Gamers shun stores for downloads

Hades · 26 Sep 2010 at 23:13

Doesn't surprise me. I walked into Game a few days ago (I don't buy many games now anyway - 41 years old now!) and there was a small PC section tucked away in the corner. It felt like the days of the dying Amiga.

SkeeterUK · 26 Sep 2010 at 23:18

Of course online downloads are far better. Customers have to get the games somehow, there is booger all in shops for PC anymore. One shelf max out of the whole store in most places.

SeraphX · 26 Sep 2010 at 23:22

Ravenger said:
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.

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.

agree with both of these.

Evilsod · 26 Sep 2010 at 23:23

SkeeterUK said:
Of course online downloads are far better. Customers have to get the games somehow, there is booger all in shops for PC anymore. One shelf max out of the whole store in most places.

*shrug* people complain about Steam prices but seem to forget how much of a rip off places like HMV and GAME are. They might be a great place to pick up a few ancient games like 3 for £10 but there will always be the internet and there will always be online stores.

SkeeterUK · 26 Sep 2010 at 23:26

I myself like to grab games online because of price but if im in town and saw a game of equal price or cheaper and i had the cash on me at the time id probs buy in the shop.

Personally i miss the mid/late 90s where most shelves were pc titles in really nice big boxes. DVD cases killed buying pc games imo for me at least. Nowt better than having a big boxed pc game. Felt like it was gona be epic when opened up and played which most times it were.

trentlad · 26 Sep 2010 at 23:45

strang3r said:
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.

Click to expand...

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.

Are you serious? I think you're completely missing the point, the resale factor alone is enough to quash your statement.

Tefal · 27 Sep 2010 at 00:05

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

I don't think so, there's too many people wanting a pice of the pie to divy up a small subscription between them.

Tefal · 27 Sep 2010 at 00:06

trentlad said:
Are you serious? I think you're completely missing the point, the resale factor alone is enough to quash your statement.

except publishers are doing their damnedest to get rid of resale value as to them it's piracy.

I like digital as it means i never have to worry about losing dis/damaged disks as i have a unlimited web based backup.

Tombstone · 27 Sep 2010 at 00:11

I'm not surprised really, I haven't bought a game from my local store for years now. I don't buy all that many games and I frankly am too lazy/can't be bothered to take the time to go to a store. Combined with good broadband speeds now ( I'm on 50mb and will up to 100mb as soon as virgin offer it) it means that I can just go online, pop in my card details and download and play the game 20mins later.

All just much more convenient for me.

Spektor · 27 Sep 2010 at 00:21

Considering NPDs incredibly sketchy history in basically how it only gathers data from a few major high street retailers, a couple of online retailers and nearly no digital distributors there is no relevant past data to compare with at all.

barmyllama · 27 Sep 2010 at 00:46

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

There are more methods of subsciption than monthly fees.

STEAM® SUBSCRIBER AGREEMENT

This Steam Subscriber Agreement ("Agreement") is a legal document that explains your rights and obligations as a Subscriber. Please read it carefully.

1. REGISTRATION AND ACTIVATION.

Steam is an online service ("Steam") offered by Valve Corporation ("Valve").

You become a subscriber of Steam ("Subscriber") by installing the Steam client software and completing the Steam registration. Additionally, as a Subscriber you may obtain access to certain services, software and content ("Subscriptions") available to Subscribers. Conclusion of this contract between Valve and you takes place as soon as you access the Steam service after accepting this Agreement.

Unless you are a Licensed Cybercafe Operator (as defined below), this Agreement does not allow you to exploit the Software or any of its parts for any commercial purpose including, but not limited to, use at a Cybercafe, computer gaming center or any other location-based site. A "Cybercafe" is a physical establishment in which computer stations are made available for use by customers. A "Licensed Cybercafe Operator" is a Cybercafe that has agreed to the Subscription Terms for Licensed Cybercafe Operators posted at http://store.steampowered.com/cybercafe_agreement/.

Each Subscription allows you access to certain services, software and other content under the terms of each such Subscription and this Agreement. Additional terms provided with each such Subscription ("Subscription Terms") may apply to the use of a given Subscription, and are incorporated into this Agreement. Further, additional terms (for example, fees and billing procedures) may be posted on http://www.steampowered.com or within the Steam service ("Rules of Use"), and are incorporated into this Agreement. As a Subscriber, you agree to all of the terms and conditions of the Valve Privacy Policy, which are also incorporated into this Agreement. A copy of the Valve Privacy Policy can be found at http://www.valvesoftware.com/privacy.htm.

