Digital Distribution Will "Outstrip Traditional Retail" by 2013
London Games Conference to discuss inevitable overtake of digital media.
Digital distribution will form a big part of the upcoming London Games Conference on 27th October, as speakers declare that the online retail model will dominate over traditional retail within the next three years.
In what is being described as a "seismic shift" in the games industry, the conference speakers will reveal that 40 per cent of companies in the sector will also be "under prepared" for the sheer pace of the digital model's takeover.
Speakers representing many areas of the industry, including development, publishing, retail and distribution, are all set to explore the advantages and pitfalls of digital distribution and its seemingly inevitable rise to become the dominant medium. Representatives from SEGA, Sony's PlayStation Home and Microsoft's Xbox division are expected to attend and speak on the matter.
One of the key speakers is Nick Parker, of Parker Consulting. He will be detailing how important the 'digital map' will become over the next couple of years. In stating that Microsoft and Sony will release next-generation consoles in the next five years, Parker believes that any shortfall of boxed products from a generational shift will be picked up by the digital distribution model.
"For the first time ever, the games industry has a way of alleviating the pain that traditionally befalls it during generational decline, through online gaming in its many guises – it’s a genuinely exciting time for the industry and the London Games Conference is perfectly timed to discuss these opportunities," said Parker on the upcoming event.
The London Games Conference will form part of the London Games Festival at the end of October.
It looks as if Chips' Don McCabe might have something to worry about then.
In what is being described as a "seismic shift" in the games industry, the conference speakers will reveal that 40 per cent of companies in the sector will also be "under prepared" for the sheer pace of the digital model's takeover.
Speakers representing many areas of the industry, including development, publishing, retail and distribution, are all set to explore the advantages and pitfalls of digital distribution and its seemingly inevitable rise to become the dominant medium. Representatives from SEGA, Sony's PlayStation Home and Microsoft's Xbox division are expected to attend and speak on the matter.
One of the key speakers is Nick Parker, of Parker Consulting. He will be detailing how important the 'digital map' will become over the next couple of years. In stating that Microsoft and Sony will release next-generation consoles in the next five years, Parker believes that any shortfall of boxed products from a generational shift will be picked up by the digital distribution model.
"For the first time ever, the games industry has a way of alleviating the pain that traditionally befalls it during generational decline, through online gaming in its many guises – it’s a genuinely exciting time for the industry and the London Games Conference is perfectly timed to discuss these opportunities," said Parker on the upcoming event.
The London Games Conference will form part of the London Games Festival at the end of October.
It looks as if Chips' Don McCabe might have something to worry about then.
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Comments
PaulRayment 7 Oct 2009 14:14
1/2
Err...No it won't. PSPGo and Xbox Games on Demand prove this.
Not helped, in part, to single distribution houses.
If I want to buy Rainbow Six Vegas on XBLA GOD I can only buy it from them and it costs £19.99 - physical copies can be bought from high street retailers, independents, online, second hand etc.
Imagine if you could only buy bread from the one bread shop or DVDs from the one DVD shop. No body wants that. Will publishers sit up and take notice and stop pissing around with it. It works as part of the industry but not the whole.
Not helped, in part, to single distribution houses.
If I want to buy Rainbow Six Vegas on XBLA GOD I can only buy it from them and it costs £19.99 - physical copies can be bought from high street retailers, independents, online, second hand etc.
Imagine if you could only buy bread from the one bread shop or DVDs from the one DVD shop. No body wants that. Will publishers sit up and take notice and stop pissing around with it. It works as part of the industry but not the whole.
Joji 7 Oct 2009 16:42
2/2
I don't buy this either. I think that many people are pushing this DLC future, much like Sisyphus pushes a boulder, as you should never force it for your own agenda, but for all. I still think they should be pushing for co-existence of both, and bare the consumer in mind, because you should never blindly push anything onto consumers.
Blu Ray is a good example of this. Blu Ray could have held off a few years, because these same people also pushed DVD. Now while Blu Ray is clearly superior, the masses have already switched to DVD and are happy with that level standard it provides. So now, we have BluRay for the elite tech heads, and DVD for the others who care less. This proves that co-existence is possible with different formats.
The games industry has to do the same thing, with DLC and DVD console games, because I believe, deep down, that consumers will not accept a fully DLC future, and you are treading water if you expect everyone to jump (like Sony did with Blu Ray) on words alone. Also notice that while they push for this, not a shred of market research has been presented, to show that this is what consumers want. Its easy to see why, because they want their cake, while the consumer eats bread crumbs. To hell with that, as its a very cloak and dagger.
Blu Ray is a good example of this. Blu Ray could have held off a few years, because these same people also pushed DVD. Now while Blu Ray is clearly superior, the masses have already switched to DVD and are happy with that level standard it provides. So now, we have BluRay for the elite tech heads, and DVD for the others who care less. This proves that co-existence is possible with different formats.
The games industry has to do the same thing, with DLC and DVD console games, because I believe, deep down, that consumers will not accept a fully DLC future, and you are treading water if you expect everyone to jump (like Sony did with Blu Ray) on words alone. Also notice that while they push for this, not a shred of market research has been presented, to show that this is what consumers want. Its easy to see why, because they want their cake, while the consumer eats bread crumbs. To hell with that, as its a very cloak and dagger.
