P2P Solutions To Legal Game-Related Downloads?

[TASF]Overkill writes "As 'P2P' slowly becomes a synonym for 'illegal', the perfectly legitimate and still very useful capabilities of P2P emerge. Modifications, demos, trailers, and other game-related files are typically downloaded by a lot of users all at once, something that kills the client-server setup of most websites. Game Philez is using Gnutella, ED2k, and G2, to help users avoid the long lines at other download sites, and helping to ensure that P2P stays useful, even for the DMCA-fearing citizen." With legal game-related BitTorrent solutions like FileRush and GameTab also out there, is P2P a viable alternative to the subscription download services?

Comments

P2P was synonymous with illegal from the get go.

[Meat Blaster]

I'd argue that it's only now that it is making the slow climb to legitimacy, where one can argue with a straight face that it isn't just pirates using it.

BitTorrent is the best business argument for not banning the concept of P2P outright; it's a far better distribution model than having your customers visit FilePlanet and sit in line to grab a patch or demo for your program. I very much think that BitTorrent-style distribution is on its way towards broad acceptance, provided that authentication of the file contents and (in the event of commercial content) of the user's payment for use the file is easy and ensured... and FurtherNet is a good demonstration that both should be possible.