Report: UK new game boxed sales down 18% in 2009

while i feel good about sticking it to GameStop, at least when its a physical media i have the chance of selling it used. Digital Distribution means only one thing to me. once you buy it, you can never sell it.

once this happens i will be a lot more conservative with my "new" purchases.

If you discourage game creation and sales, then sales go down. Who would have predicted this?

All I ever noticed in the UK is that the game stores have been reducing the retail space for PC games over the years and increasing it for the console market.

That and PC games in store can be at least 1/3rd the price extra than bought from an online store (and I don't mean digital distribution).

In my eyes that was the first knocking block to stores when online shops such as play.com came onto the scene.

Now? Digital Dist' is smashing the price down even more; why should I pay £40 for Left 4 Dead and it's sequel when I can pre-order it online for 10% off as a digital distribution, and even then it's stating the RRP is more like £30. Or pay for it in store when online stores sell it for £20?

Retail stores have been fighting a losing battle with PC games for a few years and now it's just hammering harder. It's why stores such as GAME are now trying to do digital distribution too (www.game.co.uk) but even then, their prices are higher than Steam and I think they're trying to just go on reputation.

Shops might just end up as PR market stalls at this rate. "Bought it online sir? bring it into the shop we'll refund or replace it for you when it's ordered in, sorry sir you need to shop online if you want to order more or you can arrange to have it picked up from here"

It's getting that way; just the older generations who prefer facial contact are still around.

you know whose never going to go full on digital distribution?

Nintendo.

Gamestop may become a ninendo only store at some point but i assure you gamestop has at least another 10 years before Nintendo goes digital.

It's interesting that Wii games took a hit because their install-base has continued to rise much faster than both Microsoft's and Sony's combined. Does that mean that the attach rate for the Wii is quite low?

That wouldn't be too surprising to me seeing that the Xbox 360 and PS3 cater to the hardcore crowd.

Does the UK "Gamestops" have better price than the US. ones?The US. Gamestops have skyrocket-priced new and used games.....