60°

3 Reasons Why Digital Distribution Might Not Be The Best Thing For The Games Industry

There’s a long way to go in overcoming the potential hurdles digital distribution faces as a method of selling games. However, when considering the potential downside of a digital-only future, it might be best for those hurdles to remain in place as long as possible.

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vgrevolution.com
kesvalk4116d ago

while in the US maybe is not that good, in other countries where retail is extremely expensive, digital distribution is a godsend.

i think more 80% of the games market is digital here on Brazil.

my hope is that the games market goes completely digital, it would be awesome.

decrypt4116d ago

"in other countries where retail is extremely expensive, digital distribution is a godsend."

Agreed, I been staying the middle east for quite a number of years now.

Console games here cost anywhere between 75 - 80usd, its a complete rip off.

Mean while games bought of sites like Steam cost 49usd, gets even better when games are on discount on Steam paying 10-20usd for 2-3 month old games is a god sent in these countries.

Another bonus with digital downloads is that nothing is ever out of stock, Stores like Steam have thousands of games at hand, you could never get that sort of collection at a retailer. Hell most retailers drop games as soon as the game gets 2-3 months old.

kesvalk4116d ago (Edited 4116d ago )

you're lucky with 75-80 USD, in Brazil retail is on the range of 100~150 USD, after steam adopted the Brazilian Real on it's store i am paying less than i would if i brought in dollar (a example is that borderlands 2. In dollar i would pay something like $60, which translates into around R$120, but after the localisation of the store to actual BRL, i pay R$80 in the same game).

and i agree on the fact that it have unlimited stock.

you can buy old games like the original x-com for less than 10 bucks.

SPAM-FRITTER-1234116d ago (Edited 4116d ago )

I'm all for DD. its miles cheaper and there is no temptation to sell/trade. nothing worse than trading a game to be asked a week later by a friend if you fancy some co-op/MP to then go buy it back.

if you are locked in an expensive region, try key sites.

legit keys and and work direct with steam and origin.

you get an actual picture of the scratch of key direct from the box so you know there no iffy business. the prices are like having a steam christmas sale every day of the year.

Example: Far Cry 3 (Lost Edition) £15.32 (Uplay Key) not bad for a game less than 2 months old. usually about £30-£40.

i would link you but do not want this classed as SPAM (which it isn't)

Nerdmaster4116d ago

Yeah. Here in Brazil retail games are too expensive.

I liked the DS more than PSP, but I bought more games for my PSP because I could buy them from the american PSN. My Steam list has more than 200 games, but I don't remember the last time I bought a PC game at a store.

Somebody4116d ago

I'm lucky that in my place retail PC games tend to be priced around or slightly lower than the US price. But that also mean I can only buy one or two games per month. The main drawback though that those prices don't get lower even after years on the shelf.

After I started buying-downloading through Steam, I've changed my buying habits. Thanks to daily sales I am now able to buy several games per month. Plus I get to buy games that interest me but their low overall reception from gamers and reviewers made me avoided buying them at launch. So far the only drawback that I find with Steam is that some games are region locked. Which is weird since I can buy the same games at retail shops and then activated them on Steam anyway.

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Stoppokingme4116d ago

DD is a doubled edged sword.

It's great if the prices for games go down, paying $100 AUS for a game is ridiculous, and that's excluding premium/limited editions.

On the other hand you have the problem of connection. Not all of us can afford the best plan.

Not to mention security. Hard copies on disc are reliable, what happens when the connection cuts out at 90 percent of a download? that's a big chunk of monthly data gone down the drain.

DudeJets4116d ago

Usually now days they all run via a peer network no data is lost

kesvalk4115d ago

you never used steam, did you?

not only steam only need to be online to activate the game the first time, the downloads aren't lost if you connection goes down, and are simply resumed after you go back online.

and the same holds true to other online stores, like origin and desura.

ThatHappyGamer4116d ago

I can't imagine downloading tons of GB's with my 2Mbps internet speed.

For me its retail all the way.

Nerdmaster4116d ago

You can download them during the night while you're asleep.

ThatHappyGamer4112d ago

Don't you know that continuous downloading kills the PS3.

