Amazon preparing digital market assault

Global online retail giant Amazon could be preparing to square up to both the leading figures in digital distribution and browser based gaming, according to a prediction from one analyst.

"Amazon postings indicate upgrades coming to video game site," Lazard Capital's Colin Sebastian wrote. "Our periodic checks of job postings uncovered a search by Amazon in the video game category to help implement a new digital distribution platform.MCV UK

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They'll never beat out Steam.rcignoni

They'll beat Steam in the first month.

They'll never beat out Steam.rcignoni

It's Amazon. I am sure they have a fair chance.

[QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.Hexagon_777

It's Amazon. I am sure they have a fair chance.

Plus Amazon is more broader and well known to the market. Could actually stand toe to toe.

This will be very interesting

[QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.Baranga

They'll beat Steam in the first month.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"][QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.Zanoh

With Amazon now looking into digital distribution, other large retailers will soon follow. Digital distribution may finally reach the masses.

i think i'll stick with all my steam games and valve games and weekly discounts

[QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.Baranga

They'll beat Steam in the first month.

[QUOTE="Baranga"][QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.adamosmaki

True, but Amazon is known and trusted by the masses. It may take a while but I am sure Amazon will provide sufficient competition for Steam and its kin.

This is great news. I've already bought a few XBLA games on Amazon (because I didn't have the dump points card), and it works great. I'll look forward to other kinds of digital distribution.

DD wont take off fror the mainstream for about 7 years

maybe 5

[QUOTE="adamosmaki"][QUOTE="Baranga"]They'll beat Steam in the first month.Hexagon_777

True, but Amazon is known and trusted by the masses. It may take a while but I am sure Amazon will provide sufficient competition for Steam and its kin.

Where are all the collectors that always say "The day gaming goes fully digital is the day I quit gaiming!" and other such nonsense? We've already had a few gamers speak up. Time to hear from some collectors.

they already have been doingr really good in casual games space. I just hope that if they launch their own software it will include the whole Amazon content...I want the client to be able to play games as well as give me access to Kindle ebooks

Will be interesting to see the pricing, at the moment I can pick up a boxed PC game from amazon uk much cheaper than in Steam or other DD services. I wonder if there will be some sort of price unification with their physical and digital copies, would seem strange to sell the physical copy cheaper. And will they also be involved in console DD, covering all platforms could push them past Steam.ManicAce

I hadn't thought of Amazon doing console games via digital distribution as well. I can't wait to see what they will bring to the market! :D

would seem strange to sell the physical copy cheaper. .ManicAce

This weird situation is already happening with ebooks, when often hardcover is cheaper than ebook

[QUOTE="ManicAce"] would seem strange to sell the physical copy cheaper. .AdrianWerner

I assume it's due to a current lack of competition on the digital distribution front, correct?

Will be interesting to see the pricing, at the moment I can pick up a boxed PC game from amazon uk much cheaper than in Steam or other DD services. I wonder if there will be some sort of price unification with their physical and digital copies, would seem strange to sell the physical copy cheaper. And will they also be involved in console DD, covering all platforms could push them past Steam.ManicAce

They already are doing console DD. But I think Amazon might be cheaper. They always have good deals.

[QUOTE="AdrianWerner"][QUOTE="ManicAce"] would seem strange to sell the physical copy cheaper. .Hexagon_777

I assume it's due to a current lack of competition on the digital distribution front, correct?

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"][QUOTE="AdrianWerner"]Strange? yes. But it will happen. The only way to avoid it would be to raise the prices of physical copies. This weird situation is already happening with ebooks, when often hardcover is cheaper than ebookAdrianWerner

So why do stores have a say with physical stock but they don't with digital stock?

here come the steam fanboys..

here come the steam fanboys..mD-

Hence why I put this thread in System Wars. :D

here come the steam fanboys..

mD-

Steam 4 life!!! 8)

I don't think i would want to buy from Amazon simply because I love Valve too much.

[QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.Baranga

They'll beat Steam in the first month.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

[QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.Zanoh

It's Amazon. I am sure they have a fair chance.

Plus Amazon is more broader and well known to the market. Could actually stand toe to toe.

I love steam btw, but if anyone can compete, it's amazon...

DD wont take off fror the mainstream for about 7 years

maybe 5

Zaibach

Steam sucks.

Amazon will totally walk all over Steam's lunch, and take a huge hot turd on the faces of valve.

[QUOTE="AdrianWerner"][QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]I assume it's due to a current lack of competition on the digital distribution front, correct?Hexagon_777

So why do stores have a say with physical stock but they don't with digital stock?

Plus...DD is still weak market wise compared to stores,they just have much bigger push when it comes to negotiations.

With DD only Apple has so far been able to enforce the price change they want. Amazon once did for ebooks, but then Apple came and undermined Amazon position enough for publishers to once again start to charge absurd prices

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"][QUOTE="AdrianWerner"]not really, it's publishers who set up thed prices, so no matter how much competition there is between DD stores the prices won't changeAdrianWerner

Plus...DD is still weak market wise compared to stores,they just have much bigger push when it comes to negotiations.

With DD only Apple has so far been able to enforce the price change they want. Amazon once did for ebooks, but then Apple came and undermined Amazon position enough for publishers to once again start to charge absurd prices

I am sure something similar could be implemented for digital products, however. There are loads of different pricing strategies to utilise and with digital distribution on the horizon, retailer and publishers will have to do some thinking on what the best way to sell a good via digital distribution is.

Amazon would annihalate steam

[QUOTE="Zaibach"]DD wont take off fror the mainstream for about 7 yearsmaybe 5imprezawrx500

Same here. :o

The slow BRD drive that the PlayStation 3 has would have never been a problem if you could download the games. Games also wouldn't be as large as people think because assets wouldn't have to be multiplied numerous times in order to compensate for the slow BRD drive. Reliability and durability of the PlayStation 3 would increase as well due to it encompassing less moving parts. You could also boot all your games straight off the HDD and would never have to get up, take the disk out, put it in its case, open another case, take the disk out, put the disk in the PlayStation 3 and sit back down. That also means you wouldn't have a load of cases cluttering your room. Good stuff.

I already use Amazon for all my physical copy gaming needs, it would be cool if they could just cover the digital market again.

They'll never beat out Steam.rcignoni

[QUOTE="rcignoni"]They'll never beat out Steam.xsubtownerx

i think i'll stick with all my steam games and valve games and weekly discounts

88mphSlayer

No reason to be a fanboy. If Amazon provides a better service at equal or lower cost, why wouldn't you switch? Why not wait and see what they have in store before making your decision. I have 2k worth of Steam games and I'd STILL consider it.