With plenty of physical game lovers resisting the shift to digital distribution, the world of boutique, limited-press publishing is booming, with multiple options for anyone desperate to have smaller-scale releases on disc or cartridge rather than a hard drive or SD card.It's a risky business, though, with even the biggest players having some major blots on their record, and companies frequently overpromising and underdelivering - if they deliver at all. COVID caused major disruption across all industries five years ago, and while the pandemic may be a distant memory for some, the after-effects are still rippling through the games industry. Pandemic-related issues aside, with small press game companies often relying on overseas production and distribution facilities not to mention developer issues and other factors it's easy to appreciate how a run of physical product can get held up by one issue, and how that issue can clog the entire pipeline.In our experience, people are usually happy to wait as long as they're kept in the loop, but although patience has its limits. Recently, an online conversation started by @arron_etchells flagging the mounting delays and dissatisfaction around Strictly Limited Games caught our attention, and we reached out to several SLG customers (two of whom wished to remain anonymous) to discover the details behind their growing frustration."In November 2022 I paid for a game that was advertised as expecting to ship in Q2 2023," @colour_thief told us. "This game featured online play and I was expecting to get to play it with my friends. But there is still no credible shipment date and of course the online is a ghost town now.""When Ive enquired in the past about expected shipping dates, they have been helpful and responded quickly but not given very much detail in response," another customer says. "I just feel that when it gets past their advertised and expected shipping dates, they arent very forthcoming with regular updates. I feel that they need to be more transparent by giving regular, situational updates of things that may be out of their control, and that may be leading to these delays. Those updates would be better understood by the customer." Time ExtensionIntroduces new trial initiative "Speedrun" and production trackerTime ExtensionThe long wait is finally over!"Their comms, in terms of [my] orders, are nearly non-existent," a third SLG customer tells us. "When they do Tweet etc, it's always about new things with no attention given to these massively delayed releases. I found their self-congratulatory 'We've had a great 2024!' New Year post to be particularly egregious."Back in October 2023, SLG announced some changes in a blog post following criticism of its customer comms and speculation that the company was facing bankruptcy, but it seems that further clarification is needed. The 'Manufacture Updates' page lists the status of its various editions, from 'Preparing Production' up to 'New in Stock', but specific progress or the reasons for timeline alterations aren't included. "Its just so frustrating to have to put down the full payment for a game in advance and have the dates continually change."In search of some specific answers, we reached out to Strictly Limited for comment on various issues, including the status of several games awaiting production."As with the entire video game industry, Strictly Limited was facing some challenges in 2023 and 2024," we were told via email when questioning the nature of the hold-ups. Given the context required, we'll reproduce several responses in their entirety below, although we have edited some for length:We are a small, dedicated team working on limited editions, not a large, publicly traded company. Rather than letting people go or ceasing operations, we decided to slow down to a minimum, develop a new strategy, and adapt to the changing circumstances. Fortunately, this approach proved successful, and by the end of 2024, the new direction was well received by shareholders, leading to additional investment in the parent company.Citing the launches of Iron Meat, Jet Kave Adventure, Tiny Thor, and Syder Reloaded as recent successes, SLG writes that "things are picking up again" and the intention is to have the backlog cleared before the year is out. "While were not yet entirely where we aim to be, we plan to have resolved all outstanding preorders by the end of 2025.""We plan to have resolved all outstanding preorders by the end of 2025" Image: Strictly Limited GamesWe asked about some specific cases to try and get some answers there. Firstly, Steel Empire Chronicles, which combines Over Horizon X Steel Empire (released on the eShop on 18th Jul 2024) and The Legend of Steel Empire (released 23rd Jan 2024, with a physical version from ININ already available).Steel Empire Chronicles was offered for pre-order and was to be published at the same time as the digital release. Unfortunately, it fell into a period that became extraordinarily difficult for Strictly Limited.While we discussed prioritising it due to the existence of the less competitive collection by our sister label, ININ, we ultimately agreed to wait until the game was released for PlayStation 4. This approach meant a delay for the Nintendo Switch version but would at least allow us to meet the release date for the second platform, maintaining some level of alignment. However, the developer faced capacity issues, and the PlayStation 4 ROM has yet to be completed.Now shipping separately, the Nintendo Switch version may be handled independently, with its physical edition finally releasing a little later this year.Next up was Ray'z Arcade Chronology, which launched digitally on 30th June 2023.The delay of Rayz Arcade Chronology was caused by the same challenges that impacted several other projects from that period. While pre-orders were initially collected in anticipation of the digital release, production was