Why Is 2nd Edition Being Withheld?


Customer Service


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So, I found out that even though distributors got the pathfinder 2nd books last week, and they could have been on the shelves this week, Paizo instead decided that no one can sell them until August 1st. My question is why? Why artificially hold back the release of your flagship game until the first day of GenCon? If it had been released this week I could have studied up in preparation for GenCon. Now, not only can I not do that, but I feel torn between going to GenCon or skipping Gencon so that I can delve into the new Pathfinder during launch week. Either skip the release week of pathfinder for GenCon or skip GenCon in order to participate in the launch week of a very anticipated game (and no, I am not buying the books at GenCon, as I am a big supporter of my local game store).

It is not a big deal if that just happens to be how the dates fall, but why on earth would you restrict your distributors and retailers from selling early if possible? I feel rather disgusted by this policy, so please help me understand the logic behind it, help me understand why making me choose between enjoying GenCon or the launch week of your game is a good idea.

Thank you in advance.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber

I get the fact that they want to ensure everyone gets it at the same time and they avoid any misconceptions like what apparently happened with Starfinder, but the fact of the matter is now a lot of folks are getting their online orders from Paizo very early.

I'm concerned about the PDF being withheld from subscribers when all the people who ordered online are getting their shipments early - I am doing Gen Con pickup so I wont get anything until Aug 1, but I have a game early in the day on the the 1st (not the special with the pre-gens). I wont have time to create a character or even really read the rules. I already had a character concept in mind to play my first PFS 2e game, so its gonna feel pretty disappointing to not be able to play my own character from the start (assuming there are pre-gens available for the regular scenarios).

I really hope they change their minds about the PDF now that the hard copy books are showing up all over the place. I do appreciate though that it is difficult to coordinate such a big release like this.


That is a good point about the PDF. And I did not know that people who ordered from their site are already getting their books. That makes it all the more frustrating that those who try to support our FLGS are being forced to wait (again, from what I understand, distributers were literally told not to ship the books until next week).

I just got off the phone with my store manager and he also pointed out his frustration at the fact that he has customers who will now buy the game at Gencon instead of his store, despite offering a 15% discount. And I agree, why not make the PDF available? It just doesn't make any sense.


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I paid $32 in shipping for my books specifically so I would get them quickly.

Next time go with priority mail, it's totally worth it!


It's one thing to pay for expedited shipping, its another for Paizo to call their distributors and tell them not to ship them until next week and to tell their retailers not to sale until even a later date.

Liberty's Edge

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Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

That is the way Release dates works. It the same with Everything, Video Games, Books, Movie Releases, etc...

It is not a Paizo Policy, it is a Everyone policy.

Paizo Employee Chief Technical Officer

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All of our products always have a predetermined retail release date each month. This ensures that stores that happen to get products earlier than others don't have an advantage over stores that happen to get their orders later. (This is just like books, movies, CDs, toys tied to major movie releases, and many other things.)

And each year, we synchronize the release date for either July or August products (depending on the timing) with the first day of Gen Con, again to ensure that our own retail sales at the convention don't provide either an advantage or a disadvantage to those retailers.


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Dragnmoon wrote:

That is the way Release dates works. It the same with Everything, Video Games, Books, Movie Releases, etc...

It is not a Paizo Policy, it is a Everyone policy.

This is correct.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber
Vic Wertz wrote:

All of our products always have a predetermined retail release date each month. This ensures that stores that happen to get products earlier than others don't have an advantage over stores that happen to get their orders later. (This is just like books, movies, CDs, toys tied to major movie releases, and many other things.)

And each year, we synchronize the release date for either July or August products (depending on the timing) with the first day of Gen Con, again to ensure that our own retail sales at the convention don't provide either an advantage or a disadvantage to those retailers.

Yup this makes sense. It is indeed how other product releases are handled. However I do wish that the subscriber PDFs would be reconsidered for an earlier release as they normally are.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this game!


Thanks, Vic Wertz, that makes sense.

