Maybe, maybe not.  A lot of games get shipped before the release date.  For instance, when Dreamcast came out, several games were supposed to be released on 9/9/99, but the stores got them in a day, two, or even three ahead of time.  So, Anthony, here's some thunder back:

(I know this is not a photo of thunder.  You all know what follows lightning, so use your imagination.  I bet the thunder here was pretty freaking awesome, since that lightning probably burned a city of 10,000 evil men and women to the ground.)