GameStop Is Selling DOOM Eternal a Day Early Because of Coronavirus

GameStop has announced that it will be selling this month’s biggest release, DOOM Eternal, a day early. According to the retailer, this unprecedented decision comes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. More specifically, in order to adhere to the CDC-recommended social distancing guidelines, the retailer will release the game a day early as a safety precaution for not only the customers, but associates working for the retailer.

Of course, if DOOM Eternal was the only big game supposed to release this Friday — March 20 — GameStop wouldn’t feel the need to do this. However, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is releasing on the same day. As a result, the retailer thinks selling DOOM Eternal a day early will help separate the inevitable crowds

“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,” reads an official tweet from GameStop. “Animal Crossing will release on Friday 3/20 to further help separate the crowds.”

DOOM Eternal is poised to release — via PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia — on March 20 (except at GameStop). Priced at $60, it’s also slated to come to Nintendo Switch later this year. Below, you can read more about the title:

“Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to stop the final destruction of humanity,” reads an official pitch of the game. “Also includes Battlemode, a new 2-vs-1 multiplayer experience in which a fully-armed Doom Slayer faces off against two player-controlled demons in a best-of-five round match of intense first-person combat.”

For more news, media, rumors, and leaks on DOOM Eternal, be sure to take a second and peruse all of our past and recent coverage of the title by clicking right here. Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, also be sure to check out the game’s brutal launch trailer.