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I and my friend had a talk about this today. I usually like DD, and he's traditionally a fan of retail, but he's been liking DD more lately. It's really because of all of the great games that are available through DD that would never be sold at retail. I don't think retail sales of PC games will be completely gone in a year, but I think it's pretty obvious they will fall.
For 1C, a smaller publisher of mostly overseas games, this is likely true.
For major publishers though this is a loooong ways off, even on PC. Which is a good thing, because with boxed games you have a lot more ownership and control than with digital sales (try playing your Xbox Live games someday if the service shuts down, or if MS decides you can't).
I imagine Best Buy type retail will get smaller and smaller for ALL games as digital sales take more of a hold, but Amazon and the like will still sell them for years and years to come. Personally I like Telltale's method, digital releases which have the option of a physical package later on if you want to pay shipping.
For major publishers though this is a loooong ways off, even on PC. Which is a good thing, because with boxed games you have a lot more ownership and control than with digital sales (try playing your Xbox Live games someday if the service shuts down, or if MS decides you can't).
I imagine Best Buy type retail will get smaller and smaller for ALL games as digital sales take more of a hold, but Amazon and the like will still sell them for years and years to come. Personally I like Telltale's method, digital releases which have the option of a physical package later on if you want to pay shipping.
most analyst predictions when it comes to PC gaming are most of the time... incredibly off probably because they do not know how PC gaming works.
WOOOH! 1C yeah! Battlefront rules!
*ahem* anyway, I think battlefront had the right idea, a combination of mail shipped hard copies ordered online with an instant down loadable version being available simultaneously - so you get the lower prices and convenience with the added security of a permanent physical copy. 2011 is probably too early but the man is right, games in general are getting digital, which imo is a very good thing provided we can have a system that has security for the long term (like steam games being able to be backed up to a hard disc for example)
My only problem with down loadable distribution is the EA/Apple model with limited downloads and installs - the the constant threat of having to re purchase a title because your old system broke - thats the worst case scenario.
If we're gonna go totally digital, we need;
- Infinite number of re-downloads and re-installs without penalty
- Games attatched to an account that can be transferred between systems infinitely
- The ability to back up install files to a physical medium
- Offline capability to run games (steam sucks at this)
*ahem* anyway, I think battlefront had the right idea, a combination of mail shipped hard copies ordered online with an instant down loadable version being available simultaneously - so you get the lower prices and convenience with the added security of a permanent physical copy. 2011 is probably too early but the man is right, games in general are getting digital, which imo is a very good thing provided we can have a system that has security for the long term (like steam games being able to be backed up to a hard disc for example)
My only problem with down loadable distribution is the EA/Apple model with limited downloads and installs - the the constant threat of having to re purchase a title because your old system broke - thats the worst case scenario.
If we're gonna go totally digital, we need;
- Infinite number of re-downloads and re-installs without penalty
- Games attatched to an account that can be transferred between systems infinitely
- The ability to back up install files to a physical medium
- Offline capability to run games (steam sucks at this)
As long as digital continues to be Steam-quality or better, I am completely OK with this. Boxes are nice for consoles, but I don't care for them on PC, since I don't need to constantly switch discs.
I doubt hard copies will completely fade out any time soon, let alone by 2011, but I couldn't care less if they did.
I doubt hard copies will completely fade out any time soon, let alone by 2011, but I couldn't care less if they did.
Pff, I made my PC games in the front of the store and they still don't sell. Well actually they do, but plenty of customers who do buy PC games will get it through digital distribution since they know it's there. If they aren't as computer savvy as the former, then that's when I'll see them come in shopping for computer games.
console make game devs go bankuprt proof is here
http://www.develop-online.net/news/33622/Study-Industry-hit-by-11500-layoffs-since-late-2008
Study: Industry hit by 11,500 layoffs since 2008
New research also tallies ‘record number of studio closures’
The global game industry has been hit by as many as 11,500 job losses since late 2008, a new study suggests.
Research by entertainment analyst group M2 Research says that “the final count for layoffs since the economic meltdown in late 2008 reached 11,488 worldwide, with the majority of the losses coming in 2009.”
The study has identified staff redundancies from 95 individual studios, adding that 52 of the affected studios were situated in the US.
M2 adds that the majority of layoffs come at “studio level”, with QA staff often being the first to go.
The analysis group adds that 2009 saw a ‘record number’ of studio closures, including 3D Realms (pictured), various Midway studios and EA’s Pandemic Studios.
http://www.develop-online.net/news/33622/Study-Industry-hit-by-11500-layoffs-since-late-2008
Study: Industry hit by 11,500 layoffs since 2008
New research also tallies ‘record number of studio closures’
The global game industry has been hit by as many as 11,500 job losses since late 2008, a new study suggests.
Research by entertainment analyst group M2 Research says that “the final count for layoffs since the economic meltdown in late 2008 reached 11,488 worldwide, with the majority of the losses coming in 2009.”
The study has identified staff redundancies from 95 individual studios, adding that 52 of the affected studios were situated in the US.
M2 adds that the majority of layoffs come at “studio level”, with QA staff often being the first to go.
The analysis group adds that 2009 saw a ‘record number’ of studio closures, including 3D Realms (pictured), various Midway studios and EA’s Pandemic Studios.
With all the shitty to mediocre games that 1C publishes, I'm pretty sure that there is a reason they don't end up with high sales in brick and mortar stores. Then again, it's not like a lot of people are going to buy their shitty games through Steam/D2D. They might buy their few decent/good games though, rare as they may be.
