Retail is doomed if it doesn't go digital.

"Now you've shown that the industry won't stand up to you, everyone else can copy this practice," he wrote on his website. "Let me go make you exclusive content, let me advertise to send buyers into your store, let me pay to put standees and posters everywhere, so you can sell them used games and stab our industry in the back."GamesIndustry

Read the full article here.

Yet another article discussing the demise of retail and how digital distribution is the future. Is this a sign that developers are seeing the light? Are developers feeling threatened by Toys R Us dipping its toes into the pre-owned videogames market or by Amazon entering the pre-owned games market? Is this why Capcom is trying to lead in digital distribution or why digital distribution is to rule in the next year or two?

So many questions! Will you be able to answer them all? :o

You've been on the digital front lately haven't you?

If all games are 20 dollars cheaper and they come out with a 100 TB drives for next gen systems im down

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

BioShockOwnz

You've been on the digital front lately haven't you?

If all games are 20 dollars cheaper and they come out with a 100 TB drives for next gen systems im down

Animal-Mother

It's just too good to ignore. Furthermore, it's "next gen" and that's what System Wars wants and cares about, right? :P

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

Animal-Mother

Yup, I'm very passionate about my collector "status". :P Once I can't have a hardcopy, I'm through.

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"]

You've been on the digital front lately haven't you?

If all games are 20 dollars cheaper and they come out with a 100 TB drives for next gen systems im down

Hexagon_777

It's just too good to ignore. Furthermore, it's "next gen" and that's what System Wars wants and cares about, right? :P

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

BioShockOwnz

Yup, I'm very passionate about my collector "status". :P Once I can't have a hardcopy, I'm through.

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

For PC gaming, sure. Consoles for now and maybe even next gen and some time are going to have to creep into Digital Distribution. Since today's technology would mean it'd take FOREVER (Especially on PSN) for games to download and install and be played on. I'd be down for DD but it won't come anytime soon for consoles I'm sure. It probably would start with handhelds first....yoshi_64

Digital distribution has already begun on consoles and it will have an even greater presence next generation. Perhaps all games will be distributed digitally the generation after.

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

TX360

Oh, I sure would. No doubt whatsoever.

[QUOTE="yoshi_64"]For PC gaming, sure. Consoles for now and maybe even next gen and some time are going to have to creep into Digital Distribution. Since today's technology would mean it'd take FOREVER (Especially on PSN) for games to download and install and be played on. I'd be down for DD but it won't come anytime soon for consoles I'm sure. It probably would start with handhelds first....Hexagon_777

Digital distribution has already begun on consoles and it will have an even greater presence next generation. Perhaps all games will be distributed digitally the generation after.

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"][QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

BioShockOwnz

Yup, I'm very passionate about my collector "status". :P Once I can't have a hardcopy, I'm through.

So it's more about collecting for you rather than gaming? :?

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"] Those are some strong words for somebody who play almost every game ( or at least the vibe i get from ya)Hexagon_777

Yup, I'm very passionate about my collector "status". :P Once I can't have a hardcopy, I'm through.

So it's more about collecting for you rather than gaming? :?

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"] Those are some strong words for somebody who play almost every game ( or at least the vibe i get from ya)Hexagon_777

Yup, I'm very passionate about my collector "status". :P Once I can't have a hardcopy, I'm through.

So it's more about collecting for you rather than gaming? :?

Nope. It's both.

What the hell? Retail isn't doomed if it doesn't go digital. If publishers want to stop supporting the used games market, they should send the bulk of their product to national chain stores that DON'T buy back games.

Sell your game through Walmart, K-Mart, Target, Circuit City (oops, lawlz....), Best Buy, etc. After that, persue new opportunities to sell your games. Sell them directly through your website, or put them on Steam. Forget Gamestop and EB Games. See how long they last without your product to sell and resell.

It's not like the customer's getting shafted. The games cost the same at Walmart as they do at Gamestop.

