Video game stamping, printing, logistics

[Corsa]

This has long interested me.

How, where, and when do the big developers handle the mass amount of cd production prior to release?

With the upcoming racing titles not far off, have the initial cds already been stamped?
Where do they do it?
Are they dispersed throughout the world via ocean liners, planes, trains etc?
I've searched the net to no avail, seems to be shrouded in secrecy...
Understandably so.
But, I'm very curious how it's done and logistics involved.

Edit:
No, I'm not looking to ransack a shipment of GT Sport cds, this is more like a "How it's made" TV show.

 

[TJ13]

"How it's made" TV show.

It's much like the "Compact Disc" segment on "How it's made.

Same concept.
Just that it's a game instead of a CD.
(From a quick run on average a CD is 550-900 per hour.)
Of course that maybe just a one line and something.
But you get a few of those
Say like 10 of them.
10*900 = 9000/hr
9000/hr * (Say they do an average day of 8 hours) 72000 a day.
If (GTS sells all their pre-orders of say 5 million.
It will take about 70 days to print 5 million at that rate.
1 million takes about 18 days.
So when going gold (Normally 30 days before launch)
Would do that.

 

[Corsa]

Interesting, 72,000 a day.
So the master copy goes off to the stamper almost 3 months before release, so we might assume GTS was "finished" mid July.
Any tweaks or mods they wished to do from that point on will be downloadable updates, hence the reason most games have large updates when you first fire it up.

 

[Jawehawk]

Interesting, 72,000 a day.
So the master copy goes off to the stamper almost 3 months before release, so we might assume GTS was "finished" mid July.
Any tweaks or mods they wished to do from that point on will be downloadable updates, hence the reason most games have large updates when you first fire it up.

Games usually go gold approximately 1 month before release. Not 3. Games that have a high sales expectation will meet the demand by contracting as many disc production companies as needed. I doubt a game has ever gone gold a full 3 months before release, but of course I can't say for sure.