Darryl Still's a fuckwit; he was a BS-spewing imbecile when he was in charge of Atari UK back in the day, and he's still talking toss now. I wouldn't even bother taking anything he says with a pinch of salt, because you'd need one the size of Gibraltar. The guy deserves only two words: "piss off".
PC gaming especially has been gearing towards this for a while
but come on, the feeling of owning a physical copy of a PC game is why people still buy the cased copy and it will never die out(probably)
but come on, the feeling of owning a physical copy of a PC game is why people still buy the cased copy and it will never die out(probably)
I love digital distribution but then again I am not a packrat and am willing to admit to myself that once a game gets shelved its chances of getting back off the shelf are next to none. Less clutter in my life is something I can get on board with. Also I have not bought a physical copy of a PC game in probably some five years, Steam and it's tricky ways have gotten many a purchase out of me lately though. It's just too damn convenient.
I am a long time console gamer who just got back into PC gaming via Steam (during the amazing sale over the holidays). I really like their distribuion mehtod and I am thinking about checking out some other sites like Direct 2 Drive and GOG.
Not going to happen that fast! What is the ratio for 2009's PC game sales...something like 83% of sales were for the boxed copy. this change will be slow and most likely result in a good chunk of the AAA's retaining a boxed copy. Until they cave in and make your purchased licenses resell-able, I will always by the box copy so I can unload it on Amazon to get some of my cash back on titles I'll never visit again.
frankly i download every PC release i want through illegal channels, usually before the official release date, then buy a boxed copy when it's released. if DD was my only purchase option, i'd probably just stick with the illegal copy.
lack of a physical product doesn't justify piracy, but since i'm always going to get a digital copy one way or another, it feels like i'm handing over money for something i already have. i honestly like to support developers by buying games, but lets face it, i can have my cake and eat it so a hard copy does tip the scales.
lack of a physical product doesn't justify piracy, but since i'm always going to get a digital copy one way or another, it feels like i'm handing over money for something i already have. i honestly like to support developers by buying games, but lets face it, i can have my cake and eat it so a hard copy does tip the scales.
@ Psycho Terror
Oh come now, that's hardly even a B.S. justification, that's more like "yeah I'm a horrible person, oh well."
Put some effort into it.
Oh come now, that's hardly even a B.S. justification, that's more like "yeah I'm a horrible person, oh well."
Put some effort into it.
1C is one of the largest game companies in the entire world, dudes. They not only develop and publish the vast majority of Russian developed games, but also run all the game stores. They're like EA and Gamestop combined. Try to be a little less dismissive over shit you're completely ignorant of, @ other commenters
Now, it is kind of odd that a spokesman for 1C, which is a company that primarily makes PC games, and also runs brick and mortar game stores in Russia, would be saying PC's going all digital in 2011 because of brick and mortar stores negligent to the market. I can only imagine the quote's poorly translated and he's talking about Western markets. It would also explain the whole "Digital age to start in 2011", considering it STARTED with the release of Half-life 2 in 2004.
Now, it is kind of odd that a spokesman for 1C, which is a company that primarily makes PC games, and also runs brick and mortar game stores in Russia, would be saying PC's going all digital in 2011 because of brick and mortar stores negligent to the market. I can only imagine the quote's poorly translated and he's talking about Western markets. It would also explain the whole "Digital age to start in 2011", considering it STARTED with the release of Half-life 2 in 2004.
Interesting to read how my interview about UK retail has been translated across the pond. Guess there are lots of similarities. And thanks Redeye for your kind comments. Not sure we have ever met, but I am sure you are qualified to make such comments based on a job I had 15 years ago! I love you too man!
In any case. Some clarification is probably needed. The timeline of Q1 2011 is the tipping point at which I estimate more than 50% of a publishers revenue will come from download sales, NOT the point in time where you will not be able to find a PC box in a Best Buy store. Remember also that we get around 3 times more revenue for a digital sale than we do for a box sale, so this is also not saying that download sales will be as numerous as boxed sales. It is the tipping point where far sighted publishers will consider one method of distribution as more influential than the other.
Some analysts have quoted 2013 and that may be accurate for all games, but my point was, if we have to wait until 2013 for PC downlaod sales to overtake boxed, then the way retail is stocking PC now, the platform will be in big trouble.
Can I recommend that any interested party reads "The Long Tail" by Chris Anderson for a little research on the subject.
Can I also recommend that those people who are dissing our games take a look at the two Kings Bounty releases and the Men of War games to get an idea of the quality games for proper gamers titles that is coming out of our studios these days. If you prefer your horror or FPS, you may also find Cryostasis and Necrovision to be excellent value at the current 12.99 pricepoint.
In any case. Some clarification is probably needed. The timeline of Q1 2011 is the tipping point at which I estimate more than 50% of a publishers revenue will come from download sales, NOT the point in time where you will not be able to find a PC box in a Best Buy store. Remember also that we get around 3 times more revenue for a digital sale than we do for a box sale, so this is also not saying that download sales will be as numerous as boxed sales. It is the tipping point where far sighted publishers will consider one method of distribution as more influential than the other.
Some analysts have quoted 2013 and that may be accurate for all games, but my point was, if we have to wait until 2013 for PC downlaod sales to overtake boxed, then the way retail is stocking PC now, the platform will be in big trouble.
Can I recommend that any interested party reads "The Long Tail" by Chris Anderson for a little research on the subject.
Can I also recommend that those people who are dissing our games take a look at the two Kings Bounty releases and the Men of War games to get an idea of the quality games for proper gamers titles that is coming out of our studios these days. If you prefer your horror or FPS, you may also find Cryostasis and Necrovision to be excellent value at the current 12.99 pricepoint.
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