ELI5; How are digital video games launched on release day? Is there someone standing by at the dev/publisher to push a go button?

Question

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

Answer 1

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.