Sony launching two games in stores and on PSN simultaneously in Japan

Sony may be experimenting with a new retail strategy for their first-party titles, evidenced by two PSP games which will be released in stores and on the PSN simultaneously in Japan this October. Agoraphobic gamers will be pleased to learn that Bleach: Soul Carnival and Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida or2 will both be available via digital distribution on the same day that their respective physical manifestations are shelved at Japanese brick-and-mortars -- better still, the downloadable versions of both games will cost around 1,000 yen (a little over $9) less than their tangible counterparts.

We wonder if Gamestop's recent show of boastful confidence was in response to this seeming victory for the digital distribution business model, or whether Sony's plan just happened to make an inconvenient appearance following Gamestop's announcement -- proving that the gods of gaming retail have a wicked sense of humor.