I guess the combination of seeing "available now...ships from warehouse in 1-5 days" on the Paizo website with my FLGS guy saying "my distributor got it last week but isn't allowed to ship it until next week, and I can't sell it until Thursday" got me confused (I was thinking that if the website says "available now" then maybe my store got it in). That, and the fact that someone from Paizo told me a couple of months ago that the game could show up early after asking about the July 18th date that was posted next to the August 1st date on the Paizo website (My specific question was about the actual day the game might arrive, and the answer was basically between 18th and the first).

Just FYI, not every company does it this way. Catalyst Games Labs, for example, posted that their Shadowrun starter set might arrive a little early for some retail stores, which it in fact did with my FLGS (just by one day). And even with Paizo, apparently, I could have ordered it through the store and pay extra for shipping and get it before the August first release date. So even Paizo isn't completely consistent with the "everyone gets it the same day for fairness" policy (which is fine, it seems about impossible to make sure everyone actually gets their shipment on the same day).

Anyway, it is what it is. I guess I didn't really need to go to Gencon anyway. I'll just swing by the FLGS and have a quiet evening of reading the rules and making characters with some friends. Very excited about the new edition!

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Unless I am confusing it with another Catalyst Games Labs product, the Shadowrun starter set showing up early at some stores was as error by the distributor.

Edit: I got an email from them on that I am just unsure which product the distributor made the error on.


Feeroper wrote:

However I do wish that the subscriber PDFs would be reconsidered for an earlier release as they normally are.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this game!

Normally once you get your order confirmation email from Paizo, you gain access to the PDF. So Ultimate Combat had a release date of April 15, my order shipped on March 30th, so I downloaded the PDF March 30th. (all dates made up for discussion).

Paizo made the decision to no allow PDF downloads until Aug 1 since this is a much bigger deal than just the most recent options book release. It's a one time decision because of the release of P2. Expect the Lost Omens world guide PDF to be available by August 10th or so as they start shipping the August releases (P2 CRB and Bestiary are technically July releases).


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

The GMs at GenCon are prepared to walk you through the rules (but not character creation) in the first slot. PreGens will be available for your use.

Please do not ask if you can "whip up a character real quick" when you sit down at your table.

If playing your own character is that important to you--and I get it, believe me--then book your first slot at the HeroLabs character creation station not a game.

Archives of Nethys should also have the online PRD available at 10 AM (assuming you all do not crash the site).


Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I fully expect Paizo's servers to melt August 1.


If they didn't melt last year when the play test released I'm very doubtful they'll melt now.

They've spent significant resources shoring the website up, they'll be fine.

Having said that, I'm certainly not going to try to download anything that week.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Starfinder Superscriber
Kelseus wrote:
Feeroper wrote:

However I do wish that the subscriber PDFs would be reconsidered for an earlier release as they normally are.

Can’t wait to get my hands on this game!

Normally once you get your order confirmation email from Paizo, you gain access to the PDF. So Ultimate Combat had a release date of April 15, my order shipped on March 30th, so I downloaded the PDF March 30th. (all dates made up for discussion).

Paizo made the decision to no allow PDF downloads until Aug 1 since this is a much bigger deal than just the most recent options book release. It's a one time decision because of the release of P2. Expect the Lost Omens world guide PDF to be available by August 10th or so as they start shipping the August releases (P2 CRB and Bestiary are technically July releases).

Yeah I know this is the case. But it seems odd now that a whole bunch of people have the books anyway and lots of info is leaking out there regardless. Just feels like a bit of a letdown.

Edit: I realize the Paizo folks are working very hard. I appreciate all the effort they put in, I'm simply very excited for the game.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
captain yesterday wrote:

If they didn't melt last year when the play test released I'm very doubtful they'll melt now.

They've spent significant resources shoring the website up, they'll be fine.

Having said that, I'm certainly not going to try to download anything that week.

I believe their downloads are now cloud-hosted on AWS, so unless 2E is popular enough to melt Amazon's server farms, it will be fine. Assuming they turn the dials up to 11, which I'm sure they will.


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

I expected the Paizo site to melt down last year when they released the Playtest, but that didn't happen. I think they are ready for it this time, despite the numerous site problems they have had in recent weeks.

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