Retro Games Ltd. can't seem to catch a break when it comes to The Spectrum — its new recreation of the ZX Spectrum that is set to release later this month on November 22nd.
First, retailers including Smyth Toys leaked the announcement of the machine a few days ahead of its official announcement, with the news quickly spreading across social media. And now, it appears that some other unnamed retailers have broken the street date for the product, sending it out to customers early and causing a wave of videos and photos to be published online despite Retro Games having arranged for press and YouTube coverage to be embargoed until the 21st of this month.
As a result, Retro Games Ltd. is asking fans in a social media post "not to share the photos or videos", reasoning that it has "spent a lot of time and effort to sort the pending reviews" and it wants "it to be the same experience for everyone". It has also claimed it "shall be having words with" the retailers who broke street date but stopped short of naming any of the parties involved and what actions exactly it will take beyond a stern telling off.
Here's the statement in full:
"Guys,
We have seen some retailers have sent out The Spectrum early to people despite being asked not to.
Can we (Retro Games Ltd) ask you not to share the photos of [sic] videos please yet. Retailers had specific instructions to not send them out early so as to not spoil reviews and unboxing videos for everyone.
So we would be super grateful if you can refrain for a few days we have spent a lot of time and effort to sort the pending reviews and we want it to be the same experience for everyone despite retailers who we shall be having words with..
Thank you!"
Obviously, this is slightly wishful thinking on Retro Games Ltd's part, as now it's in people's hands, they're pretty much free to do with it what they please — especially if they haven't agreed to an embargo. But we won't personally be drawing any attention to these videos ourselves ahead of our own coverage of the machine, which should hopefully arrive later this month.
As for the general response to this request, it doesn't seem to have gone over too well — at least on social media — with a few people taking against the request to wait for YouTubers and members of the press who have been sent review models, as opposed to those who have thrown down their own cash.