I cannot.

The things I do for Skyrim.....

That's some good customer service. You've probably prevented a lot of disappointment

EDIT! Wrong thread fail.. These threads are moving too fast.

You get a serial code with the retail and you can only preload it. So I did preload with Steam.

For those people who will already have their physical copy by the 11th, they don't really need a pre-load function as they have the DVD, and it should load up fairly quick assuming they have already signed up for a steam account (which really everyone should have done that by now I think, right?). As for getting your CD Key early so you can pre-load without the DVD... if you think about it, what motivation does anyone have to do that? Bethesda doesn't know what DVD you bought, so they wouldn't know what your CD Key is. It would be rather tricky for retailers to start giving out the keys before you get the physical copies, as anyone who got thier hands on that key would be able to access the game. That's why authentication codes aren't printed on the outside of the box. Retailers would have to open up other people's pre-paid property to get those keys. None of that is going to happen. Steam certainly isn't going to help you out... if you get a manual and map, and perhaps a discount from these physical copy retailers, Steam will want something else decent to entice people to buy from them. Besides the normal benefits of Steam, if you order from them you get to pre-load. If you don't, then you have to wait on your physical copy to arrive. No reason for Steam to give up that marketing leverage.

I don't think that would work because those stores are probably selling the console versions too and I could just see the problems they would have with some people being able to buy the game and others not being able to. Or them accidentally selling the console versions ahead of time.

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I'm guessing because you bypassed the profanity censors.

Yeah, I guess that problem would arise.

I replaced my "profanity" with stars But the idea is the same !

agreed

My second message was also removed ! But I had an explanation (piracy incitement) from a moderator, that is a good thing, thanks to him.

All I will say is that I see no reason why resellers can sell and send physical copies of a game and in the same time we are not authorized to activate the game. It is not an online game. No infrastructure is required except for activation (and Valve already has this). So there is no need to wait for 11/11, except if you want angry customers.

Good old time... we had the floppy/CD, we played the game.... no more question.

Good thing gamestop has a midnight release

i'm in the same case as and pretty disappointed in the steam setup failure: you indeed can preload the game as soon as you register the game to steam, but it's so slow it's a pain to watch... (by experience, having it already preloaded is a must on launch day, because servers are so swamped that if you have to add the burden of even just installing from disc, it can take significantly long to be completely installed and also you miss the moment where servers are not too busy to give you the last chunk of data needed for activation)

also, even from valve point of view, it's pretty stupid to forbid install from the disc, because:
- preload ultimately do the same thing than installing from disc (the only technical difference of a physical disk for steamworks games is the install from disk is faster than download)
- all the data installed from disc prevent the corresponding users from overloading the servers by adding more data demand...seriously even after years of being out, steam is still technically flawed in so much aspects.

and for those who can't understand the advantage of a retail copy other direct steam buy:
- a box (not useful but always nice)
- really nice quality map from the limited edition
- 31 euros limited edition from amazon vs 49 euros on steam standard edition
- the SAME advantages of the steam store version (as soon as you register your key, there's no difference)

I dunno if my EB Games is having one. And even if it does, I have no way of getting there.