Digital distribution is some scary ass shit. Like, seriously scary. And I'm all for the overwhelming convenience it brings to the table, trust me, I'm lazy. I'm just afraid of the type of marketplace digital content affords gamers.
Honestly, this discussion could spread to nearly every channel beneath CraveOnline.com's umbrella. TV, Movies, Games, Comics (to an extent, though nerds love their tangible pages and massive collections) and Music are all bound to the age of quick downloads and computer-based consumption.
But among the aforementioned categories of popular media, digital distribution really only scares me when it comes to the realm of gaming. I'm a Kindle owner, I love being able to download books instantly and for a lower price than the in-print counterparts. The companies save money by skipping the print process, and they turn over a fraction of the savings to consumers like myself.Here's the thing about books, though. Physical copies are still being sold. Kindle books have to be cheaper for consumers or else the Kindle would be nearly pointless. Because books are being sold at Borders, Target, Wal-mart and your local book store, the Kindle marketplace has to maintain a certain standard for discount. Can you find books for less from other sources? Absolutely. But, as long as the Kindle price remains competitive and typically edges out other retailers, it will stay a viable marketplace for book readers.
For gaming? Like I said, completely terrifying. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are in control of where digital content is sold and for how much within the console world. And that connects this discussion to the rant I tossed up last week, the content normally isn't properly priced. Digital distribution makes price gauging possible for companies like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
Face it. Where are we consumers going to go instead? We have to buy our add-ons and arcade titles from the marketplaces within our consoles. They've trapped us already. Think about it like a ball game or Disney World. They can charge astronomical prices for food and drink because visitors have no alternatives. And these places obviously take advantage of consumers. Price jacking has become their right, and it's one we can't affect.
There are gamers out there that only play a single title. In fact, I'd venture to guess that the majority of gamers buy a single game every few months and get completely absorbed by it. So all the overpriced DLC I'm bitching about falls directly into their hands and they deem it affordable. And why not? For the guy or gal that pours 40 hours a week into CoD multiplayer, $15 for a few new maps probably seems reasonable.
For everyone else? Enjoy the gauging, it's not going anywhere. Console manufacturers have stumbled on an astounding money-maker. They control every moving piece of the marketplace, and their base of potential consumers is constantly growing. Digital distribution made this possible. Let's hope the companies keep themselves in check before every piece of DLC costs us $20 a shot.
Halolz... so awesome.
There is a silver-lining to the digital distribution age of gaming: Steam. PC and Mac users should know the software by now, but Valve deserves a round of applause for what Steam has become. The platform went from "that annoying thing I have to log into every time I want to play Counter-Strike" to an exceptional marketplace with a host of user benefits. Steam has a constant stream of sales and discounts for its customers, and that's something that they absolutely do not have to do. Imagine that, a marketplace completely self-sustaining and constantly offering discounts and freebies for customers. Hell, they gave Portal away for a while. Crazy bastards.
Digital distribution is the way of the future. Move beyond the concept that it's more convenient for customers, that's just a byproduct of the shift to virtual marketplaces. Virtual marketplaces make fiscal sense for large companies. They control the prices of the products, and that's why the whole damn thing is so scary.
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