Day Ninety-Seven: Unboxed Copy
(Oh man, four days to go and the Internet dies on me. So no entry until this morning. Worry no more.)
So where next for the future of games software? Some would say the future lies in digital distribution, where physical discs cease to exist and all content is downloaded direct to storage. I wholeheartedly agree, but I still have an innate attachment to tangible possessions. Knowing all my games exist in some gigabyte vortex makes me more paranoid for their safety than actual having a copy in a box.
Besides, do we really own these downloaded games in perpetuity? Lose one now and you can easily re-download what you’ve already paid for. But what would happen if, say, Valve with their Steam system went bust and vanished. Would we still have our stuff then, or would it get trapped in the ether?
Likely, it’s not going to happen for a long time, but it still worries
me slightly, in the same way I know the battery backup on cartridges
will eventually die making traditional play impossible (or at least a
sleepless chore).
Digital distribution also completely eliminates the second-hand market, a factor of gaming I’ve been a strong advocate for. By only selling from one source it reduces the competition element. And without that, don’t expect games to come down in price as quickly as they are now.
Although, on the other hand, it may lead to better exposure for those overlooked games. Those games like Gitaroo Man which are off the shelves by the time word of mouth spreads (although that particular game did receive a second wind a while back), shouldn’t have any problems with downloads seeing as it potentially means infinite stock levels. That’s the kind of great service you get with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for Xbox Live Arcade – a classic open to any 360 gamer and not just the few who spend their time scouring expensive eBay auctions.
For that reason, we can salute the download of
games. I’m still a stickler for boxes, though. I wonder if my kind will
be a dying breed, pushed out by market forces while sticking to our
antiquated methods of purchase like war children who still buy Spam and
tripe for sustenance. Will we really see the collapse of game stores in
the next few decades? Only at the same time as the music and video
stores, I presume. Stranger things have happened. And are we seeing the
beginning of an upheaval with iTunes, et al or just a fad? For its few
drawbacks, it’d be interesting to see that change take place. If only
to see how it would alter the gaming landscape. I'd got out on a limb
here and say that the game and music stores of the future will evolve
into some kind of community-based hub, sort of like a face-to-face
MySpace in which people go for ideas and inspiration, and to share
their likes amongst others rather than just a place to pick up a CD.
It's an idea at least, although one we won't see for a long time, if at
all.
