Gamers shun stores for downloads

afraser2k · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:14

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11397504

US sales of PC games via downloads have exceeded shop sales for the first time, suggest figures.

In the first six months of 2010, 11.2 million full games for the PC were bought online compared to 8.2 million physical unit sales, said NPD Group.

Something most of us probably already realised though it looks like it might be due to things like Steam deals or other special offers, or that PC gamers are looking for cheaper deals online than going through high price retail? More interesting though is that overall sales were down by 21%.

sam16dec · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:16

Not surprising

Jokester · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:17

This'll ultimately lead to a subscription model I fear.

Shamikebab · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:22

ahem *pc* gamers.

Ravenger · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:29

sam16dec said:
Not surprising

Also not surprising when high street retailers have essentially stopped selling PC games, mainly because they can't sell them second hand like they can with console games.

It's no wonder digital sales are up when you can't actually buy the games on the high street.

Semiskimmed · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:29

Jokester said:
This'll ultimately lead to a subscription model I fear.

ive been worrying about this for a while too :mad:

Podmonkey · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:42

It went from bog boxes to small boxes to wheres my box?!?!

Will always prefere solid copies. Just like having something for my money.

strang3r · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:49

Podmonkey said:
It went from bog boxes to small boxes to wheres my box?!?!

Will always prefere solid copies. Just like having something for my money.

I never really understood that. A game is something you play on your PC or console rubbish. When your playing the game your not looking at the box.

I have over a hundred games on my steam account, if I imagine a 100 or so boxes stacked up in the corner then it depresses me.

This is the future, there is no need for hard copies making the place untidy.

Evilsod · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:54

Jokester said:
This'll ultimately lead to a subscription model I fear.

Meh, i don't think thats anything to do with download popularity. After all just because people want to download there games doesn't mean they want to pay twice as much over time.

chaotic_uk · 26 Sep 2010 at 20:56

not supprised tbh , my local game's pc section is a joke

Lunatic Dreyfus · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:22

Evilsod said:
Meh, i don't think thats anything to do with download popularity. After all just because people want to download there games doesn't mean they want to pay twice as much over time.

Something along those lines has been said about DLC. Still people line up.

All it'll take is for someone brave enough to experiment with a mass market AAA sequel and that'll be the beginning of the end.

strang3r said:
I never really understood that. A game is something you play on your PC or console rubbish. When your playing the game your not looking at the box.

I have over a hundred games on my steam account, if I imagine a 100 or so boxes stacked up in the corner then it depresses me.

This is the future, there is no need for hard copies making the place untidy.

Would this make you consider spending less money on games? I suppose it's in The Man's interests to make it so convenient, or to stop you trying to flog 'em second hand.

Tombo · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:30

The Man

Stromatolites · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:34

Went into my local store the other day to look for a few games I was after, and the PC section of the store was 3 feet long and five rows high. Where as there was a wall for Xbox, another wall for pre-owned xbox games, and then another wall for PS3....

barmyllama · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:34

Jokester said:
This'll ultimately lead to a subscription model I fear.

Already there.

Steam customers are subscribers.

Apparently it makes it a lot easier to shut down the service without compensation and gives you a lot less in the way of consumer rights.

Mahnsikir · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:42

RPS did a piece on these figures a week or so ago.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/20/magic-numbers-downloads-bigger-than-retail/

Points out the methods used by NPD are relying solely on statistics, not sale numbers and also questions what things were considered in the survey, like if such things as indie games bought direct like minecraft or the whole facebook /farmville area were looked at at all.

So yeah while the stats are probably more right than wrong, who knows what they've missed out or how correct they really are.

Kenai · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:45

barmyllama said:
Already there.

Steam customers are subscribers.

Yes, that'd be what that £15 a month subscription payment is... oh wait.

Glaucus · 26 Sep 2010 at 21:48

Jokester said:
This'll ultimately lead to a subscription model I fear.

I doubt it will be exclusively subscription. I imagine it will turn out to be much like mp3 and and video. Either buy it out right or for £x a month can say have 3 games installed at any one time.

Podmonkey said:
Will always prefere solid copies. Just like having something for my money.

You may, but most people don't care, just look how few hold on to music cds and how many now download.

Podmonkey · 26 Sep 2010 at 22:10

strang3r said:
I never really understood that. A game is something you play on your PC or console rubbish. When your playing the game your not looking at the box.

I have over a hundred games on my steam account, if I imagine a 100 or so boxes stacked up in the corner then it depresses me.

This is the future, there is no need for hard copies making the place untidy.

Works the other way for me. If my whole collection of games was just a bit of software with 0 feel of ownership (in my opinion) all dependant on a company running a service in order to retrieve it (if not backed up) then that depresses me. It feels more like renting than purchasing - not to say I refuse to use download services but I generally look for a hard copy first.

Its not always the best way (patching etc) but I like the artwork, I prefere the instructions in a book (rarity I know but some actually had some thought put into them) and I prefere to have my favourite games on my shelf in this form rather than a small pice of writing on my c: drive.

Each to their own, I will follow as the times change but doesnt mean I like the direction its going in.

chaotic_uk · 26 Sep 2010 at 22:38

Podmonkey said:
Works the other way for me. If my whole collection of games was just a bit of software with 0 feel of ownership (in my opinion) all dependant on a company running a service in order to retrieve it (if not backed up) then that depresses me. It feels more like renting than purchasing - not to say I refuse to use download services but I generally look for a hard copy first.

Its not always the best way (patching etc) but I like the artwork, I prefere the instructions in a book (rarity I know but some actually had some thought put into them) and I prefere to have my favourite games on my shelf in this form rather than a small pice of writing on my c: drive.

Each to their own, I will follow as the times change but doesnt mean I like the direction its going in.

well said

eekfek · 26 Sep 2010 at 22:46

buying PC games retail stopped when Microprose did, there was a mass sigh of relief from forrests all around the world !!

we have no need for boxed games, it's less things to dust...