Blackdeath_6634116d ago

there are many more reasons why it is good for the industry. can't wait for the day when you buy games digitally and you are able to play them across all consoles. i don't see why i have to buy a game twice if i feel like playing it on a different platform. if i bought skyrim on ps3 why should i buy it again to play it on the pc or 360 especially since they fucked up the ps3 version so bad. in a few weeks a get my pc then everything i do will be digital.

mrprice334116d ago

I don't think this is in the cards for the future. I can see each platform holder have its own store, as opposed to a sort of "universal binary" that works across multiple platforms. Sony/MS/Nintendo won't let that happen.

Summons754116d ago

Have fun waiting then because that will never happen. Not to mention you will never truly own the games you buy, they will be expensive ( I've seen new games on there full price still when all the stores have dropped the price to 20 bucks), and if everything relies on steam and that crashes you will lose everything until incomes back (just look at the recent cloud crash and how many people couldn't access save files).

Digital only is the worst idea ever in most cases.

Are_The_MaDNess4116d ago

i hope we go all digital in a few years. got a 60/60megabit fiber-net connection with no limit. and Steam is a blessing.
all they really need is to spread and upgrade the servers so they don't overload so much.

70°

Why Are Steam's Recommendations Dogpoop?

Blindfolding myself and clicking a Steam page at random would serve me better recommendations than Steam’s algorithm

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
UltimateOwnage15d ago

Hmm, not sure I agree with that. The recommendations I get are usually pretty good, but then again I have pretty large library of games on Steam and hundreds of them in my wish list, along with lots of curators I follow for it to build recommendations off of. On occasion it will throw me a random FIFA game or something I've never bought or shown interest in, but mostly its decent IMO.

80°

5 Best Metroidvania Games on Steam (March 2024)

Dive into the best Metroidvania games on Steam, from hidden gems to top-rated classics, and embark on unforgettable adventures!

jznrpg25d ago

Skul is a metroidvania ? It’s on PS+ soon I’ll check it out. If it’s good I’ll buy a copy physically if they have one

Nacho_Z25d ago

If Pseudoregalia is one of the best I'd hate to see what the worst look like.

330°

Dragon’s Dogma 2 releases to mixed user reviews, as microtransactions criticised

Players can pay to edit their character, resurrect the dead and other actions.

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videogameschronicle.com
AdonisIsBeast34d ago

Who cares as long as it’s optional

phoenixwing34d ago

paying to edit your character is kind of crap as far as microtransactions go

Xristo33d ago (Edited 33d ago )

I hate any/all MTX in a paid game (especially a full-price game)... but know that you can spend in-game currency (RC), which you get from killing mobs, to completely remake your character.

phoenixwing33d ago

@xRisto how much did it change the gameplay though? Changing your character would have probably not cost any rc if they weren't hellbent on getting money by making it inconvenient

koga8833d ago

You can literally edit your character using in-game gold, dropped from monsters or obtained from selling items, as soon as you reach the first main town. You can even use Rift Crystals obtained from other people using your pawn or dropped from monsters to change your entire character or Pawn. It's paying to avoid doing something that is literally in the game.

PRIMORDUS33d ago

They are lucky there using Denuvo or their game and all future DLC etc. would be for free. 🤣

phoenixwing33d ago

@koga you completely missed the point i was making but go ahead and act like i'm being the wrong one

lucian22933d ago

you can pay ingame currency though; why are ya so derp

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 33d ago
Crows9034d ago (Edited 34d ago )

Capcom cares quite a bit....hence why it was kept from reviewers and initial impressions.

As far as optional...yeah...ALL mtx are optional. That's not the problem. The miss the mark entirely.

Heck buying the game is "optional" too.

The fact that they were hiding this is scummy as hell. I was going to buy this day 1 or day 3. Now I'm reconsidering the purchase entirely because as the reviews point out...there are certain design decisions which have not changed but funnily enough seem to be remedied by these mtx...

