Gamasutra is reporting that Electronic Arts' CEO John Riccitiello said digital sales could offset the sluggish sales of games at retail.
Quote:
Looking at the iPhone market, it's one of many digital arenas to which EA looks to recoup some of the damage from a cash-strapped consumer at retail. "The traditional packaged goods business has been a little challenged so far this year," he says.
"The other end of the world, online games that you download, games you get by the way of iPhone for example, that totally digital business is up so strong that it’s off-setting the challenge we see at retail."
DD will only get bigger. I'm okay with it, if it's structured like Steam. I'm not okay with it when it's structured like DSiWare, which is locked to the ONE DSi system and is nontransferable, barring the system breaking and you send it in and they transfer it to your new system for you.
People who cling to their discs will increasingly miss out on DD-only titles/content.
Digital is good, but when will they sort out release times (same or earlier than the store please), and prices (same or less than the cheapest store please).
Yeah, I know, I am dreaming about the price... but given we get less, at less cost to the supplier...
Wow, are you serious? Check the forums for DA:O... so many people are complaining because physical copies are for sale before steam unlocks... This is pretty common for new release games.
And games at release are almost never cheaper than retail outlets... sure, there might be steam sales etc later, but at release? no.
People who cling to their discs will increasingly miss out on DD-only titles/content.
For me, the best thing about DD is the great titles that would never have existed in a retail only world. Games like the Pixel Junk series (but I'm sure there are plenty of other examples). Given the choice I prefer physical media. But you are right about missing out if you ignore DD.
In case its not already obvious, I am talking about markets outside of the US (yes, they do exist!). It may be better in the US, I don't know.
More often than not games are released via digital distribution on the same day as retail here in the states.
Sometimes the digital distribution releases are delayed though. For example; the release of Wolfenstein (I like 'popcorn' shooters ) on Steam was a while past when it was released at retail. It currently sells for $49.99 on Steam, $34.90 at GoGamer and $39.99 at Amazon.
It is my understanding that we currently don't see better prices at digital distribution portals because publishers don't want to piss off retailers, which still account for the majority of sales on many titles.
It is my understanding that we currently don't see better prices at digital distribution portals because publishers don't want to piss off retailers, which still account for the majority of sales on many titles.
But the march of technology is inevitable. Soon there won't be anything except DD. 'Soon' is a rather vague term of course, could be sooner or later, but it will happen.
FWIW, I was just at a store selling DA:O CE for $379 HKD (48 USD), it was available at least yesterday, maybe the day before.
DA:O CE is selling for $450 HKD (58 USD) on the EA direct download regional store, and was available the day before yesterday.
Steam.... 65 USD for the same product, and my unlock counter still reads 1 day 10 hours.
This is happening in other regions, and the Europeans have been bitching about Steam pricing for a long time. But lets not misunderstand what I am saying here. I am a BIG fan of steam, I think it solves many problems well... and its quite likely that the majority of the issues do not spring about due to Valve (I seem to recall that Valve games do release at appropriate times with, mostly, appropriate prices). None the less, these are currently issues with digital distribution as it stands today.
DD vendors (like Steam), really need to push back on publishers imo. The bricks and mortar stores have made all sorts of demands, and now its time for Steam et el to get pricing parity (or better) and fair release dates/times.
Finally, no, I am really not that cut up about having to wait a few days. Other people certainly are, but my point is just that DD still needs to fix some issues, and isn't perfect (yet). That said... bring it on! I love my steam!
The ultimate "dream" would be one neutral host application, with perhaps a yearly subscription fee (low though, like $10-15) and the ability to purchase the products in any online shop and it would be available in the host application.
) on Steam was a while past when it was released at retail. It currently sells for $49.99 on 
