Stardock CEO: Retailers killing themselves with digital distribution

The thing about that is with the ridiculous points systems consoles have is that it is often cheaper to go to a store and buy a points card than it is to just buy the game straight through the console. Thus giving me the worst of both worlds, DLC with the download waiting time and real world shopping trip.

Charging in real world currency is one reason DD has taken off more on PC.

I may not go to the stores to get stuff anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't window shop when I buy something from the website.

So basically he's saying stores should avoid digital distribution because digital distribution is better than retail stores?

>.>

This reminds me of the one and only email FW I've ever received that I still enjoy to this day, I'll save that gem somewhere until I die. It's something like this, you get the point... http://www.rowthree.com/2008/05/23/van-damme-friday/ Also, I see Stardock, and always think spacedock. Which, is unpleasant.

On topic, I think those be waters that retailers better start testing out. They can't just stick their heads in the sand and pretend this trend isn't emerging and gaining more viability. Blockbuster would've been better served paying closer attention to what Netflix was doing earlier...

Why wait so long to say this? The Lost and Damned came out months ago!

retailers who decide to push digital distribution may then decide to cut costs and reduce the number of brick and mortar stores they have - sucks for employees since they'll lose their job, but for businesses, it's much easier to maintain and cheaper once it's set up.

i don't think retailers will die - they'll just evolve to fit in. plus there's always the argument that gamers want something tangible so the brick and mortar may never go away..

Makes sense. Why would I go to the store to buy a game that requires me to download it? Once I go through that process once, I'll just stick to buying the game online.

Why is he saying this? Because he's pro-industry. He cares less about squabbling and competitiveness and more about the consumer. It's good advice. It's no different than the advice he gives to companies about pirates. If someone doesn't have an incentive to buy your product, why would they buy it? Why would they pay for something that they can get for free?

It's the same thing. Most game companies add in multiplayer, and that's fine... if your multiplayer is worth the price. Stardock makes it a huge hassle for you to get patches unless you have a legit registered CD-Key. That's smart.

"Once you have the thing set up--once you've experienced how to purchase the game or deal with it online--why would I go back to the store for the next purchase?"

Cause I want to have the option of buying - and selling - used! I just bought Turok for $11.50 on eBay after shipping, and I'm looking at Eat Lead for around $20 - which retails for $50. It's often the way I get to try a lot of off-shoot titles that I end up liking more than the majority of gamers. I've liked the first hour of Turok!

I'm about to put up like 4 or 5 games on eBay, as well as my PS3 wireless keypad, and I expect to get over a hundred bucks for it all easily, when I'd be lucky to get $50 at Gamestop, let alone $ZERO if it was digital distribution. The only way to get back some money on digital distribution is to sell accounts, which isn't as easy as listing a physical disk.

On top of all that, I like having my physical copies, thank you. All that needs to happen is some kind of server crash or have my Internet go down and there goes my collection with it.

I would much rather download things then waste gas driving to the store. In addition to that down loads should be cheaper and friendly to the environment as no case or paper inserts are required. CUT OUT THAT GAMESTOP MIDDLE MAN! I say. I support downloads.

If digital distribution catches on brick and mortar retailers will be cut out of the food chain. People that have slow Internet access can order games from online stores.

Steam FTW.

Retail has been dying for a while now in regards to both software and media.

But I like not paying shipping and handling charges on everything I buy.

Also, I like going outside from time to time.

There are two factors that I care about in regards to digital downloads.

The first is download rates. With US telecoms installing caps and keeping us eons behind other nations at internet speeds, our net is slow enough that alot of the time it is just faster to go and buy the thing. And if you are already going to that store anyway or the store is close by, you could have the entire game bought in your possession with no added time to your day. It would take an insanely fast connection to compete with that.

The other is the oldest complaint in the book. No physical copy. I still have all my old NES games, even though it is in need of a new 72 pin connector. No matter what happens in the company, whether nintendo goes bankrupt or takes over the world, it doesn't matter, I have them forever. But with downloadable content, if the company tanks or something, you could be no longer be able to play your game. Imagine what happens to an old game that you downloaded years ago and you reformat. You go back to renew it on your new machine and... it's not there. They ended support for it and whipped it clean. Oops. I still like that no matter what I have physical copies of my games.

I prefer a physical copy but Stardock are doing something that suits me fine.

You can download online and they mail you the pshyical copy. Hope others will pick this idea up.