EA: 40% of game sales digital, NPD becoming less relevant

this is interesting. It seems that at least for EA that digital distribution is taking off like a storm. Now Im curious to know if this 40% also includes PC gaming because we all know that digital distribution is the main way many pc gamers get their content. I just hope they dont try to charge you the same amount for a digital copy as a disc copy like Activision did.

Makes sense to me.... I buy most of my new games through Steam these days, it's just way more convenient.

For instance I just today bought Dragon Age 2 off Steam, it took me about half an hour to download and install, when you consider that the closest brick and mortar video game store to me is around 20 minutes away, I would have to spend at least 40 minutes round trip driving JUST to buy the game, not to mention the time waiting in line, paying, and installing the game when I get home.

Digital distribution is fantastic.

Eh, until we get to a point where most game players can download a game faster than it would take them to drive to a store to buy it AND on an affordable broadband service... retail isn't going anywhere.

The only reason I'd get a digital release over a physical one if it is significantly cheaper (i.e. some of the crazy-good deals on Steam).

Maybe I'd be more in favor of digital distribution if I actually felt like I OWNED the game (and not just a "license" to play said game that the publisher could revoke at any time). At least I know when I buy a Wii/PS3/360 game disc, I know that I can keep playing it until the day the disc breaks. A digital game? That could be made where I can't play it if my Internet connection is down (see: a couple of Capcom's PSN releases, some of Ubisoft's PC releases, etc.).

Until broadband services become faster (and cheaper) and the digital market becomes a bit more pro-consumer, retail games aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I read that as "40% off games, digital" then clicked.

Now, I'm sad.

@Sktrut
to go to Commenter Hell.

Physical Media will always have its place.

Had to be said.

NPD: NBD.

Yes EA, almost half of your sales are from digital-distribution, now how about a 40% off all games sale on Steam to celebrate? : D

"40% of EA Games sales are crappy mobile games"

FIX'D

Was this just game sales or does this also include DLC? I'd be surprised if it were just games.

"[EA] feels NPD rankings are decreasing in relevance..."

Don't tell that to video game blog commenters.

Now all we need is Neilson to realize that people watching a show's new episode RIGHT NOW does not make up the show's audience.

NPD has always been becoming more irrelevant. NPD themselves have even been decreasing the amount of information they allow outlets to provide.

If I'm not mistaken, NPD doesn't even track all retailers, one of them being Walmart. That's a significant portion of the market.

This definitely needs to be said for the people who keep insisting that PC gaming is "dying" because retail sales are taking a plunge. Fact of the matter is, digital distribution is taking the PC platform by storm, and the vast majority of sales come from Steam, GoG, GamersGate, Impulse, D2D, etc., and I'm pretty sure none of them release sales figures (I know for a fact Steam doesn't, but I'm not sure about the others 100%).

At the same time, though, it's saddening to see EA trumpet the triumphs of digital downloads when at they same time they're turning right around and charging $60 for digital games, even though the cost of distribution is way, way lower. I love Steam's sales because they give me games for dirt cheap, and thus I don't mind not getting a printed disc on a case with manual, box art, etc. because...well, it's DIRT CHEAP. But I would never buy anything digital over $20 for that reason, and I most DEFINITELY won't buy anything full price ($50-$60). At $60 especially it's just a ripoff. If companies are saving a great deal by doing digital distribution I fully expect them to pass at least SOME of their savings to the consumer.

They also forgot to mention how PC Could become their biggest platform, which was one of the bullet points EA brought up when they were discussing This. Good job with the lousy coverage, Joystiq!

Good thing NPD is becoming irrelevant, cause paying to see the data is ridiculous. So now I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything by not seeing the numbers.