Monday night, GameStop announced that it has canceled plans for hosting a midnight launch of Assassin’s Creed III in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.
In a post on GameStop’s Facebook page, the company explained that the decision to cancel the event, and shut down stores in Hurricane Sandy’s path, was made with the safety of its employees and customers in mind.
Here’s GameStop’s statement in full:
“Our top priority is the safety of our employees and customers. In compliance with directives issued by state and local authorities, stores in the path of Hurricane Sandy will remain closed until it is safe to re-open and midnight openings for Assassin’s Creed III have been canceled in the northeast. Customers should check with their local stores for details on when we will re-open.”
A representative from Ubisoft, as reported by Game Informer , urged gamers in affected areas to be safe and patient–after all, the game will still be there when this is all over.
“Ubisoft’s first and foremost concern is for the safety all of the people who may be affected by Hurricane Sandy,” said public relations manager Stone Chin. “ Assassin’s Creed III has pre-sold more than twice as many as the previous title and has a strong and loyal fan-base. The game will still be there when gamers are able to pick up or receive it.”
GameStop isn’t the only retailer that shut its doors overnight. Reports indicate that Best Buy, Target, and Wal Mart have temporarily closed down in some areas.
Whether you’re going out to pick up Assassin’s Creed III or not, we urge all of you in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy to stay safe above all else.
