Bloodborne Shipments Delayed for Some Amazon Customers Who Preordered

Preorder Delays and Customer Response

Following the March 24, 2015, launch of Bloodborne, a significant number of customers who preordered the game from Amazon reported that their copies had not shipped on time. The issue affected a wide range of buyers, including those using the Amazon Prime service, which typically guaranteed release-day delivery. The failure to meet this expectation prompted widespread frustration among players eager to start the highly anticipated PlayStation 4 exclusive.

Disappointed customers quickly organized in online gaming communities to share their experiences and seek information. Large discussion threads, sometimes labeled “megathreads,” emerged on popular forums such as GameFAQs, NeoGAF, and Reddit. In these spaces, users posted order details, tracking information showing no movement, and correspondence with Amazon customer service. Many expressed their disappointment, as preordering is often done specifically to ensure access to a game on its official launch day.

In response to direct complaints, Amazon began offering compensation to affected individuals. Customers who contacted support reported receiving gestures of goodwill, most commonly in the form of store credit or a free one-month extension of their Amazon Prime membership. This compensation was not proactively issued and required customers to reach out to the retailer directly.

Collector’s Edition Orders See Major Setbacks

The situation was particularly troubling for those who had preordered the Bloodborne Collector’s Edition. This premium version of the game was a limited item sought after by dedicated fans and collectors. Reports from these customers indicated that their orders were not just slightly delayed but, in some cases, had their estimated delivery dates pushed back by a month or more.

This level of delay for a limited-run product caused significant concern. Buyers worried that the extended timeframe might indicate a stock shortage that could lead to outright cancellations. For many, securing a Collector’s Edition is a key part of the preorder process, and the inability of a major retailer like Amazon to fulfill these orders on time was a source of major frustration. The long wait meant these fans could not join the initial wave of players exploring the game’s world of Yharnam.

High Demand Fueled by Critical Acclaim

The shipping problems appeared to stem from Amazon underestimating the immense demand for Bloodborne. Although it was a new intellectual property, it came from developer FromSoftware, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Dark Souls series. Anticipation was already high, but it reached a fever pitch upon release as reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

Bloodborne quickly achieved a Metascore of 93 on Metacritic, making it the highest-rated original exclusive on the PlayStation 4 at the time, surpassed only by ports of Grand Theft Auto V and The Last of Us. This stellar critical reception likely drove a massive surge in sales, causing the game to shoot up the charts on Amazon’s own website and at other retailers. This last-minute rush may have overwhelmed Amazon’s inventory and fulfillment capabilities, leading to the delays for customers who had ordered weeks or months in advance.

Launch State and Promised Fixes

For those who did manage to get a copy of the game, the experience was not without its own issues. While praised for its art direction, combat, and world design, Bloodborne launched with notable technical problems. Players widely reported long and frequent loading screens, which could break the immersion, especially in a game where death is a common occurrence. Another common complaint was an inconsistent frame rate that could dip during intense sequences, affecting the fluidity of the fast-paced combat.

The development team at FromSoftware publicly acknowledged these performance issues shortly after launch. The studio confirmed that it was already working on a future game update. This patch was intended to address the long load times and improve frame rate stability, assuring players that fixes were on the way.