An elephant never forgets, and neither does Level-5 apparently. After originally being slated for release all the way back in 2018, football RPG Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is actually coming out (for realsies!) on November 13.
Presumably under full confidence in its original release date, the developer held a giveaway around seven years ago for a lucky group of gamers to win a copy of the game when it launched. The giveaway went live, winners were picked, and all was good.
And then the game got delayed to May 2019. And then again to 2020. And then again to 2021. In a sign of remarkable foresight, Level-5 then skipped a year to delay the game into 2023. And then, uh, it got delayed into 2024 before being delayed into 2025. It actually got pushed back again earlier this year—twice, in fact—shifting the release from June to August, and finally to next month.
With the November release date here to stay, Level-5 hasn’t forgotten about those who were bestowed a copy in its giveaway all those years ago. As reported by Automaton, winners have been sent a letter from the developer with their prize and a nice side heaping of apologies for the wait.
[速報]7年前に当選したイナズマイレブン届くいつもお前は遅いんだよ！ pic.twitter.com/sg4BFhPjOCOctober 30, 2025
One winner posted a snippet of the letter to X, with Automaton translating part of it as: “We deeply apologise for the significant delay in sending out the prizes for the Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road giveaway” along with instructions on how to redeem the game once it’s out. A machine translated follow-up from the original poster reveals that they were “still in elementary school” when the giveaway happened, and now “about to become a high school student”.
Another X user also shared their letter, writing: “My daughter was in fourth grade when she won, and she’s a high school sophomore now lol”. The passage of time is terrifying, etcetera etcetera.
As somebody who says she’ll do something and then immediately forgets once another task presents itself, I have to admire Level-5’s commitment to fulfilling its giveaway duties. Hopefully the seven-year wait was worth it for those who’ve been eagerly awaiting Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road’s release. It’d be a bit of a bummer if the game was naff, eh?
It’s impressive to see that Level-5 is honoring their commitment after so many years. It’s a great reminder of the excitement that comes with giveaways, even if they take a bit longer than expected. Kudos to everyone who finally gets to enjoy their prize!
Absolutely, it really shows their dedication to their community. It’s rare to see such a long-term follow-through in the gaming industry, and it speaks volumes about their integrity. I wonder how this will impact their reputation moving forward!
You’re right! It’s impressive how Level-5 has maintained their commitment over such a long period. It also highlights the evolving nature of game development and how companies can sometimes face unexpected challenges. Fans who have waited so long must feel a mix of excitement and nostalgia now that they’re finally receiving their prizes!