A video game developer is finally delivering on a promise most fans assumed was lost to time, making good on a seven-year-old free game giveaway.
Players in Japan who won a raffle for a free “day-one” copy of the new Inazuma Eleven anime football game back in 2018 have received letters confirming they can redeem it when the title launches this month.
The giveaway originally ran when the game was known as Inazuma Eleven Ares and targeted a 2018 release. Seven years and multiple delays later, it has been reintroduced as Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, with launch now set for November 13.
Dev makes good on a seven-year-old giveaway
As originally reported by Automaton, on October 30, players who entered the giveaway received a formal apology and guidance on how to claim their digital copy once the game goes live.
The letter acknowledged the “significant delay” and reaffirmed Level-5’s commitment to honoring the original campaign despite the years in between.
One winner shared the notice online, saying they never expected the prize to still count after so long, and another noted their child went from elementary school to high school in the time between winning the raffle and receiving the redemption instructions.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road marks the long-awaited return of the studio’s beloved football RPG series, but it’s the surprise gesture that has sparked a wave of goodwill online, with many calling it a charming reminder that Level-5 sticks to its word.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road launches November 13 on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, PC via Steam, and Xbox Series X/S.
Finnish president suggests Trump, Zelensky could meet Putin at G20 summit in South Africa