I won't get my Collector's Edition until the 10th, the release DATE. So by the time I get the CD-Key, the game will have gone live at midnight (in the UK). Therefore, although I ordered the CE in June of 2019, it won't be seen as a pre-order, so I won't be able to get the discount on the gear, or any other pre-load benefit.

I hope CDPR is aware of this, but I have had no indication that CDPR talks to GAME or vice-versa!

Has anyone heard anything about this?

CDP is not responsible for the distribution of the physical versions, so they likely won't talk to GAME or any other retailer.

Regarding the discount code, it's probably easier to directly ask CDP or ask in their official forum, not on here. Maybe they should change it to include activations of the game until the code is inactive on the 18th.

I thought this would be the answer. I left the question because I sent a support ticket to CDPR a week ago and haven't heard anything. And given that CDPR CHOSE the exclusive distributor in each market, they are responsible to some degree in my mind!

How difficult would it be for CDPR to make ONE phone call saying the game can ship for a December 9th arrival?!

CDPR could cal but ultimately it's GAME making the decision. Even then it could be postal delays or any other number of things.

I don't remember GAME saying "we've decided the release date is the 10th December 2020". I think it was CDPR that said that. It was also CDPR that decided on the release time. Which for the UK was midnight. A time that is neither the 9th or the 10th. This is all CDPR and little to do with GAME!

Don't remember CDPR forcing you to buy the Collector's Edition. You chose to buy a physical copy and now reap all the benefits and drawbacks of that.
If Covid wasn't happening you can bet there would have been a midnight releases at GAME too. It sucks that we're in the situation we're in, but that's how the world has turned out this year.

That's not an answer "your fault for buying it". Does this mean if a car went through a red light and hit your car damaging it very badly but not hurting you, you would accept the cop saying "well, you decided to drive down this road, so this is your fault!".... CDPR should have taken these problems into account. But they seem to be happy with the money for doing nothing much.

Not what I said. GAME has decided to send it out to you so it arrives on the 10th. My distributor sends out the games so they arrive the day before. I bought this on GoG but a friend of mine says they're getting their CE on the 9th. CDPR set the release date, distributor decides when to send them out.