The only official note I've read about the maintenance is this (that does not necessarily mean it is the only official note about it):

16 - 17 - 18 - 19 How many days do you count?

It was not. The £5 or $5 or whatever was an advance payment for pre-order, nothing else. You have not payed anything extra for early game access, those who buy the game on tuesday after official release will pay the same sum, depending on which version they choose to buy.

kthxbai!

It's not their fault if you and others get upset without reason. "I don't care if they do exactly as they have said all along that they will be doing because I wanted them to do it differently."

Why join a guild if you know before you even have started playing that your fellow guildies will not help you? In my world being in a guild is all about playing together and helping each other.

The CE game code can be entered now if you have it already. I and many more have the code and have registered it. I assume that I will have access to the CE store in early game access but I can not know for sure until I get the invite and can begin playing.

Since I have already received the CE box I have entered the product registration code in addition to the pre-order code. I do not know if that means that the CE shop will be open for me in early game access or if it will open on official launch day (I haven't received my EGA invite yet so there is no way to tell for me yet). Apparently those who have entered the game and have registered the game code have the other in-game extras such as training droid so I see no reason why the CE shop wouldn't be open already. I will know when I get my early game access invite.

When you receive your physical copy of the game there is a registration code included in the package. You won't need it until the official release date 20 December so don't worry, you can still play in early access.