affected by limited resourcesparticularly given the scale of this collection.To better manage the workload, priority was given to the PlayStation 4 Limited Edition, which shipped in late 2024. The Nintendo Switch version is now scheduled for production, with shipping planned for this Spring, followed shortly by the larger editions.Dezatopia and Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo were released in 2020 and 2022 respectively and SLG's page currently lists them as "Product Status - Update: Planning Production", so what's the story there?Pre-orders for Dezatopia & Mecha Ritz began on December 1, 2022. Unfortunately, this release was among the first to be affected by the resource shortages Strictly Limited faced at the time. As a result, customers who pre-ordered have endured one of the longest wait times. That wait is finally coming to an endDezatopia & Mecha Ritz is next in line for production and is scheduled to ship in early Spring.Image: Strictly Limited GamesGiven the issues people have had with firms such as Dispatch or First Press Games, there's a perception that a constant deficit exists at SLG and some other boutique publishers - that funds from newer pre-orders are needed to get production running on older orders, and corners are cut when it comes to quality."They keep announcing new games faster than they fulfil their backlog," @colour_thief told us. "It's in very poor taste and feels like a pyramid scheme. I gave them the benefit of the doubt with COVID supply chain issues but that excuse is very stale in 2025."Asked for their take on the general state of the business and people who feel like they're getting scammed, SLG outlined the unknowns and difficulties that can impact projects and how strong pre-orders don't necessarily dictate a game's success. They also emphasised the passion and patience of their customers.Nevertheless, even the patience of the most passionate video game enthusiasts can be overstretched: If the wait becomes too long, they might feel betrayed or even scammed. To avoid this, its key to keep customers updated and communicate transparently while doing everything possible to finally release the game successfully.In 2024, Strictly Limited changed its business model, stepping away from a pre-order only model. Some new releases might be available right at the release date, aligned with the digital version of the game, and with no pre-order at all (like our Speed Runs, recently done with Iron Meat). Other new releases might have a shorter pre-order period, when production is already up and running. In any case, release dates will need to be aligned globally and become more reliable again.The change in approach feels like movement in the right direction, although it's not much comfort to people still awaiting delivery of orders they placed years ago. Some might suggest that new products shouldn't be announced until all prior orders have been fulfilled. On that point, SLG noted how they put the brakes on last year.Throughout the entire year of 2024, Strictly Limited announced only three new projectsa significant reduction compared to previous years, when we introduced 1520 new titles annually. This decision was made to focus on fulfilling outstanding pre-orders, optimising projects, balancing resources, and refining our overall strategy. Of the three titles announced, two were collaborations with ININ, aligned with their digital release schedules. The third was a Speed Run, a preview of our updated approach: it was offered only after production, and was done and shipped in time for release, just days after orders were placed.Our priority remains delivering on past commitments, and this more controlled approach ensures we can continue to do so while moving forward sustainably.The company has no plans to cancel any pre-orders and refund customers for any outstanding titles, saying that they "will continue to release open pre-orders in 2025 to ensure that everyone still waiting for a game finally receives their physical edition."Image: Strictly Limited GamesIt's a fraught and frustrating situation exacerbated by a lack of clear communication, which seems to be a common theme with boutique physical publishers looking to build a reputation and brand by highlighting successes, all the while running into problems which are underplayed or go unmentioned until they're called out. One customer we spoke to wished to highlight what separates their personal experience with Strictly Limited from other firms.I think like most people, all I want are the games."SLG were a really good place to buy physical games from. I've got at least a half dozen from them previously and I always got them decently quickly. It feels strange that they've gone from being pretty good to pretty terrible so suddenly while outwardly looking and behaving exactly the same."The change in business approach and the stated intention to clear the backlog by the end of 2025 suggests that Strictly Limited now has its hands on the wheel, at least, even if customer communication continues inexplicably to be a struggle.As we head into the third month of the year, fulfilling all outstanding orders in the next 10 months strikes us as an ambitious target, based on the evidence to date. With customers' patience wearing thin, the proof will be in the pudding come Christmastime.Image: Strictly Limited GamesOur thanks to everyone who responded for this piece. Let us know below your personal experiences with Strictly Limited Games, and if you're one of the people waiting for production to start.Share:00 Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo Is Discontinuing Gold Points, One Of The Switch's Best IncentivesNoooo, don't do it!Nintendo Highlights Four Brand New Games "Coming Soon" To SwitchMarch is going to be an exciting monthHands On: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition - A Decade On, Mira's Still Got ItA Skell of a good time