In an acknowledgement of the growing popularity of digital distribution, GameStop has announced that it will begin offering digital downloads at its stores starting in early 2010.
According to a Reuters news story, the downloads will focus on online console games using Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. GameStop cutstomers would be able to purchases available levels for their favorite games at the store and have them available when they got home.
Speaking at the BMO Capital Management Digital Entertainment Conference, GameStop COO Paul Raines said he doesn't see the market for full-game downloads as fully viable yet, but that "the add-on download market will grow."
The Reuters story speculated that these type of downloads will help publishers through this recession:
These additional payments may be a key driver of revenue for publishers and retailers in the video-game industry, which has seen slow overall growth amid the tough economy. The idea is that consumers are more likely to pay to enhance beloved games than they are to experiment with unknown new games.
GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo said he expects the company to have a strong business next year because of the impending release of some high-profile titles.
Comments
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Frankly the only way I can see this working is for the stores to offer:
~Codes to download the DLC. (For people who don't like giving their CC info on the net)
~Disks sold with DLC on them. (Less likely because it eliminates the reason DLC is so useful for publishers and devs, but good for consumers with no internet connection or network at home)
~Promotional DLC like the preorder promotions they have now.
Overall this is just GS trying to remain relevant in a market that is slowly but surely leaving them behind. 50 years from now (More likely less but I like to be somewhat pessimistic in my predictions) owning a game on a disk will seem odd, sort of how owning a game that you only downloaded and don't have a disk for seemed odd about 5-7 years ago.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Hopefully GameStop won't totally go to digital download & NO game discs. Some of us (me) do not have wifi or a wireless acct or wireless net. & not on any of my game consoles either. It sucks. But oh well. The first commenter up top, has a point. But what your console doesn't have, the other console will have. If you know what I mean as in digital download. Idk if that makes sense. It does to me, but then you would have to have the other console to download & if you don't have it, what's the point in even buying a digital download when you don't have that console. Wow......a round about way...lol.
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Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Oh god no....
I dont want to geta assualt rifle from GameStop then a shotgun from Amazon
Never underestimate the power of idiots in large amounts.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Can't wait to get lectured on the importance of preordering DLC. Just wait. It will happen.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Oh this is just FANTASTIC. <sarcasm>
We already have console exclusive DLC, we already have "pre-order" exclusive DLC. Now we're going to have "Console Exclusive, retailer exclusive DLC."
How long until we see "Grand Theft Auto VI DLC exclusive to 360/PS3 available for purchase ONLY through GameStop"
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
We already have retailer exclusive content, particularly pre-order bonuses. The only on I can think of off the top of my head is dragon age:
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/retailer-exclusive-dragon-age-pre-orde...
Actually I think the sims may have pulled this crap as well at some point, special cars and the like. So far it's all been pretty meaningless; an extra item doesn't matter crap in single player games and the missions are all available elsewhere. Don't think it wont get worse though :(
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
D2D had its own DLC too. A Dalish promise ring, and a memory band which granted some stat bonuses/sta regen and a 1% xp increase respectively. Kinda worthless really, 1% doesn't make any significant difference at all.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Well the market is evolving, hopfully in a few more years we will have 3 main types of DLC bonus(for speffic or any console/pc), game(for any console/pc) and exclusive sold directly by M$/$NIN$/$ony. What I hope to see is more DLC that can be sold by most any online vendor this will open up more compentision and lower prices.
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Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
My biggest worry is the idea of "exclusive" DLC that does anything more than cosmetically change the game.
I don't want GameStop or Wal-Mart being the ONLY place you can get the "ultra-power, amazing, 1 shot kill everything..." multiplayer weapon. Unfortunately, I see that happening in the near future.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
I believe I read something about the upcoming MAG game for ps3 having retailer exclusive DLC. I don't know much more than that, but I bet its just for appearances. I read it from the link on the psn network "whats new" section I think. Apparently if we preorder it within the next few days (till the 20th I think) we can get into a beta for it, as well as get the DLC.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Yeah, it has new skins if you order from Game Crazy. If you order from Gamestop you get the BETA which (from what I read) is almost the entire game.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Well thats kinda happening now, I'd like to see less exclusiveity and more options from DLC...
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
---
http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Well they need to get thier feet wet mabye this will spark MS or PSN to to sell digi stuff to GS so they can sell it down to the masses....mabye its to early for it but damn.... it would be a good thing if mroe palces than amazon sold live/psn stuff...
Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy! Stop supporting big media and furthering the criminalization of consumers!! http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
---
http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Maybe I'm missing something, but why would a customer go to a Gamestop store and pay them to make available levels and add-ons they can get themselves at home through the very same XBox Live or PSN account that Gamestop would be making the stuff avalable on?
This sounds like Gamestop have completely missed the point of digital distribution, which is that you don't have to go to a store at all....
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Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
Good point, but the feeling I get from it is that they are trying to capitalize on the impulse buys at the register. If a person is already in the store getting a game or two, grabbing a few extra digital downloads to round out the purchase isn;t that far-fetched.
I didn't get the impression that they were trying to seriously compete with Steam, D2D, Impulse or other pure digital distribution systems.
Re: GameStop to Join Digital Download Arena
They might offer a deal to get an unlock code cheaper or something. You can trade in games you don't play for money toward the extra content (of course, you could do that anyway by getting a point card or PSN money card).
It is a very limited market though. Maybe if you don't believe in putting your credit card number in a database for XBL and PSN, it might be worth it.