Just two days ago I switched back to DSL after a brief foray into the world of really slow apartment cable internet, which made it nearly impossible to download the 12.59 GB Age of Conan beta installer. I finally got the file downloaded yesterday with speedy DSL goodness, just in time for the whole thing to end. In my desperation, I ran out to GameStop to snag a preorder so I could at least get into the early start of the retail version.
No dice. Sold out. Funcom had to cut things off because of the logistics involved with having too many people trying to download a 12.59 GB file all at once. It might tick some folks off, especially those that preordered the game and didn't get the code, but look at it this way...you saved $5.
Needless to say, if you haven't preordered your copy of Age of Conan yet, you aren't going to be playing until the game launches in the middle of next week, so you can spend your entire weekend wondering how far those damn early birds are getting in the game while you...I dunno, log in to World of Warcraft and halfheartedly stab at murlocs. I'm right there with you.