When is the game launched?

[HEC]

Which means I can't start downloading the game files until then. Yay!

I think they'll let non-beta / non-EA players to login earlier to the client to allow downloading the game data and patches and simply limit joining to servers / pushing play button. It was the same for all previous stages so far. As long as you have your DD active or have already entered the activation code form physical packaging indeed.