Skyward Sword breaks Aussie street date

GAME, EB, and JB Hi-Fi stores around Australia are allowing customers who preordered a copy of Nintendo's upcoming Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword to pick the game up from stores today, ahead of the game's official release date tomorrow.

GAME notified its customers of the fact via a Twitter post earlier today. GameSpot AU also confirmed with local EB and JB Hi-Fi stores that the retailers are also selling copies of Skyward Sword to preorder customers.

Despite the official street date break by all retailers involved, GAME managing director Paul Yardley says the decision to allow customers to get the game a day early was made on the basis that GAME customers shouldn't miss out, as the game is already being sold by other retailers.

"We're taking a pragmatic approach to the issue," Yardley told GameSpot AU. "We don't want fans of Zelda to be disadvantaged and miss out just because they preordered with us instead of another retailer. So that's why we made the decision to let our preorder customers collect today, ahead of release date tomorrow."

Yardley also referenced an earlier decision by retailer Gametraders to import and sell copies of Nintendo's Super Mario 3D Land ahead of the game's official release date this Thursday, due to it not being able to buy the game locally from Nintendo. He says that Nintendo is well aware of what GAME is doing and is supportive.

"Game and Nintendo are in regular dialogue, and we've come to an agreement."