Delays plague ‘Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ deliveries ahead of launch

Several internet users have voiced concerns on X regarding delivery delays. One customer of Micromania, for example, placed four orders as early as September 8th but is still waiting for tracking information. They are also questioning the status of their pre-order bonuses, which aren’t reflected in their order summary.

Another buyer received a shipping confirmation email on Saturday, October 31st. Yet, four days later, the package hasn’t been picked up by La Poste. They report contacting Micromania by phone, where customer service reportedly received numerous similar calls and indicated the issue affected “everyone,” shifting responsibility to La Poste. Multiple customers have described the same situation online.

It’s unclear whether these packages will arrive after the release date. Some players have received more explicit warnings of delays, with one user reporting an email stating a delay without specifying the seller or the additional timeframe. Another user reported a similar issue at Leclerc.

Numerama is also experiencing the same uncertainty, with one order still “in preparation” at Cultura and another, intended for a pickup location, with no updates from Micromania. The retailer is already preparing for this launch under complicated conditions. Following looting on October 17th, they had to reassign preorders from affected stores to others and cancel the planned late-night release events for Zelda.

No link has been established between these events and the delivery difficulties reported in recent days. Retailers have been contacted and this article will be updated if a response is received. Meanwhile, international reports offer some initial insight into the challenges surrounding this launch.

In North America, shipments are occurring at the last minute. Customers of Amazon are also awaiting updates on their preorders, according to Notebookcheck. The media notes that in the United States, preorders can leave warehouses the day before launch or even on the same day.

In Canada, retailer Video Games Plus provides a specific explanation: in a message posted on X and relayed by Notebookcheck, they state that Nintendo prohibits them from starting shipments before Wednesday, November 4th, the day before the release. The retailer assures that this decision does not come from them.

Notebookcheck suggests this is a measure to limit leaks, as playable physical copies were circulating as early as October 31st, followed quickly by screenshots and videos of the remake. It is unknown whether this restriction applies to French retailers.

Nintendo previously acknowledged underestimating demand. In an interview with the Coelho YouTube channel, relayed on October 17th by Nintendo Everything, Bill van Zyll, vice president and general manager of Nintendo for Latin America, explained that the reception had exceeded the company’s expectations.

The executive spoke of preorders reaching their limits, particularly in Brazil, and announced they were working on restocking. This concerned both the game and the special hardware, including the limited-edition Nintendo Switch 2 commemorating 40 years of Zelda. However, no timeline or quantities were provided. Without a response from retailers, it is impossible to say whether the reported delays in France are due to high demand or a late shipping instruction like the one mentioned in Canada.