20k is a small figure compared to the total number of units the game has sold since its release in January (at least 1.6 million units). However, EA is able to make a greater profit off of direct-to-consumer sales. The digital release of Burnout Paradise is quite late -- we're certain it would've done even better were it to have launched simultaneously with the retail release.
Still, digital distribution has many hurdles to overcome. For many, digital distribution isn't a viable means of acquiring games, due to slow connection speeds or bandwidth caps. For others, the lack of packaging far outweighs any other potential benefits, like launching from the hard drive and lessened load times. As the industry progresses, it's clear that publishers will continue experimenting with digital distribution.
