AUS: Volcano halts games deliveries

Though we’re unlikely to see any delays to the UK’s continental-based video games deliveries unless the disruption continues for far longer, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajkull volcano is causing major disruptions to Australia’s video games supplies.

Much of Europe is currently in the midst of a travel clampdown, with ash spewing from the volcano meaning that air travel has been suspended. As a result, ports are busier than ever, and the longer Eyjafjallajkull continues to spew ash and rock into the atmosphere the worse the situation is going to get.

Konami is the first publisher to speak out on the issue, admitting that its upcoming releases in the territory are facing a delay as the backlog of freight orders continues to mount.

Due to the second eruption of the Iceland volcano and further disruption to flights, our shipment of Wii stock will be delayed,” Konami’s distributor Mindscape told Kotaku.

One of the world’s leading freight forwarders, Expeditors, has advised this morning that, due to the substantial freight shipments that are building up around the world, they are uncertain how quickly the backlog will be cleared.”

Titles whose release dates are in jeopardy include Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Wii), Puzzle Chronicles (PSP, DS) and Karaoke Revolution (PS3, Wii).

Future releases that could be threatened should problems persevere include Scene It? Twilight (Wii, DS), GTi Club Supermini Festa (Wii) and Sports Island (DS).

Image: Daily Telegraph