Remedy: The Sooner We Go Digital the Better

[John Funk]

Remedy: The Sooner We Go Digital the Better

The developer of Alan Wake and Max Payne thinks that the games industry will be better off the day it leaves physical retail behind for good.

Over the past few years, the industry has been making a slow transition to online digital distribution for games on services like Steam, Xbox Live and PSN, rather than making gamers physically go to a store and purchase a CD. Some have resisted this change, but others have embraced it - and Alan Wake studio Remedy thinks the sooner we go all digital, the better we'll be.

Digital distribution opened up new options for developers and publishers, Remedy CEO Matias Myllyrinne told Edge in an interview [http://www.next-gen.biz/news/remedy-%E2%80%9Cthe-sooner-we-go-digital-the-better%E2%80%9D]. "I'm really excited about PSN, [Xbox] Live and some of the stuff on Steam, because it really allows you to directly engage with your audience. All these opportunities are opened up that you couldn't do before - there wasn't a model you could work around."

Myllyrinne doesn't think that digital distribution will kill AAA big-budget gaming, as some have alleged, either. "I don't think the big, huge experiences are going anywhere, but the sooner we go digital as an industry, the better for everybody. Better for consumers, better for the developers and publishers."

He admits there is one group it won't be all that great for, however - the brick-and-mortar retailers. "Maybe [it's] not so good for retail ... but then again if you're selling our games as used copies and incentivizing people to do that, then I don't really feel sorry for you."

GameStop may in fact agree - considering it bought Steam competitor Impulse back in March [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108904-GameStop-Buys-Impulse-Further-Invests-in-Digital-Distribution].

(Via Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-03-remedy-sooner-we-go-digital-the-better])

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[Nerf Ninja]

He doesn't care about making gaming better for gamers he cares about making money for himself.

Exactly the attitude that's making gaming worse.

 

[Snotnarok]

I really can't agree at all with 100% digital because even in todays world where we still have physical content, we're still struggling with who owns what.

Truth is, we're not ready for it. When a mulitmillion dollar company has the power to stop you from playing your game because they didn't like the tone of your post on a forum, there's a serious serious issue.

And to boot, you buy content but if you can't sign in online, you're not allowed to play it. That's like saying you can't use your vacuum cleaner because you're not on the phone while using it.

 

[ryo02]

I dont rent games I own them its hard to own them when they are at the mercy of anyone who isnt me.

 

[viranimus]

Yes... this is the absolute best time to say something like this... right after Sony supposedly gets hijacked and all valuable information is supposedly stolen.

But no... gaming will only be worse off once things go purely digital distribution. Advocates of digital distribution are those who want profit off everyones experience by changing the industry from game ownership to game rental, or those too thick to not have appreciation and respect for the value of a dollar.

EDIT: It is still just as bad an idea as it ever was. No matter how determined a select group of people are in conning people into thinking its a good idea for the consumer. The ONLY benefit to the consumer only comes into play when the consumer is loaded with ignorance and impatience. Sad thing is, every day the number on that side seems to increase.

 

[Gladion]

alot of people dont like using there credit cards

Me neither, that's what Paysafe exists for (its pretty much the same as Microsoft Points cards and PSN Prepaid cards). Give it a try!

The problem here is that you would then need to find a way to sell consoles without having to resort to retailers. They don't get a lot of money from console sales (I'd say 10% at the absolute most, probably more like 2-3%) but from games (~ 15-30%). Why would any retailer sell a system he knows he won't get any money from in the long run?
PC hardware should still work, though, as this is not exclusively made for gaming...

 

[AvsJoe]

Well, I worry about putting my credit card online (and this PSN fiasco hasn't helped any) and I like owning my game. Digital distribution always reminds me of iTunes in that you don't own anything, you're just renting or borrowing something until for whatever reason you have it taken away from you. I also enjoy having the ability to use my copy of the game and my saved information on any system, which is why I will forever love physical CDs and memory cards.

 

[ReaperzXIII]

When I own a game in physical form I can go anywhere and play the game, until you let me do that online as well as let me pay in cash then we'll talk

 

[Nieroshai]

The PSP Go died because Sony thought the exact thing but GOT PROVEN DEAD WRONG. Good luck with doing better.

 

[Tanis]

alot of people dont like using there credit cards

Me neither, that's what Paysafe exists for (its pretty much the same as Microsoft Points cards and PSN Prepaid cards). Give it a try!

PayPal, after so much money spent, requires you do give up all sorts of info to continue using their site.

Don't use PayPal unless it's for something under 250USD a year.

 

[Valagetti]

In theory yeah, but in real life there are millions of factors. Like the location, the medium, demographic etc!

 

[Rad Party God]

For PC, I'm pretty happy with digital distribution, It's been a long while since the last time that I bought a physical copy of a game, but I don't know how this could be pulled off for a console, where people are still a bit reluctant for not letting go their discs.

 

[Psycho Cat Industries]

Give me my options man.I know you like to box yourself in for days but let me have an excuse to go outside.

 

[Psycho Cat Industries]

For PC, I'm pretty happy with digital distribution, It's been a long while since the last time that I bought a physical copy of a game, but I don't know how this could be pulled off for a console, where people are still a bit reluctant for not letting go their discs.

Plus,the harddrive stays a lot clearer with discs.

 

[Gladion]

alot of people dont like using there credit cards

Me neither, that's what Paysafe exists for (its pretty much the same as Microsoft Points cards and PSN Prepaid cards). Give it a try!

PayPal, after so much money spent, requires you do give up all sorts of info to continue using their site.

Don't use PayPal unless it's for something under 250USD a year.

PaySafe =/= PayPal. I wasn't talking about that. PaySafe cards are like prepaid cards you can use for different internet shops (including steam). You get your card at your local gas station or whatever, punch in the code in steam, and get a certain amount of money on your steam account. There is no digital transaction involved.