I rather own the hardcopy of the game. But if the games goes down $ 20 bucks in price I'm kind of down for DD.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

Yup, I'm very passionate about my collector "status". :P Once I can't have a hardcopy, I'm through.

BioShockOwnz

So it's more about collecting for you rather than gaming? :?

Nope. It's both.

How would the latter suffer from going digital? I understand how you might feel about not having anything physical to touch or look at when purchasing a game digitally but buying it digitally still gives you the same game. You are just getting the data through different means.

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

So it's more about collecting for you rather than gaming? :?

Hexagon_777

Nope. It's both.

How would the latter suffer from going digital? I understand how you might feel about not having anything physical to touch or look at when purchasing a game digitally but buying it digitally still gives you the same game. You are just getting the data through different means.

Not paying for anything that's not on a disk, with a few exceptions from steam.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

Nope. It's both.

Animal-Mother

How would the latter suffer from going digital? I understand how you might feel about not having anything physical to touch or look at when purchasing a game digitally but buying it digitally still gives you the same game. You are just getting the data through different means.

That. And I don't feel safe spending thousands of dollars and not having anything to show for it. An emailreceipt doesn't give me much peace.

Like I said, I have a 1TB in my ps3, so I think sonys ready for it and they have been pushing it lightly and I think the prices they give are great. 360 is nowhere near ready for itAnimal-Mother

Doesn't PS3 have a 2.5" drive bay? Since when do they have terabyte 2.5" drives?

Sorry but I prefer having hard copies of my games so that I can resell them and stuff you know. You can't say, "oh snap look at my collection on my HDD" :roll:

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"] Like I said, I have a 1TB in my ps3, so I think sonys ready for it and they have been pushing it lightly and I think the prices they give are great. 360 is nowhere near ready for itHolyknight_CJ

Doesn't PS3 have a 2.5" drive bay? Since when do they have terabyte 2.5" drives?

I'd rather have physical copies that takes up physical space thank you very much.

[QUOTE="Hexagon_777"]

[QUOTE="BioShockOwnz"]

Nope. It's both.

Animal-Mother

How would the latter suffer from going digital? I understand how you might feel about not having anything physical to touch or look at when purchasing a game digitally but buying it digitally still gives you the same game. You are just getting the data through different means.

Steam, on the other hand, has a much better system, doesn't it? Gives the user a lot more freedom when compared with what Sony is doing currently.

This is a little off topic, but do any of you see consoles in the future using digital distribution as a replacement for BC. I mean you can download games now on PSN for example from the PS1. Do you think they will just eliminate BC to save cost, and then offer full game library from the previous generations. I know that would piss a lot of people off cause they would have to rebuy a game they may already have a hard copy of. This thought just came to my mind while reading this post. Do you think this can or will happen, or something similar to this?

Digital distribution is the future I envision for the video game industry but let's be realistic, it has a very tiny marketshare right now and so it won't take over in a year or two.

I see this becoming much more popular by next gen.

By the 10th gen some companies would probably sell their games exclusively as downloads.

It should become the dominant form of selling games by the 11th gen.

Let's be realistic there my friend, not everyone who plays has internet right now. So in 2 years I don't expect much changes, except for the fact that it's getting more popular every years.

You've been on the digital front lately haven't you?

If all games are 20 dollars cheaper and they come out with a 100 TB drives for next gen systems im down

Animal-Mother

[QUOTE="Animal-Mother"]

You've been on the digital front lately haven't you?

If all games are 20 dollars cheaper and they come out with a 100 TB drives for next gen systems im down

Mckenna1845

I honestly think digital distribution wont ever take over retail fully. People like going to stores and having hard copies of games. Like me.

[QUOTE="Mckenna1845"] this, to have the box and manual removed with no reduction in price is a joke. Thats why i only buy deal games on steam, as they have most new games for retail price. lebanese_boy

yeah that would be if they get a reduction, but buying off steam gives no advantages at the moment, might as well buy it in a store or online and get a box, manual and the opportunity to resell for free.

thats the main reason for hard copies, resale values, no more trade ins would suck, it would force me to buy only games worth the full value. If i bought a crap game, i'd know i've lost like £30, whereas if i complete a retail game quickly i can resell it for 15-20.

