[News] Gamestop to sell DLC

Source

Originally Posted by Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Customers who visit GameStop Corp stores will soon be able to purchase digital upgrades to their favorite video games, as the retailer eyes a shift toward digital distribution of games.

The new program, which GameStop will start testing early next year, will work in conjunction with online services offered by leading console makers, such as Microsoft Corp's Xbox Live and Sony Corp's PlayStation Network.

Under the program, a GameStop shopper who learns about a new level available for, say, a war or sports game could immediately purchase that upgrade. When the shopper arrives home, the add-on will be available to download and play.

"A large market for full game downloads is not imminent, (but) the add-on downloadable market will grow," GameStop Chief Operating Officer Paul Raines said at the BMO Capital Management Digital Entertainment conference.

These additional payments may be a key driver of revenue for publishers and retailers in the video-game industry, which has seen slow overall growth amid the tough economy. The idea is that consumers are more likely to pay to enhance beloved games than they are to experiment with unknown new games.

So far, GameStop has been able to preserve growth despite the economic downturn, as healthy demand for video game consoles by Nintendo Co Ltd, Sony and Microsoft has driven consumers into GameStop stores to buy software for the systems.

Raines' comments come a few days after GameStop affirmed its outlook for the quarter ending in October, saying it expects its earnings per share to be between 27 cents and 33 cents, excluding debt retirement costs. It also sees sales at stores open more than one year to be down 6 percent to 11 percent.

At the event, GameStop Chief Executive Dan DeMatteo said looking ahead to next year, business is "expected to be strong, given known titles."

On the one hand, it's the next logical step for Gamestop, and they're bound to get some takers. On the other hand, it's another thing they'll pester you about when you check out. Will you buy DLC from Gamestop, or just download it like you always have?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

The only way I see it working is in conjunction with the actual game purchase. "Would you like to buy this additional map pack for only $10 more? You won't be able to really complete the game without it." Parents and preteens will fall for it.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Mo0

There are more people than the typical gamer realizes who either don't take their console online at all or don't like the idea of sticking their credit card information into their console. Combine that with how unintuitive the buying process can be for your typical parent (Buy these points! Then use the points to buy the thing! And you have to find it on the marketplace!) and I see a decent amount of people coming in and buying these things.

I mean, sure, a lot of gamers aren't ever going to use this, but a lot of gamers already swear off GameStop to begin with. Microsoft has also been making cards with codes that buy specific Arcade games for a while now, if that's what the ones I see at Target are (instead of being branded points cards).

Oh, and it's a great thing to stick at the counter as an impulse buy.

This isn't going to help the people who never take their console online, since they'll still have to, you know, download the downloadable content, assuming it works like the cards Target sells. I agree, the target audience for this is parents and maybe gift givers, unless they offer some sort of deal (pre-order Madden, get extra DLC).

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Ryuu, tax hasn't yet killed buying the points (I don't believe the tax is excluded when buying them on the console), so I doubt it'd affect this.

It depends on your state, I think. I've never been charged tax when I buy points on my systems, but I've heard of people who have. Some states (NY and NC, among others, I think) are trying to pass laws to tax microtransactions. I try to buy my points through the console unless there's a special, just to avoid tax.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.