In other words they may have left certain features in the game in order to monetize them. So the mtx affected the development of the game in a negative way.

garos8233d ago

I'm certainly not buying it anymore. It has affected at least one sale from me. I'll pick it up second hand

peppeaccardo33d ago

Very close to buy the game at a discounted price but not anymore.
Bad business practice and hence they do not get my support/money !

warriorcase33d ago

It wasn't kept fromreviewers s though. Twitter reviewers are saying there was mention of mtx's in the reviewers guide

-Foxtrot33d ago (Edited 33d ago )

STOP. USING. THAT. SHITTY. EXCUSE

God damn man

Look how DLC changed after Oblivions horse armour, within 10 years most developers took the absolute p***. What was said then aswell? “It’s only optional who cares?” Now look where we all are.

There’s no half measures with these things, when will people realise this.

jwillj2k433d ago (Edited 33d ago )

Oh it’s gonna get worse. Ng+ locked behind mtx, “cool downs” preventing you from playing for more than 3 hours at a time unless u pay the mtx for unlimited access, main campaign bosses, in-game music, certain dialog, difficulty modes, certain npc interactions, all locked behind mtx, etc.. etc. gonna end up being like the NBA 2k games eventually paying for cross overs and shit… They gon get mid-evil on our asses.

OMGitzThatGuy33d ago

I can guarantee most of the items you can buy with mtx and ingame currency wouldn’t exist in ANY paid form if the main goal wasn't monetization. If the goal is to give idiots who are willing to pay for basic game features as mtx a way to do things faster then the only ones the mtx hurt are the non paying players as you are now locking features behind a grind that you chose to put in the game that you are essentially admitting to creating some type of time sink. I have never heard of a game locking basic character editing behind a ingame paywall, it’s usually just an option.

Chard33d ago

Takes two to tango though - unfortunately people buy this garbage which incentivises the behaviour. It's an inevitable outcome of the profit motive

thorstein33d ago

@Mario

Yes. And so are resurrection "Wakestones." You can find them but they're rare.

victorMaje33d ago

Buying the game is now very optional too. If you don’t know why then you don’t get it.

shinoff218333d ago

Because it's only a door way. That's why we care. We've already seen some shit since Mtx was introduced.

Rimeskeem33d ago

1. DD2 is an ARPG with 8 different playable classes
2. There is no multiplayer aspect to the game
3. You can only have one character (have to pay for more)
4. You cannot delete the character unless you go into the game files
5. The game is $70 dollars upfront

Having to pay for more character slots in a game that *features* 8 playable classes is pretty much not optional for an ARPG.

Angyobangyo33d ago

Judging from steam reviews, gamers care. Not plastic gamers. Why didn’t Itsuno mention such MTX would be available in-game? Why weren’t the MTXs there for review copies?

Kiryu199233d ago

Who cares is how all this started. The many many excuses. Please keep defending these greedy publishers and unfair tactics. We be gamers are the problem

Horse armor

$10 online passes if buying a used copy

Cheat codes gone and are replaced by micro transactions

Unlocking stuff by playing games behind micro transactions and XP boosters

It’s only cosmetic

No one is being forced to spend even though publishers are literally making their games more grindy to force people to play

Full priced games have mobile game type micro transactions

$70 priced games because higher development costs while making record profits and laying off record number of employees

And to play the game early pay us extra $20-30 on top of full price

Release games now and promise to maybe fix them later only to abandon the game

Day one patches that make the games worst

If it’s your favorite game defend the publisher if it’s not hate on another publisher for similar content

SixFrvgz33d ago Show
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kenpachi34d ago

Must have picked up some EA crew to put this in the game

robtion33d ago

Yeah these are really bad ones. Directly impacting gameplay too. Super scummy move. I hope nobody buys them.

CrimsonWing6934d ago

Yet Helldivers 2 gets a pass? Y’know a GotY contender by the name of RE4 had them and so does Devil May Cry V. The funny thing is I enjoyed both of those games thoroughly without having to buy a single microtransaction.

What I do consider a valid complaint is not being able to start a new game or being able to edit your character. That’s kind of a seriously baffling decision, but then I think how I played Dragon’s Dogma 1 and I never edited my character and I just did a 100% playthrough on a single file and didn’t start a NG since. So, I don’t think these are really going to impact me, but I can see how it will others.

