Are we going to be able to make an imperial during headstart?

That is the question, isn't it?

People are generally confident that digital CE owners will be able to. The question of those who pre-ordered the physical version, however, is unanswered.

I assume, whenever you get the game ( post release/early-access date) you can play as an imperial. If you ordered the physical version it may take you a few days longer to start playing the game altogether- not just the imperial race.

If you pre-order at all (physical or digital, regular or Imperial), you're granted early access through a code you're given. That code is the same across all versions and does not grant any CE items - only pre-order bonuses. Therefore, people in early access who ordered the physical versions and are without their boxes may not be able to play as Imperial during that time.

So they get a different code for activating the CE-items?

Yes. So the digital one, 99% chance it'll just be e-mailed sometime before early access. As for the physical version, that code is in the physical box. A box that won't be in our hands until the street date at the earliest (legally).

When I searched for the word "Imperial" guess how many topics like this came up?

If you are concerned about the boxes not coming home to you at time, check with your retailer.

Yes different codes. If you preorder physical imperial, you will most likely get it in the box home, if you preorder digital imperial you will get it on email, could very well be you get it on email if you pre order physical too.

That last part is complete speculation with no basis in released information, however. Not saying that it can't happen - merely that we need official clarification on the issue. Because any way you mold it, it's still very vague.

How come it can only be that legally?

It says on zeni website 5 days early access. If I put it this way, the retailers don't get the imperial boxes on the 4/4 they get it ahead so they can ship it out to the people who ordered from them.

that said you will get it, if it is a good retailer 5 days early as you should.

Essentially, when a product is given a release date (typically media, like movies, books and video games), retailers are bound by law to ensure that these products do not make their way to consumers until that date, regardless of when the retailer receives the items. Should the product find its way to the "streets" before the release date, retailers are subject to fines that can total in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. As such, given the risk involved, 99% of retailers are going to stick to release dates, even if given permission by a publisher to release beforehand. It's not worth the risk.

It's a promotional item that's being released beforehand, not the physical product. Retailers can't let the physical product out early.

Now it's you who are speculating about what they are releasing on beforehand.

I know one thing though, when we get closer to the release date, this will have been announced "clearly".

I'm not speculating. I've worked in retail. Retailers, by law, follow release dates. Not promotions they have little-to-no control over.

I have the CE physical edition on order from Game

I questioned this once I noticed that I couldn't buy the imperial horse from the stables in beta, went off to check my account status and it shows only a generic 5 day early pass (like had I ordered the normal version)

I got in touch with Game to raise the question incase they had given me a wrong key, but was told by a rep that I cannot claim the Imperial edition extras in the CE edition until launch day, I assume once my boxed version has arrived

and I put in the CD key.

bit of a shame that I cant use the imperial extras, I feel like im being penalised for wanting the CE edition and has made me question if I should bother spending the extra money for it now.

(im going to of course because I want the lore book and statue lol)