TGS 08: Level-5 set to launch digital distribution service ROID

by Majed Athab { Oct 9th 2008 at 2:30AM }

Valve has done pretty well for itself with its digital distribution service Steam and it seems other companies want in on the easy money to be had. Take software developers Level-5 (Rogue Galaxy, Professor Layton) for example who'll be pumping out their own digital downloads with a little something called ROID. Level-5's ROID service targets both PC and Mobile gaming and will launch for Japan in April 2009.

What's most interesting about this service is that Level-5 currently doesn't have any PC-developed or Mobile-developed games in their portfolio. Does this mean they'll be porting some of their older games like Dark Cloud to the PC? Or, are they going to make all new IP in support of the service? While the answer to those questions won't pop up just yet, we do have a little bit more on ROID you can check out. You can distract yourself with photos of the ROID mascot (which is apparently a console transformer) in our gallery below. Also, you can head over to the official website here.

Gallery: Level-5's Roid

Tags: level-5, roid, tgs-08, tgs-2008, tgs08

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

robot boogie @ Oct 9th 2008 2:40AM

more distribution options is great. hope they bring the great games, i like the snes looking controller too...pretty spiffy

ha @ Oct 9th 2008 2:39AM

Yea I've always wanted to run a CYCLE of digital downloads. Hopefully I can make some HUGE gains in the gym!

Einhanderkiller @ Oct 9th 2008 2:50AM

JRPGs on the PC?
^_^

samfish @ Oct 9th 2008 3:03AM

I would buy Professor Layton on my cellphone in a heartbeat. More Layton fun time where ever I go? I'll take eight!

Kia @ Oct 9th 2008 3:31AM

Hate hate HATE digital distribution. -_-

Every time I see a company doing this it makes my blood boil, because it's just one step closer to an all digital market.

Until companies start offering trade-ins or resales, there is no way I'm going to support the death of the secondhand market like this.

Case in point, I just bought Samurai Warriors 2 on 360 for $10, and yet because of this stupid service I have to drop nearly $30 for the stupid expansion kit! It's ridiculous! Fuck digital distribution and fuck every company that gets behind it.

Monkeydog @ Oct 9th 2008 3:55AM

I think you're too pessimistic towards it. The problem with digital distribution at the moment is that there isn't much competition...and companies are just doing it wrong. Look at Steam, which is by far the best way to release things digitally I have ever seen. It's not that expensive, it's not that troublesome, and it actually gives freedom and rewards the consumer.

Plus, digital distribution will never take over the entire industry. Everyone enjoys holding a physical copy of a game they really love. It's just something that really needs to be worked on. And the more companies that do get behind it, the better it will end up being.

Obviously, though, you will never be able to trade in digital games like you used to be. (but if I'm remembering correctly, when the Orange Box came out you were able to give away your old copy to Half Life 2 to a friend) But the thing with digital distribution (when it is done correctly) is that it will eventually just make games cheaper in general, which makes there to be no reason to trade in games since they'd be cheap to begin with.

I don't know, I'm not the biggest fan of digital distribution(although I do love Steam)...I don't think it's ever going to fully take over the game industry, just like it hasn't fully taken over the music industry. It's just something that when done right is a big reward to consumers, and convenient.

You know what, I'm tired, I'm not even sure if what I said makes any sense, but I said it anyways.

aj @ Oct 9th 2008 4:26AM

I second, third, and fourth that notion.

Digital distribution just gives the company control after the product leaves their hands. If I want to re-sell my game, give it or lend it to a friend, install it 36 times on the same machine for some reason, or just use the disc itself as a frisbee, that's my fucking business.

t_m @ Oct 9th 2008 7:07AM

I'm a little torn.

I really regret losing the ability to resell old games.

But, i think digital distribution is awesome. Both Steam and GOG.COM are so convenient. I love having almost instant access to any game i've bought.. and having instant access to upgrades, patches, etc. Personally I think the old way to combat bitorrent is to make legitimate games as convenient as torrented ones.. and that needs digital distribuion.

Plus, digital distribution opens up several cool things.
It makes it possible for independent developers to get noticed.
It makes it possible for us to get older games that we can never find in stores. (Ikagura, Rez, Psychonauts, etc..)
It gives games a chance to gain word of mouth success, rather than failing at retail in the first week and never being seen again. (Psychonauts again..)

If you don't like the no-resale factor then I guess something like gametap might be the answer. (rental rather than purchase). Or something like GOG where the games are SO cheap that it doesn't matter.

Maybe systems like Steam should allow us to "trade back" our titles to the system for 10% of their value in points or something...

ZeroCorpse @ Oct 9th 2008 12:37PM

I got Orange Box second-hand. I play it all the time. I've go no problems at all with it, and it cost me nothing (traded on Goozex).

