Sony has responded to Stevivor’s requests for an explanation as to why Australian outlets have yet to receive review copies of No Man’s Sky.

“Sony Interactive Entertainment understands that some users may have obtained early copies of the game and the only reason we have not sent out review copies yet is due to a significant pre-release patch currently scheduled for Monday, August 8. No Man’s Sky is an ambitious game and the patch is a culmination of the studio’s day-1 aspirations,” a Sony Interactive Entertainment representative told Stevivor.

“Sending out early copies of the game prior to the patch would not be a fair depiction of the game as it’s intended for consumers. For those users who have obtained early copies of No Man’s Sky, their save progress will not carry over to the final game after the universe has been regenerated for launch.

“SIE stands by the development studio’s vision for the game,” the rep continued. “We request that media and consumers respect Hello Games’ efforts, waiting for official review copies and adhering to the global embargo set for Tuesday 9th August, 04:00am (BST) / 05:00am (CEST).”

Stressing that “Hello Games has a tremendous vision for No Man’s Sky,” the representative confirmed that Stevivor’s copy of No Man’s Sky is now in the post. Being a Melbourne-based outlet, and with copies being sent from Sydney, we expect the game a day after release. Our review will follow after we’ve had suitable time to play and assess the title.

As we reported this morning, outlets in other regions have already confirmed they’ve received review code.

No Man’s Sky is available from 12.01 am AEST tomorrow, 10 August here in Australia. The embargo for the game lifts today at 1.00 pm AEST.