Electronic Arts Predicts the Demise of Videogame Stores

CommanderFrank

CommanderFrank

Cat Can't Scratch It
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Andrew Wilson from Electronic Arts is predicting the end of buying games from your local GameStop or its equivalent in the near future. The change will not come in one fell swoop, but rather a migration of gamers to digital downloads and streaming.

Vested interest or not, Wilson might not be far off on his prediction. It could be a question of when, not if, as we've already seen a big chunk of PC game sales migrate online.
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No... People are going to stop buying EA games... He just thinks that EA makes every game and that people won't finally realize that they only make one or two good games out of their entire catalog.
 
If the day comes where the only place I can buy EA games is from their stupid download service, Origins, or whatever the hell it's called, I simply won't buy any more EA games. Pirate them? Yes.
 
Hell when was the last time you bought a PC game at gamestop or some other retail store. Most of the games I buy are through online shops like amazon or online like steam
 
It really depends on the next generation of consoles. If they have hard drives and support download services, then he's probably right. If not, not. Of course, from EA's perspective that's the best thing that could happen - no more video game stores, no more second-hand sales.
 
Not like this is a hard prediction. All anyone has to do is look at what recently happened to the great empire of video rentals. From Planet Hollywood Video to the latest Chapter 13 demise of Blockbuster Video, formerly a ViaCom subsidiary. Prior to that, it was the great empire of music stores. From Sam Goodies to Tower Records or Sun Coast... all gone due to this "Internet" thing ;).

Point is, it's just a matter of time before Steam or Steam-like services dominate the "norm". I honestly thought GameFly and NetFlix would have killed off the whole GameStop thing by now, but I guess some people are still in the habit of going to the store. Give 5yrs and they'll go away.
 
Forceman said:
It really depends on the next generation of consoles. If they have hard drives and support download services, then he's probably right. If not, not. Of course, from EA's perspective that's the best thing that could happen - no more video game stores, no more second-hand sales.
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Yep, greed wins out in the end.
 
This should be about how EA wishes these stores would close and they will try to help that fact.
 
They aren't predicting it, their actively working to get to that point. What pompous guys they are. :rolleyes:
 
I think with these lovely bandwidth caps by our lovely ISPs, we won't be going purely digital anytime soon!
 
Could it eventually happen? Sure. is it likely in the next 10 years? Not likely.

Predicting stupid crap like this is as pointless as it is stupid. While some do like DD, some of us still want a physical box. Predicting this is akin to predicting the downfall of the mouse and keyboard when touchscreens where all the new rage.
 
You forget there is the "used" market for games. Huge portion of these retail stores revenue now is through buying and reselling used games.
 
GilmourD said:
No... People are going to stop buying EA games... He just thinks that EA makes every game and that people won't finally realize that they only make one or two good games out of their entire catalog.
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This.
 
Game stores won't die if internet caps go out of hand. I can picture downloading all my PC games, the xbox LIVE store is a huge hit, but I can't see ISPs sitting ideally by as we download 50GB for a game that would of shipped on a Blu-ray disc.
 
Gamestop is probably one of the most profitable entities in the gaming industry. And as long as there are people willing to trade in and buy used games and make 75-90% profit, I don't see them going ANYWHERE anytime soon. Further proof EA has no idea what the fuck they're talking about.

That is until companies start implementing a system a la Apple hive mind where physically owning a game is not considered technically "owning" it but merely renting it with the company still having complete rights to it. I mean they're already implementing "online" passes where if you buy a used copy you cannot go and use the game's online features until you shell out another $10 for a code that enables you to.

It'll be an interesting next few years in gaming.
 
I like the idea of being able to buy my games online.

I'm just not going to install any Origin crapware to make it happen.
 
I love buying digital games... when they're on mega sale. Otherwise, most of the time I'd rather have a physical copy. I'm also a sucker for certain collector's editions, and you won't get the cool figurines and art books that come in a box when you get a download.
 
I like the idea of being able to buy my games online.

I'm just not going to install any Origin crapware to make it happen.
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^THIS.

I fought with Steam for a month before having them outright delete my account. Reason? I like my privacy and both wireshark and past experiences (Anyone remember Steam having been caught spying on our data in 2003?). I'd agree that Steam is the lesser of evils *coughs @ Sony*, but it doesn't mean people have to like it.

Inevitably though, the masses will move towards digital content for new game purchases and drive many buyers away from physical stores.
 
The only reason EA has finally come to this "revelation" is because they now offer Origin and plan to compete with Steam.

Well I for one never plan on using Origin. If EA won't launch their videogames on Steam, I'll just purchase them on Impulse.

