Amazon launches casual game download service
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 3rd 2009 at 9:00AM } 
We spoke with Greg Hart, vice president of video games and software at Amazon, who explained that the digital distribution service evolved from the company's acquisition of Reflexive late last year. He stated that the service does require downloading a client (think Steam), but that the 3MB application isn't invasive. When asked if we'll be seeing bigger (less casual) games available, he expressed that the company would have to see how things go during the beta first.
If you decide to give the service a try, be sure to let us know how well it fares. Us? Well, we'll give it a shot as soon as we finish looking at these CDs, books, DVDs and infrared toaster ovens. Gosh, there's a lot of stuff on this website, you know.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Follisimo @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:20AM
I can get some of this stuff cheaper on my phone. Sounds lame to me.
PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:28AM
Well I dont see this lasting that long, especially not with Steam being around. they would have to offer MORE than just those casual games, although they will most likely get quite a few of those casual PC gamers.
Monkeydog @ Feb 3rd 2009 12:37PM
Just like AmazonMP3 hasn't lasted long because of iTunes?
PSN: Aggie_CEO @ Feb 3rd 2009 12:49PM
thats different
FraGNeM @ Feb 3rd 2009 4:03PM
Good point, Monkeydog.
Amazon cannot be ignored. They can be highly competitive, especially on price.
And I have no worries about the "invasiveness" of Amazon's required download client, since their MP3 downloader works better than expected -- it actually launches only when called and closes after completing, like any good software should.
TravisO @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:03PM
Like it or not, these casual games like Bejeweled or Cake Mania will outsell in numbers (but maybe not dollars) Steam games.
Maverick Saturn @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:50AM
Its worth a shot, especially considering Amazon is used quite a bit by buyers not only to get thier daily items but to buy DD music etc, games are just another feature really
Tez @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:50AM
People dismissed their MP3 service, too. This is going to be a win for Amazon. This isn't targeting the kind of people who read Joystiq; that's what Steam does. This is for everybody else.
jesus007 @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:06AM
i agree. Think of all the traffic amazon gets a day. i would say that most of those people have no idea what steam is and would gladly drop a few dollars on some of these games.
These casual games might just be the next be thing for them
Tez @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:36AM
Exactly; and once they build up a solid model on these lightweight games, Amazon could eventually be distributing 'big' titles digitally.
And I'd be okay with it. Steam (for whatever reason) does not like my computer, or vice versa. And Amazon won me over when they started selling DRM-free mp3s for less than iTunes did at the time.
Andazeus @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:59AM
I would also be carefull in dismissing this too early.
While Steam certainly set the mark for the core market, Amazon casual aproach actually might be a good idea. For just under 10 bucks and not requiring a killer pc, this is just what many people look for: a few hours of simple fun, no strings attached.
And considering todays production and licensing cost for the core market, selling a million casual games is probably just as lucrative as selling a million core games, although it might not set of as much publicity.
Jody Anthony (gamertag and psn: JodyAnthony) @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:01AM
forget Google, Amazon is my internet king.
Tez @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:41AM
Amazon is an insane success story. God damn maniacs started with BOOKS. Just books. Now look at'em.
They also have the smartest logo ever created.
Zorink @ Feb 3rd 2009 2:08PM
I never noticed that in the logo until now - the arrow goes from A to Z, neat.
deanb @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:33AM
Well it appears to be US only. bummer.
ScottG13 @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:49AM
Amazon has a huge reach. More exposure for casual developers is a good thing. I sent this to my mother. I'm sure she'll like The Scruffs.
Joe Alanis @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:54AM
it would also be good to know the numbers in the developers´ side. How much of this goes to paying them and how much does Amazon get?
Our company thinks that its great, since as the distribution channels grow, then we´re in better position.
This one is expensive compared to the iPhone as Follisimo says... But it is still another option and will improve the market competitiveness.
Deck @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:15AM
This is probably going to do really well. Though I would expect them to stay to this more casual market. It wont be for anyone who uses steam, but for people who download random small games here and there.
I love the Amazon MP3 download service, and it works really well. If this is anything like that, I'd imagine they've got a potential hit on their hands.
RageOverdose @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:18AM
Well, I just bought Crusaders of Space 2, which is an old school arcade aircraft shooter. Haven't played it yet though, just went through the whole process of getting it. It was $6.99 too.
It's thankfully really easy to get products. The client is small and it downloads the games pretty fast. They ask for a computer to download to, so I'm figuring you can download these games from anywhere and have them put on your gaming computer, assuming it is on and connected to the Internet.
Once it downloads, it goes straight to the installer. Easy as hell, which is good so casual players won't have to mess around with any tape.
Now, on to see if this shooter is really as hard as it should be.
Jay Voorhees @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:22AM
I prefer buying my DLC with wii points, then its easier to ignore how much all those donkey kong country games actually cost me because i'm too content with my Wii to hook up my SNES again
Haggard @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:28AM
Once I was in GAME, and they had a copy of Jewel Quest with a price sticker over the 'el' part - causing my sister to look worried and whisper anxiously at me.
True story.
Courtney @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:51AM
More competition is better. I would be surprised if Amazon doesn't find a way to make this work well for them.
rushtodeath @ Feb 3rd 2009 4:54PM
God I love Amazon...
I have amazon prime... it's like anything I could possibly conceive of shipped to my house in two days... next day delivery on games is usually less than buying the game at retail with sales tax.
t_m @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:35PM
Seems like a good idea, though right now i have no way to work out which games are good, and which suck.
For now i think i'll spend my 5-10$ on games at GOG, at least that way i can have an idea of the quality of games I'm buying.
But once it shakes down and there's a way to sort the gold from the dirt, it might be worth a look..
Michael Gabriel @ Mar 4th 2009 8:29AM
Amazon's growth is really amazing and now that they are venturing into this game download service, they just might end up as an online equivalent of Sears. I can get free games from other websites, though, but at least other people will be able to conveniently download any of their 600 games for less than $10. You can access my blog about their new offering here "a href = "http://www.thefinestwriter.com/blog/?p=328"> here