When you complete Steam's registration process, you create a Steam account ("Account"). Your Account may also include billing information you provide to us for the purchase of Subscriptions. You are solely responsible for all activity on your Account and for the security of your computer system. You may not reveal, share or otherwise allow others to use your password or Account. You agree that you are personally responsible for the use of your password and Account and for all of the communication and activity on Steam that results from use of your login name and password. You may not sell or charge others for the right to use your Account, or otherwise transfer your Account.

trentlad · 27 Sep 2010 at 01:00

Tefal said:
except publishers are doing their damnedest to get rid of resale value as to them it's piracy.

I like digital as it means i never have to worry about losing dis/damaged disks as i have a unlimited web based backup.

Tefal I like you mate. I need to add you to my steam, you've got Rob-RX7 on your list and I grew up with that lad.

I see what you mean and couldn't agree more. I paid good money for many games and used to keep them in a CD booklet. I lost a few disks by getting a tiny crack in the inner part of the CD and you've lost the entire game as soon as that cracks.

So if I loose a game in that manner, a game that I've paid for with my hard earned cash then I'll download it and carry on playing it with my legally purchased serial. There's nothing wrong with that and you've got no worries about loosing games that you've paid for.

trentlad · 27 Sep 2010 at 01:03

barmyllama said:
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.

Jeez that's actually quite awful.

dmxdex2020 · 27 Sep 2010 at 01:40

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.

Thats your opinion. I prefer boxed games.

pingwing · 27 Sep 2010 at 01:57

Rose tinted glasses on the games boxes there... On the one hand I do appreciate having a big box and a full game manual, for example I got civ 5 this afternoon and couldnt get the special edition that had this which has made trying to alt-tab out the game to read up the manual a bit frustrating...

But realistically steam and download services are much more helpful at distributing and keeping the game up to date. I take FM10 as an example, when the patches came out for that on pc my mate who has it on pc got them installed and just didnt even realise it, but for me to play it on my mac side it was all things I had to sort out my self (and then fix when it randomly stopped working for a weekend). Ultimately steam and digital downloads is just more sensible at maintaining the games, just lacks some stuff to pick up

neoboy · 27 Sep 2010 at 02:02

Guessing most publishers welcome this movement as well, not only does it solve their problem of DRM (well to an extent) but completely squashes the second hand market which they have been trying to do for years now. It also gives a lot of smaller publishers a platform they can use for distribution, we have already seen boom of many small developers after launch of Steam.

Personally I'm starting to see myself shift towards the digital side as well, I recently cleared out a lot of my older games because I simply didn't have space for them anymore. I always used to use the "no CD" patches too so there's another bonus for me. Of course having access to a stable and quick cable connection means I can enjoy Steam and the like in full their glory, my only issue is price of new releases.

Those of course have nothing to do with the distributors and set by Publishers but nevertheless in a lot of cases they still prove uncompetitive compared to retails options. Games Valve release seem quite competitive compared to others with 4 packs offers and discounts so hopefully as shift towards digital becomes more mainstream, others will follow.

Another possible issue I can see is that the delivery market is quite uncompetitive and Steam seems to dominate by a considerable margin, however, at the moment that's not a major concern for me as they appear trustworthy enough. Then again one can never know what may happen if any of the big faces leave in the future or even if the company goes public on the market. Those hostile take overs could be by any of the big companies including Activision. Then again that's a scenario to ponder on in the future as I doubt whoever owns the shares right now would consider selling them as I can imagine they are sitting on a goldmine right now.

Tefal · 27 Sep 2010 at 02:58

trentlad said:
Jeez that's actually quite awful.

No he's referring to the bog standard fact that all software you "own", you don't, you have it on license.

trentlad said:
Tefal I like you mate. I need to add you to my steam,

Slightly creepy non sequitur there...

you've got Rob-RX7 on your list and I grew up with that lad.

who?

Evilsod · 27 Sep 2010 at 07:07

barmyllama said:
There are more methods of subsciption than monthly fees.

Yeah cos that is totally the same thing everyone is referring to when they mean 'subscription service... :rolleyes:

'Wes · 27 Sep 2010 at 08:39

I purchase whichever is cheaper tbh.

wnb · 27 Sep 2010 at 09:57

I was looking for a new release the other month and I did the tour round the usual game shops. The sellection of pc games was pitiful, Asda did not stock pc games any more and niether did my local Tesco. The game shops were overpriced and I ended up waiting a few days to get it online.