1C international publishing director Darryl Still is a man who’s not afraid to stick with a date. He sees the beginning of 2011 as the age of digital distribution for PC gaming. Speaking with MCV, he gave the prediction, saying “PC games will be sold completely via digital” when that time frame rolls around.
His reasoning behind such a bold prediction? The lackluster handling of PC games by brick and mortar retailers. “If PC games manage to get listed at retail, then they’re rarely getting any exposure because they’re appearing at the back of the store.”
While Still admits the demand is there, he says “retail is forcing PC games out.” Not only are developers, publishers, and even consumers pushing for increased digital distribution, but according to Still, retailers are helping the cause by providing limited “options for the PC.”
Of course, content providers like Steam, Direct2Drive, and Impulse, to name a few, aren’t perfect either. “The issue is we don’t know which ones will succeed and which ones won’t.” But with consumer-friendly bonuses like cheaper game prices — especially when retailer’s needs aren’t a concern — and added convenience, it seems like we could be a lot worse off.
Boxed PC games market ‘gone by 2011’ [MCV via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
