Pokémon Center Order Status & BDSP Pre-Order Issues Explained

While launch days of video games and consoles were once met with great excitement, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl continue a frustrating trend of late shipping dates and shortages that have plagued gamers for over a year. The new Sinnoh remakes are officially available to play on the Nintendo Switch around the world today, but those who pre-ordered hard copies for special bonuses through websites like Pokémon Center have found their copies won’t be arriving on time. This has created widespread frustration for those who went through the trouble to purchase games in advance.

Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl reimagine the 2006 Diamond and Pearl, which were originally released on the Nintendo DS. Updated graphics, mechanics, and music will hopefully breathe new life into the 4th generation of the Pokémon series, while expanded locations like the Grand Underground will give fans new places to explore. The chibi graphics and return to overhead camera angles may be jarring to those who enjoyed recent Pokémon titles like Sword and Shield, but this hasn’t detoured large numbers of pre-ordered copies of the games or the disappointment at the late shipping dates.

According to Shining Ray on Twitter, Pokémon Center has failed to send confirmation emails to some who pre-ordered Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, forcing buyers to manually track down shipping information on FedEx’s delivery manager. While some have been able to confirm delivery for late in the evening today through this method, others have been unable to find their missing shipping information. There have also been delays with pre-ordered copies from large retailers, with some shipping dates as late as the first weeks of December. While fans can purchase and download digital copies of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on the Nintendo Store, those wanting a physical copy will either have to wait or potentially purchase a second copy.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Release Date Problems

Unfortunately, the delays Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl fans are facing weren’t unexpected. Slow shipping times, hardware shortages, and struggles with distribution have become widespread issues throughout the world over 2021. Console releases like the PlayStation 5, Xbox X|S, and Nintendo Switch OLED have been heavily impacted by these factors. Because of this, it is actually more reliable to wait and purchase games on release day at major retailers, than risking a physical pre-order that could be delayed by weeks or more. For many, that means forgoing the pre-order bonuses that are tied to early purchases, potentially requiring players to forfeit special, limited content in order to play the game on release day.

Despite many stores like Pokémon Center being reliable for preorder distribution in the past, it is unfortunately not the fault of retailers that delays have slowed down deliveries. Hopefully, future titles like Pokémon Legends: Arceus will release after the delays in shipping have improved, allowing fans to not only play their games on time but have a chance to access the unique content and extra perks that come from purchasing a copy of the games ahead of time. Hopefully, those waiting for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl to arrive will have their copies soon, so they can embark on their remastered journey through the Sinnoh region.

Source: Shining Ray/Twitter

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