Amazon Takes Aim at Steam With "Core" Game Downloads

[Tom Goldman]

Amazon Takes Aim at Steam With "Core" Game Downloads

Amazon now offers digitally distributed games outside of the casual realm.

Online retailer Amazon recently added a lineup of "core" games to its digital distribution offerings that should make them more appealing to the hardcore gamer. Amazon launched a casual gaming download service in early 2009 that included hidden-object titles, puzzle games, and the like, but the new core games are more in the "AAA" realm.

The new lineup includes games from Atari, Ubisoft, EA, 1C, Sega and many other publishers. Some of the titles currently available include Dead Space [http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Age-Origins-Ultimate-Download/dp/B004APAEHA/ref=sr_1_41?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1290264939&sr=1-41].

Steam is the big player in the digital distribution market right now, but with Amazon's similar propensity for slashing prices it could become a worthy competitor, or at least a new option for those that like to download their games. Currently, Amazon is holding a The Witcher [http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=amb_link_354583282_2?ie=UTF8&docId=1000630821&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-4&pf_rd_r=0E7P5JYCX3Z3TWXG096K&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1280753082&pf_rd_i=979455011] for just $6, which is definitely a good start for Amazon.

Amazon's core downloads system doesn't provide the bonus functionality that Steam does, so it won't replace Valve, but it never hurts to have more outlets to find great gaming deals. Amazon will apparently be one of those now, and with the 2010 holiday season coming up it jumped in at the right time.

Source: Joystiq [http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=2445220011]



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[Irridium]

Why kind of DRM are they including with the games though, if any? I looked at the various pages and couldn't find an answer.

 

[matrix3509]

Has anyone read the descriptions of any of these games on the site? It sounds like every single one of them was written in Engrish, like how Chinese knockoff products are. Quite off-putting.

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Has anyone read the descriptions of any of these games on the site? It sounds like every single one of them was written in Engrish, like how Chinese knockoff products are. Quite off-putting.

With your recommendation, I sure did.

And, they're more than a little weird.

Here's an unedited part of their description of the DA:O bundle:

# Includes The 2009 RPG Of The Year Dragon Age: Origins, The Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Expansion Pack, Plus All Nine Additional Content Packs
# Critically acclaimed winner of more than 50 awards including over 30 "Best Of 2009" awards
# A tremendous $114 value at one low price
# Critically acclaimed winner of more than 50 awards including over 30 "Best of 2009" awards. A tremendous $112 value at one low price.

Erm... Hello? Editor?

OT: Eh. Steam still has all of that other stuff. So, yeah, good try and that The Witcher price is pretty good, but, eh...

 

[Cousin_IT]

Meh. You'll still have to download Steam for any game that uses Steamworks, so if anything it will get Steam onto more computers, not less.

 

[literallyanythingelse]

US only too

 

[FlashHero]

The box art says games for windows on it..and i dont want GFWL installed at all...Which is a shame since i want the The Witcher badly.

 

[LTK_70]

US only too

Awwwww shit. And here I thought I could get a bite out of Amazon's best deals without the stupid shipping fees. I am disappoint.

Welp, my business goes back to D2D then.

The box art says games for windows on it..and i dont want GFWL installed at all...Which is a shame since i want the The Witcher badly.

Almost every PC game has that on the box, it doesn't mean that it uses GFWL. Hell, that service probably didn't even exist when the Witcher was released!

 

[SenseOfTumour]

Yeah, the US only thing just killed it for me, but, if it works I'm sure they'll roll it out worldwide.

I'll probably have bought Witcher in the Steam xmas 2010 sale tho, by then.

 

[FlashHero]

The box art says games for windows on it..and i dont want GFWL installed at all...Which is a shame since i want the The Witcher badly.

Almost every PC game has that on the box, it doesn't mean that it uses GFWL. Hell, that service probably didn't even exist when the Witcher was released!

Oh so its like the pc/dvd logo then...well i was gonna jump on it but according to various people i know steam usually does a sale for $6 as well on black Friday or Christmas time and i might as well wait for that since it features the directors cut and i already use steam alot. And if not i will just get it for Christmas for $20 bucks anyway.

 

[AndyRock]

too bad they aren't doing it on the UK store, It would be handy for people like me who aren't that fond of steam, and have to make a proper trip out of picking up a game from a shop (I don't really live near anywhere, but funnily enough get relatively fast internet for the UK).

 

[Notthatbright]

As someone who enjoys box art and manuals, I cry a little every time there's news like this. Sure I can't trade my PC games into Gamestop but at least I can look at my shelf and see the games I've played over the years and drift off into Nostalgia land.

Recently, even my local Gamestop got rid of all its boxes and manuals for used PS2 games. I'm sure they're still charging more than new for them.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Competition eh?
Well. At least it'll keep Steam honest in the long run.

 

[Treblaine]

US only too

FFFFUUUUUUUUUU!!!

 

[mindlesspuppet]

Awesome deals is what makes Steam so popular, Amazon will need to match that to be on top.
There is a reason why Impulse and Direct2Drive are not doing so hot right now

Impulse tends to have better and more frequent sales than Steam. Even knowing this, if something I want is on sale on Impulse, I usually hold out for Steam to have it on sale, I can't go without Steam's benefits.

 

[Void(null)]

Steam has the digital distribution thing well in the bag because they do damn near everything right with regards to the customer.

The only place they lose marks is with customer support, and even that is slowly improving... although it would be nice to have a human being to call up and speak to.

No other service offers in one complete package:

Unlimited downloads of your purchased Title
2 special sales a week and massive deals on holidays
A clean, convenient and easy to use marketplace and library management utility
Automatic Updates
Cloud Saves
IM Features
IRC Style Community Chat
Guilds & User Blogs
Easy joining of friends games.
The ability to preload money on your account
The ability to gift games to friends
4 Pack deals
Unobtrusive DRM
Built in Anti-Cheat software
UI Modding support
Game Modding Support
Active User Forums for every game and publisher
Demo's
Free Games
Tabs to easily sort new releases, top sellers, coming soon and special offers
A working search function
Convenient market place browsing
Access to game manuals without having to purchase the game
News related specifically to the games you own
The ability to gift spare copies to friends
The ability to add many retail CD keys
The ability to add non-utility games and programs to the users Library
The ability to review and suggest games for friends
A recommendations feature that suggests games you may enjoy
PC and MAC titles where you buy one version and receive both
Automatic Graphic Driver Updates (For AMD/ATI only)
A listing of all your transactions showing when you purchased a title and how much you personally paid for it.
Offline mode so that once you have activated a game once online you may use it without an internet connection.
Achievements
Tracked User stats such as hours played
Hardware surveys that let you trace adoption trends within PC gamers
Backup features to allow you to burn your games to disc

Steam offers a ton of services to the end users, all of which help in offsetting the lack of physical box, manual and game disc at the time of purchase.

This is why I own 214 games on Steam and only 6 on Impulse and none on Amazon/Best Buy/Gamestop digital download services.