Game Retailers Hurting Themselves With Digital Distribution

GameBiz recently had the chance to speak with Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock, about pricing and distribution within the games industry. Wardell follows up a bit on the Demigod piracy fiasco from a few days ago, and mentions that retail outlets may be on their way out. "Retailers need to be careful about this stuff. They're kind of signing their own death warrants once they push digital distribution at the store. Once you have the thing set up — once you've experienced how to purchase the game or deal with it online — why would I go back to the store for the next purchase? Especially if the store isn't providing added value. If you're a retailer, you're killing yourself. If I can't get a game off Impulse, I'm going to Steam. I like stores, but I'm really lazy."

Comments

Yes

[Anonymous Coward]

I would like to date you. But I have this Jurassic Park roleplay thing. I have to be Dennis Nedry, and you have to be either John Hammond or Timmy. It's usually a pretty big turn-off to the guys, so I wait until someone is interested in me before I bring it up now...just shoot me an email, and let's talk about this!

Also, I wrote a poem about us. What do you think?? :)

Do you know what it is to be an outsider
on the other side of the fence?
How alone you would feel, if excluded you were.
Does it make any sense?

Can you imagine the isolated soul
with no-one in sight to hear
the cries and the tears that your heart would shed,
and the constant, looming fear?

Can you see in your mind the life of a man
without anywhere to belong?
Because a society judged him unworthy,
because they think they're right, and he's wrong.

Try and imagine the pain that you'd feel,
with sneers and hateful words, and spit at your heels.
What would it be like if the gates were locked;
you couldn't get in, and you couldn't get out?

Imagine the feeling that you're worthless,
some dirt that's been stepped on by someone's uncaring shoe.
Perhaps at that point it's too much for your heart,
and you take your own life, to stop it hurting you.

Imagine this world, for maybe a minute,
after that you can stop; you don't like it, sure
but there are people who go through this every day,
and they can't stop it, unless they're no more.

So when you hear of hate, bigots and death,
don't side with haters, cause that's how you've been bred.
Imagine how it is, or was for that guy,
the one that's hurt, or lying dead.

So imagine the feelings and memories too,
of people oppressed, hated, abused;
Of people who lived outside of that fence
and what they came to - does it make sense?

See ya later this week, I hope!

--ScuttleMonkey

If only there was something that gave more info

[Chuck Chunder]

Perhaps something like a linked article!

Fuckwit.