ELI5; How are digital video games launched on release day? Is there someone standing by at the dev/publisher to push a go button?
In: Technology
Technically, yes. In practice, it’s automated, you pre-program the exact release time, and at that time, the game becomes available.
>Is there someone standing by at the dev/publisher to push a go button?
Quite literally, yes.
I imagine they can also be scheduled either directly on steam or with some custom script that essentially clicks the button when it is time, and presumably are most of the time, but there is literally a [release button](https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steamcommunity/public/images/steamworks_docs/english/ReleaseOptions_2.png) on steam.
https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/store/releasing#5
Other platforms may differ, of course.
The game has already been available for a long time internally, undergoing testing. The switch they flip is just to make it available to the public on whatever platform it’s hosted on.
Store items have a start date and an optional end date. Those dates may be tied to the client computer’s region.
The store allows purchase on anything with a start date less than now and an end date thats blank or in the future.
You can also schedule ads, banners, etc… There’s no reason to do it manually when you can set it up way in advance when you own the game.
Steams a little weird, though. They have an option for a release button for partner vendors. That’s because steam doesn’t actually own the game, just the marketplace.
No.
Digital video game are ALREADY uploaded to the servers of the distributer.
This is usually done a few day in advance of launch day.
And when on launch, people are allowed to download the game.
Think of it as the good old days of physical copies. Launch day is when the customer is allowed to go into the store to buy/take home the copies, not the actual day when the game arrives in store.
There is no button to push, its a schedule that basically “unlocks” the download option, or opening the flood gates.
For online launches it is either scheduled or someone presses a button or both.
For retail launches, the orders are shipped a week early and the stores sign contracts promising not to sell anything early, and if they do they will be sued for lots of money and will stop getting release shipments in the future.
You ever uploaded a video to YouTube? Basically it’s just like that. You upload the files, edit the name, description, etc. (which you hopefully already have most of that since it’s good practice to have your steam page up *long* before release day), and then set a schedule for the date/time you want it to release.
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