for IGN who really wishes it were Animal Crossing that came early, but is happy to jump into DOOM Eternal instead. You can chat with him on Twitter or watch him on Twitch.
Source: IGN Video Games All
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