Of course, that's because it's for the PS3, and there's no "key" or "code" I need to play it. This is why consoles are ahead of the game right now. You won't see an issue like with Spore (limited installs, only one player per copy, etc.) on a gaming console. Eventually, draconian policies on PC games will drive the legitimate buyers to consoles.

All it will take is for a console to allow gaming with mouse/keyboard on everything, and PC games will be history.

A Firetruck @ Oct 9th 2008 3:40AM

though it said rrod for a sec o_O

ill trooper @ Oct 9th 2008 3:45AM

Worst name ever. Run it past your neighbors, or your mailman, your English-speaking distributor, whoever, before you haul off and have the molds tooled!

"ROID."

Just doesn't SIT well, does it?

nighttime @ Oct 9th 2008 5:32AM

people said the same thing about the wii.

samfish @ Oct 9th 2008 10:36AM

Yes, but people want to BE with Wii. It's a feeling of togetherness!

ROID?
Ugh..who wants to be with those awful, miserable little painful things in your ass?

mietha CAG @ Oct 9th 2008 3:46AM

Roid? Seriously? Congrats. Didn't think it could be done. You officially have a name dumber than Wii.

Kamizar @ Oct 9th 2008 4:09AM

This makes me RAGE!

Kye - Me_DF @ Oct 9th 2008 5:36AM

Why does that control pad and white console with a blue, self-loading disc slot look so familiar?

Mr Khan @ Oct 9th 2008 8:12AM

It took me a few seconds to realize that WASN'T a 3rd party classic controller

Kspraydad @ Oct 9th 2008 8:48AM

Actually reminds me of a VAIO.

http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/sony-vaio-tp3.jpg

Saria the Cat @ Oct 9th 2008 5:37AM

Seriously? 'Roid? As in, the most common shortening of "hemorrhoids?" Jesus Christ, and people complained about "Wii." I'd rather hear a name that conjures up an image of a cartoony penis or pee puddle than a bumpy, nasty, diseased ass.

t_m @ Oct 9th 2008 7:08AM

I was thinking of Steroids... but thanks for that image...

Saria the Cat @ Oct 9th 2008 7:38AM

@t_m: I do what I can. I hear "roid" used for steroids just as often, too. :S

ronald.raygun @ Oct 9th 2008 1:04PM

i inject roids into my roids...so there's that

Shagittarius @ Oct 9th 2008 1:25PM

I don't think hemrhoids is a disease...

Saria the Cat @ Oct 9th 2008 6:54PM

@Shag: *sigh*

heyo007 @ Oct 9th 2008 6:12AM

If it actually transforms on its own like it does on the official site, then I'm getting one...just to stare at it transforming all day long. Transformer music blaring in the background on my boombox (kicking it old school) is a given.

ZippyDSMlee @ Oct 9th 2008 6:44AM

Thos that hate digi distro I see where you are coming from take a limited modern product(dumbed down and sold down to the masses) then add bloated prices and restrictions its almost a wonder they are not trying to destroy it.

I like my box art and thats half the price IMO so digidistro as it is is even more less appealing to me on top of I do not do any game that requires to be online all the time unless its a MMO.

But the future of digi distro is bright once they get over OTT and bloated restrictions and prices. When they finally switch to a access based "rental" model(rental as in you can not play it without online access thus they have more control over it thus it should be "cheaper" because of the varied ways to sale it, or so I am told IMO they will gouge full tilt like they always have) prices should halve twice.

So is this a set top setup or a real PC thing? or both?

t_m @ Oct 9th 2008 7:11AM

I really hope the pad transforms into his little friend.. (or his weapon.)

Those sentences both sound more dodgy than i intended.

Anyway, YAY! I'm off to the TGS on sunday!

If any joystiq editors wanted to meet up and offer me a (well paid) job as the joystiq Japan correspondent then I could probably make time... ;-)

Saria the Cat @ Oct 9th 2008 11:55AM

Whoa and I am going on Saturday. :)

AwesomeTown @ Oct 9th 2008 7:19AM

Ok, wait.. yea, it's still October. I thought it was April 1st for a second.

shoan @ Oct 9th 2008 8:01AM

There is one big problem with digital distribution. Way to many people do not have access to Broadband internet in the U.S. I do not begin to think I can speak for the rest of the world. But there are huge huge amounts of people that have no choice but dial up. Then on top of that so many mainstream broadband providers are placing download caps on the broadband services that they sell. Take for instance if you use a broadband connect card for your internet connection through cellular you are only allowed 5 GB a month. There are a lot of people in this area who have this as an only solution. I think Digital Distro has its place but in no way is it ready to take over physical media.