Crows9033d ago

Helldivers 2 is a live service game where everything is obtainable in game with incredible ease.

Not sure about re4 or DMC but nobody is giving anyone a pass ...this article is about dragons dogma 2...not those games.

What is valid are in game features made to supposedly force you to think carefully only to have a surprise online store offer solutions to built in problems for more money.

Goosejuice33d ago

Those same things they are selling can be found Ingame as well. U can buy the character editor through merchants with gold. Don't get me wrong..I dislike these mtx they are doing but you don't need to buy them to be able to get them.

CrimsonWing6933d ago (Edited 33d ago )

Oh my bad, I can’t bring up games with microtransactions that nobody had a sh*t fit over. My mistake.

I love how people move the goalpost.

Crows9033d ago

@goose
@crimson

All mtx sucks. I'd rather helldiver's not have them because it makes me wonder if the rate at which you collect materials. That said. The games features are all fully enjoyable and aren't affected by the mtx.

That's not the case with dragons dogma 2...they left in place features that are supposedly part of the challenge of the game only to let you buy your way out very conveniently. I didn't look through all of them but I've heard some are rare but can be purchased with more money now. Even more so in a game about managing weight load there's a tent, I believe, that you can pay more money for that weighs less than your typical tent...not all sure on all the mtx and I'm aware that you can purchase many through in game vendor but they're incredibly useful mtx that are obtained much more slowly in game...or even a limited amount of them.

Instead is selling fast travel...just let us don't for free....or instead of selling cosmetic changes...how about letting us do it for free...

Nothing in helldivers comes close to this abomination

Angyobangyo33d ago

One is a single player game and one is a live service game. One is $40 vs$70. And most importantly, one game is there to spread democracy.

Ironmike33d ago

It's not incredibly easy for certain things in helldivers though u still have grind quite bit but u ate correct in saying u can eventually get enough medals to purchase stuff

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 33d ago
Moegooner33d ago

Read your comment again and maybe, just maybe you might realise how dumb it was.

CrimsonWing6933d ago (Edited 33d ago )

What was dumb about it? That I pointed out the hypocrisy?

garos8233d ago

It was extremely scummy that capcom hid this from reviewers. I have no doubt this game is good but these type of microtransactions don't sit well with me. They've lost a sale from me

Lionsguard33d ago

I was going to pay full price to support this game because I've been waiting for it for forever but I think I'll wait until I get it for free from Epic or a Humblebundle monthly.

Redemption-6433d ago

I am not defending Capcom, as I am not a fan of MTX in single player games. I do however belive they were open to reviewers about having MTX in their game. The reviewers just decided to leave that part out. Which is very disingenuous. There are some companies that get away with these things. Image if this was done by EA, Ubisoft, or even Activision? I am positive those defending Capcom, would have had their pitchforks ready if the companies listed above did this

anast33d ago

That's why reviewers can't be trusted. In fact, they are not reviewers at all. They get free codes to talk about stuff they don't understand nor care about.

Sanctusone33d ago

I mean it was pretty obvious to anyone with eyes...one of the items you get from deluxe edition was in game items.
1500 Rift Crystals - Points to Spend Beyond the Rift (A)
Which honestly I figured they kept a similar mtx system like DMC5 and the optional red orbs.

Lionsguard33d ago

1500 Rift Crystals doesn't mean anything. The first game had Rift crystals too, you just earned them by people hiring your Pawn and you get it from certain quests.

anast33d ago (Edited 33d ago )

A reviewer's job is to point out the obvious of a product as though they were the consumer. This means reviewers, to do their actual job, would need to review the complete game: the edition they are reviewing, how they got the game, technical aspects, story, and monetization scheme. Since, it is obvious that MT's are a part of the game, it would need to be reviewed. This way people can be informed, so they can decide if they want to play this style of game/monetization scheme.

For example, AC Origins was bad with Mt's. I had to farm side missions or pay to advance the story. This was after I already did close to 25 or more side missions. While I was grinding there were constant reminders that I could pay to ease the grind. I would have never bought the game if it were reviewed properly.

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