I'll be damned if I'm installing EA crapware on my system.
 
I only buy digital games when there's some really great price,downloading is a long hassle for me with my ISP. And I'd much rather have the game on disk ready to be re-installed immediately if some new mod for an old favorite comes along. This is just about EA and other publishers trying to squeeze as much money out of us as they can,I know they'd love to kill the used console game market like they have with PC games.
 
I rarely buy a boxed game anymore mostly because the selection is so limited. You have CoD (for the grunting button mashers who haven't figured out what a real computer game is), WoW, kids' stuff, and then a couple of new releases. It's half of one side of a very small aisle in Best Buy, for example.
 
I haven't bought a new game from a store in *years*, I'm quite content with using Steam. It keeps things simple, and I don't have to worry about CDs getting scratched or lost.
 
Nope, that won't happen. There are still a lot of people in this world who don't have high speed internet access. And there are a lot of people with capped accounts who won't pay to download 10-15 gig games.
 
I like physical copies of something I fork over my hard earned cash for, something I can touch and feel, especially my games since my NES days.

So not in this gamers lifetime EA....
 
I stopped buying EA when they took the blood out of ice hockey.
 
kidstechno said:
That is until companies start implementing a system a la Apple hive mind where physically owning a game is not considered technically "owning" it but merely renting it with the company still having complete rights to it. I mean they're already implementing "online" passes where if you buy a used copy you cannot go and use the game's online features until you shell out another $10 for a code that enables you to.

It'll be an interesting next few years in gaming.
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Actually, buying and selling used games have been "violating" EULAs of many games for quite some time already.

Example would be Crysis. You only are given "access" to the game through the hardcopy, but by agreeing to the EULA Crytek/EA has the right to "withdraw from the market" all copies and "reacquire" your "access" (your hardcopy) to the game.
 
That predication isn't taking into account parents and the like that are getting their kids presents. I have made a mid day run to gamestop in the (failed) attempt to pick up a hard copy of a game that isn't sold via download. It is literally 100 parents crammed in the store with gamestop employees filling their arms with whatever. The parents don't know, don't care, just want shopping to be done and their kids to have presents.

Those people will keep those stores alive. There are a lot of them.
 
Freezebyte said:
I like physical copies of something I fork over my hard earned cash for, something I can touch and feel, especially my games since my NES days.

So not in this gamers lifetime EA....
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This! I buy games from steam when on sale but restoring you whole DL library is a huge amount i almost went over my 250gb cap last time i did a reinstall and restore my steam library. thank god i had physical copies of alot of my games.
 
Thing is B&M stores are already dead for video games that most people here play. PC games.

-- Gamestop has been nothing but a open box, beat up, shit cart for at least the last 5 years.
-- Target has dropped PC games like a rock. Still there but slim pickings lately.
-- Best Buy is hit or miss.

Because of this I have moved to digital. Steam only. EA's thing can kiss my ass. Lost a BF3 sale with that crap.
 
c0mad0r said:
^THIS.

I fought with Steam for a month before having them outright delete my account. Reason? I like my privacy and both wireshark and past experiences (Anyone remember Steam having been caught spying on our data in 2003?). I'd agree that Steam is the lesser of evils *coughs @ Sony*, but it doesn't mean people have to like it.

Inevitably though, the masses will move towards digital content for new game purchases and drive many buyers away from physical stores.
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http://www.neowin.net/news/is-steam-spying-on-you

I have already shipped you a new tin foil hat to your current address as I know you need a new one soon and your location is already on file.
 
If we want to reverse this trend, everyone should make a point of buying a physical copy for their next game purchase.
 
this has been said but...

Funny how they recently re-badged their download service and starting to crank up the marketing...

Then announce stores are dead!
 
Still trying to figure out how origin can compete if all they offer is EA games:confused::confused::confused:
 
necrosis said:
Thing is B&M stores are already dead for video games that most people here play. PC games.

-- Gamestop has been nothing but a open box, beat up, shit cart for at least the last 5 years.
-- Target has dropped PC games like a rock. Still there but slim pickings lately.
-- Best Buy is hit or miss.

Because of this I have moved to digital. Steam only. EA's thing can kiss my ass. Lost a BF3 sale with that crap.
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Yeah, PC game section is pretty sad at Gamestop, Consoles rule cause they make the money. PC preorders like TOR will do well for the target audiences at Gamestop. Some stores may be better then others, depends on the cities marketplace

My local target still has an entire isle full of PC games, actually more then my Best Buy which I no longer support since the news of them screwing over that poor disabled girl and her laptop repair.
 
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