Some Limited Edition Hyrule Historia Pre-Orders Are Getting Canceled

I couldn't think of a good, calmer, headline~ but please don't freak out, and don't freak others out: Just, if you pre-ordered the Limited Edition of Hyrule Historia (not the regular edition that has been for pre-order for a while) check your order status. Some have been canceled.

(For more news and info on Hyrule Historia, please see the blog's Hyrule Historia tag)

The most sane and reasonable explanation at this point is semi-unconfirmed (I will update when there's an official link/letter) but it's that the online shops like Amazon.ca (Not amazon.com) and Barnes and Noble posted the listings without knowing that there would be limited copies, or at least that they would have such a limited number of copies: so they over sold the amount they were actually going to be allotted.

I have not heard about any cancellations from Amazon.com or TFAW yet: so please don't assume the worst. Dark Horse has no news on this, certainly no bad news, so this really just seems like a problem with those specific shops, and the shops alone. (Or it was a problem with Dark Horse communicating with those shops: but, from the customer's end, that equals the same problem of not having their orders filled.)

So, yes, that explanation is sort of speculation, but it also makes the most sense at this point. From my experience, it sounds right. So, until I hear more, I'd say that's the best thing to think. Again, I will update if we can get hard evidence that is the case. People are being very informative and helping us by sharing their information.

There is absolutely no reason to think that all Limited Edition orders have been canceled. Dark Horse was very clear about them releasing this Limited Edition version of the book. Common sense seems to dictate that they would have been the first to announce if there was a problem with the release. And there is also, ABSOLUTELY, no reason to think that there will be any cancellations of the regular edition. Again, this just seems to be a problem with a few orders from a few shops for the limited release of newly announced Limited Edition.

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At this point, from what I am hearing, it sounds like most Amazon.ca orders (again, that is not amazon.com, it is the Canadian version of Amazon that is experiencing the problem) were canceled and that only some of the Barnes and Noble orders were canceled: Many orders from B&N still seem to be valid at this point. We have conformations from a lot of Barnes and Nobel customers that their orders were either canceled, or are still good.

-- If you ordered from Barnes and Noble, you actually have to go check your order status. So do that now.

-- Amazon.ca sent out emails letting customers know about the cancellation  the wording was atrocious, but more about that below.

And feel free to let us know the results; good or bad news, it will probably help assure a lot of other fans and give them more of a clear idea of what they need to do. (Like, they might need to re-order the regular edition, because many people canceled their normal pre-order to get the Limited Edition)

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Now, I'm going to post more about this below but, first, if you use Facebook, go to our group here and check out the posts and comments: http://www.facebook.com/pages/NoA-Please-bring-us-Hyrule-Historia-in-English/316841885016483

It's where people are posting about it, and where I'm staying more up to date (The admin posts there are by me and I try to make sure the info I post under the group's name is confirmed, or I will say otherwise)

Here is the original blog post by Dark Horse saying which stores would be getting copies of the Limited Edition Hyrule Historia. http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/1195/hyrule-historia-limited-edition and here is what they said:

"The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia Collector’s Edition is on sale February 12th, 2013 for $69.99 and will be available in limited quantities at the following retailers:
- Nintendo World Store
- Think Geek
- Things From Another World
- Forbidden Planet UK
- PBM (Holland)
- Amazon.com
- Barnes & Noble (online)
Additionally, this book can be preordered from your local comic shop. Call them today and reserve your copy! To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook or visit ComicShopLocator.com."

Notice that last part: That might be your saving grace. Dark Horse does love actual Comic Book shops, so I really do think there's a chance they allocated a number for special orders coming in from brick & mortar comic book stores. Call your local one up and see if they can get you a copy.

Also, and I'm saying this only out of past experience with other special order items: if you ordered from an online store that is not on that above list from Dark Horse, please be semi-skeptical of your order and check in on it. If it were me, I would not think it would be honored, especially since some are promising things that sound too good to be true. Dark Horse was oddly specific with where copies were going; I don't see why an unnamed online store would be getting them in. But, on the other hand, I am also not familiar with some of the web-shops people are saying they've used; and maybe those places ARE just really good about securing pre-orders. (That can often be the case & you'd know your online shops better than me.)

I posted about this a few days ago but, again, if your order was canceled on you or you did not get an order in, all I can think of is that: Some of the stores Dark Horse listed as having been promised copies have not seemed to offer them for sale yet. This is what I said: "Amazon.com appears to have sold out on day 1. Barnes and Noble: late on day 1, or day 2. TFAW: Day 3 (today.) Nintendo World Store does not do online or phone orders, and I can't assume how to purchase in the store since the book is not out until next year. I can not find a listing for Hyrule Historia on Think Geek, Forbidden Planet UK, or PBM- (Please feel free to double check, I can miss things) which are the other stores Dark Horse mentioned would be getting copies. This may mean they have not tried to sell their copies yet; so you may have more opportunities to purchase the book (outside of ebay.)" And, again, keep the comic book store option in mind.

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Here's one of my older Facebook posts on the matter that also helps explain what is going on:

Yes; we're hearing that Amazon.ca canceled the Limited Edition orders on people. I don't know if this is for everyone who ordered from them, or just a few people. If you know of other cancellations, please let us know! If you ordered from Amazon.ca and DID NOT get a cancellation email, please let us know too. Keep in mind: This is for the special edition, not the regular one that's been for pre-order for a while. (There's no reason to think that one would be canceled, sounds like they're making a butt-load of those.) Brandi shared with us the letter Amazon.CA is sending out for the Limited Edition cancellation, it reads: "We're sorry to report the release of the following item has been cancelled:

Shigeru Miyamoto, et al "The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia Limited Collector's Edition"

Although we'd expected to be able to send this item to you, we've since found it won't be released after all. Please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience we've caused you."

Again, as far as I know: Even though it says "won't be released at all" this is ONLY for people who ordered from Amazon's CANADIAN branch. There's no reason at all, right now, to think that the book pre-orders have been canceled for anyone else. Dark Horse has been very clear about their release of this product, even making a video for it. We know that Dark Horse (the publisher) said certain stores would be getting a certain number of copies each. Amazon WAS one of these stores, but it was Amazon.com not Amazon.ca. This may be the important detail. I think it shouldn't make a difference but, my assumption would be that, they may have just listed it on Amazon.ca because there was a listing for them on Amazon.com; not knowing that it was in such limited supply: so they've had to back-track. That is technically an assumption on my part, but it's my best one at this point based on all the dealings I've had with publishers and just ordering from Amazon throughout the years. But, yes, please let us know if you also get a cancellation notification, and where it was from- Even if just so other fans can know what to expect. Or, if you talk to one of these companies, let us know what they told you.