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

BioShockOwnz

I hope everything goes digital one day. You might not get a hardcopy anymore, but just think of how much material and waste it will save the planet from. We only got one earth, why pollute it with unnecessary things?

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

BioShockOwnz

Untill they invent a way of sending cash through the internet, I'm sticking with retail.

[quote="GamesIndustry"]"Now you've shown that the industry won't stand up to you, everyone else can copy this practice," he wrote on his website. "Let me go make you exclusive content, let me advertise to send buyers into your store, let me pay to put standees and posters everywhere, so you can sell them used games and stab our industry in the back."Hexagon_777

Read the full article here.

Yet another article discussing the demise of retail and how digital distribution is the future. Is this a sign that developers are seeing the light? Are developers feeling threatened by Toys R Us dipping its toes into the pre-owned videogames market or by Amazon entering the pre-owned games market? Is this why Capcom is trying to lead in digital distribution or why digital distribution is to rule in the next year or two?

So many questions! Will you be able to answer them all? :o

I am NEVER one who buys into the "DD is the future" hype. I have said many times before that people hyping up DD are playing into the hands of internet providers just looking for an excuse to further restrict, control and gauge for internet access. I have also said many times how the only people i know personally who hype DD are people who steal everything (movies, music, digital books, tv shows, etc) and therefore won't be supporting DD regardless of whether it becomes the future or not. So why do they care.

This is the first time I've heard the arguement about ending used game sales...and it is probably the best and smartest arguement yet. THIS is a totally legitimate and honest point. DD taking off would kill the used game market.

I'm still not sure I totally believe it, though. People who buy used games are clearly looking for cheap games to buy. They don't want to pay full retail price, which supposedly retail STORES barely make any money off anyway. So if developers want to attract the "cheap" gamer audience, then they are going to have to have sales or drop the price of games. And if developers are willing to sell the game at a break-even point, or even a loss, then are they really gaining anything? Is this really getting them some sort of benefit they didn't already get from people buying used games? I don't think so. I think the only way this arguement works is if developers are able to make money off cheap games or game sales.

Just out of curiosity, do you people who seem so adamant against DD for games use MP3s or own iPods? Because you dorealize that it's the exact same thing, don't you? Just wondering.

there will be big problems. like imagine if halo 4 comes out at 24:00 and 7million users go to download it the server will crush at 00:01 .

also consoles must remain simple and casual friendly,many people dont have online availability. you buy a console and a game and put it in and play,you dont want to wait for a download..... .(thats why i dont like installs on consoles too.they should be optional)

also why is retail doomed if it doesnt go digital?i think sales are great right now for good games(and casual ^%$#^% like wii fit).so you want basically for the companies to have lower production costs?heck they are gaining tons of money and most dont deliver nothing,those that deliver get their sales.the only good games that sell bad are jrps .

i want my collection too and console gaming shouldnt change.catridge-dvd -blue ray -yellow ray i dont care as i can go buy it ,hold it in my hands anxiusly till i get home ,put it in my console and beat the cr$@% out of it

You've been on the digital front lately haven't you?

If all games are 20 dollars cheaper and they come out with a 100 TB drives for next gen systems im down

Animal-Mother

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

BioShockOwnz

So sad. I cna't say I'd keep gaming if my only option was DD. I need to be able to rent and sell games.

But if it does happen, it'll take quite a few years be fully adopted.

The day all games go digital is the day I quit gaming.

hAhA i have been using DD for ages and will continue,even for 360 and Wii well sort of :P

Only hardcopy games worth owning are those you will play for years an years IMO,BTW reseling and renting this gen is cousing mayor losses to devs and publishers as gsme development costs increase and the recesion makes renting and buying used games a main option for more and more people.

Also I just love my old PC games big cardboard boxes and really miss those :cry: