The Political Machine Availability

Questions and Answers

from PolMach Forums

On August 10 The Political Machine began shipping.  What this means is literally the manufactured retail units began shipping from the manufacturer to stores and other resellers.

If you pre-ordered just The Political Machine after June 1, we expect to receive our boxes imminently at which point your orders will get charged and units sent out to you.

If you pre-order just The Political Machine before June 1, we should have the gold version available via Stardock Central for you to download right now while we wait for the retail boxes to arrive from Ubi Soft to send to you.  If you've lost your serial #, visit https://www.stardock.com/support.asp and type in your email addresss and it'll send you your information.

If you purchased a TotalGaming.net subscription then it should be available right now for download.

If you have any questions, post here and we'll try to answer as soon as possible.

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Reply #1 from PolMach Forums Top
I pre-ordered the Political Machine on August 2nd and they said I would receive an e-mail. You just confirmed it. Anyway I checked for my reference numbers on that website and I had none. I have the one they gave me after I pre-ordered and will gladly give it to you if you need it to give me my game. If not will I get the game or not?
Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top

You should be set.  What I think we're going to need to do is charge the pre-orders after June 1. Those orders are in the pre-purchase queue so they don't go into the database until after they're charged.

So to recap: If you pre-ordered TPM After June 1, you may not have any info in the system.  We'll be charging those orders shortly and then they'll all be in the database. Right now we're just waiting for the UPS guy to deliver the boxes.

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Reply #3 from PolMach Forums Top
I did just check and the boxes are on their way to us so it should be pretty soon now.
Reply #4 from PolMach Forums Top
I would have preordered but i couldn't find a vendor who would ship to the uk. Am i right to suppose that non-subscribers will be able to buy the game online after the pre-orders from after June 1st have been charged? Is anybody any clearer as to when that'll be?
Reply #5 from PolMach Forums Top

Anyone can purchase the stand-alone game.  We'll ship it anywhere.

 

Reply #6 from PolMach Forums Top
I'm no clearer on anything except that trying to use a retailer combined with trying to download directly was completely the wrong strategy for acquiring this game. The retailers didn't receive or wont' ship the game on-time, and you can't download directly.
Reply #7 from PolMach Forums Top
EB just told me that it should be available on the 12th. I'm starting to think that I should order the game online. If it was downloadable, I would be it immediately, but alas it is not. I guess I'll wait another day.
Reply #8 from PolMach Forums Top
I think EB's date will probably slide into next week. They don't usually ship low-priority games more than once a week. This is what they've told me repeatedly when I was trying to buy Paradox/Strategy First games from them (something I'll never try again).

I'd give my left arm for just a guessitimate date from Stardock on when we can download the game directly. If its not going to be today or tomorrow, I'd order overnight from Ubi Soft. I feel like I'm dealing with the CIA or KGB in regards to this game. Why is information so misleading, confusing, or hard to come by? I'm trying to give them money!
Reply #9 from PolMach Forums Top

If you pre-ordered the game before June 1 then you can already download it.

If you pre-ordered after June 1, you'll probably be able to download it today or tomorrow.

Users who purchase after the game is generally available will not be able to download it however (that's for others reading this - pre-orders will be able to download the game while awaiting their retail package).

Reply #10 from PolMach Forums Top
Generally available.

Funny.

Thanks though. I'll try Ubisoft overnight.
Reply #12 from PolMach Forums Top
You won't be able to.  Only those who pre-ordered the game will be able to obtain the game for electronic download or TotalGaming.net.  In all other cases it's a retail box like anywhere else.
Reply #13 from PolMach Forums Top
it appears that all other totalgaming releases are available for electronic download through subscription aswell as a standalone purchase... why isn't this the case for TPM? other people have said a standalone d/l would be available by the end of the week
Reply #14 from PolMach Forums Top

TPM is available on TotalGaming.net already. Today. Now.

But not as a stand alone electronic download purchase.  This has to do with our agreement with Ubi Soft. 

Users who want to download The Political Machine after it becomes generally available (in the next couple days since it's already begun shipping) will have to get a TotalGaming.net subscription.

Reply #15 from PolMach Forums Top
Users who want to download The Political Machine after it becomes generally available (in the next couple days since it's already begun shipping)



so, if i were to order a retail box copy online now it would still be classed as a pre-order?
Reply #16 from PolMach Forums Top

Yes (unless the boxes have arrived while I'm typing this).

Reply #17 from PolMach Forums Top
great. i've placed my order. thankyou for your help. as much as it might seem that i don't, i really appreciate being able to have my questions answered immediately by a developer when i have a problem with a game. (Y)
Reply #18 from PolMach Forums Top
This doesn't make any sense.

Are you saying if I buy the game from you right now (29.95), it will be a pre-order and I'll be able to download it today?
Reply #19 from PolMach Forums Top
Everything from June 1 to this moment has been pre-orders (in that you've not been charged yet).

We're about to charge the pre-orders and make PM available today for download via Stardock Central while we wait for the CD's to get out to you in the mail.

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People who have pre-ordered up to this point and orders until we have CD's will be able to download the game. Once CD's are shipping out, any new orders direct from us will be for the retail CD (no downloading via Stardock Central). Though those new direct orders will also include a download link for the Political Operatives Kit.
Reply #20 from PolMach Forums Top
And TotalGaming.net customers can get it online now and will continue to be able to do so.
Reply #21 from PolMach Forums Top
Please charge me then. How do we get our serial numbers?

I just pre-ordered.

I want to thank Nakor and Frogboy for all their posts and apologize if I seemed rude due to my frustration at the weirdness of the release of this game (like St. Botoph's, I think I was just confused as to why we couldn't download the game).

Thank you again.
Reply #22 from PolMach Forums Top
If I order the game today, will it be considered a pre-order and sent out in the first batch of games sent? Or will there be any delay in receiving my order if I order it online? I just sometimes know there is a large batch of pre-orders sent out on the first shipment and sometimes there is a delay for those who order during this first shipment.
Reply #23 from PolMach Forums Top
Is there any estimate on the Political Operatives Kit availability? I'm a TotalGaming subscriber, and I'm not seeing the Political Operatives Kit.
Reply #24 from PolMach Forums Top
dter, this afternoon Stardock Central will show modules for the Operatives Kit and the manual as newly available downloads. Technically, the editors are already there in an Editors subdirectory, but we're making a little menu for them right now.

kram11, orders today will have the CD's sent out with the initial batch. No lag for a second round. And you'll be able to download later today.
Reply #25 from PolMach Forums Top
Just got back from my local EB Games store and they still don't have it. The girl working there even checked all the district stores to see if they could ship one in for me and said no district stores (central ny) even have it. As much as I'd like to order it online, not everyone has a credit card and we kinda rely on stores to get our games. Now this 2 day wait is, I suppose, going to be even longer.