Amazon delaying 'nonessential' shipments to focus on coronavirus needs

Update: Amazon has responded to those who have received notifications regarding Final Fantasy VII Remake's release date via Twitter. However, the company has not offered indications on whether video game shipments would go out on time, given the current emergency situation.

Original story: Undeniably, the biggest story in the world continues to be the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. It has essentially brought life as everyone knows it to a screeching halt, as nations scramble to protect themselves and others by stopping the virus from spreading any further. For many across the United States, it has led to the closure of businesses, while many more have been confined to their homes in the name of social distancing. Some might interpret this as, "Well, at least we can stay home and play video games, right? When is that Amazon shipment coming in?" Those people may want to sit down for this. With Amazon dealing with an unprecedented demand for essentials, that means the billion-dollar monolith is working to help fulfill millions of orders. That means nonessentials are taking a back seat, including your video game orders, which may now be delayed.

Among those noticing the delay are the folks at Cheapassgamer. They have been among many who have received notifications that a number of games that they've pre-ordered are suddenly delayed. That's because Amazon is working to meet the demand for essentials, specifically groceries, beauty and personal care items, baby products, health and household items, industrial and scientific items, and pet supplies. According to Business Insider, Amazon sent out a memo on Tuesday informing sellers and vendors that it would prioritize shipments of those aforementioned essentials. Since video games are most definitely not classified as essentials, that means they are now subject to delay. And it appears that games like Final Fantasy VII Remake are being hit with shipping delays.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is among the games being hit with shipping delays by Amazon

Here is the note, as obtained by Business Insider:

Hello from Fulfillment by Amazon,

We are closely monitoring the developments of COVID-19 and its impact on our customers, selling partners, and employees.

We are seeing increased online shopping, and as a result some products such as household staples and medical supplies are out of stock. With this in mind, we are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies, and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so that we can more quickly receive, restock, and deliver these products to customers.

To deal with demand, as well as labor shortages, Amazon is temporarily pausing orders of non-essentials until April 5, by which point the company will decide on how to proceed further. In the meantime, those who are looking to pre-order games from an online retailer may want to think about where to place their orders over the course of this ongoing emergency period. You may be more likely to get your game from a specialized retailer like GameStop or a mom-and-pop gaming shop than you will from a jack-of-all-trades retailer like Amazon or Target, which may need to slow down on nonessentials in order to get critical supplies to the average person in these trying times. Shacknews will monitor this and other coronavirus stories as this crisis continues.