Nintendo of Europe’s MD of Marketing and PR Laurent Fischer has some interesting things to say about digital versus retail in the video game space.
“We have never seen any link between growth in the mobile gaming market and decrease in the normal software market…It’s the users that decide.”
He went on to say, “We couldn’t find any evidence of those two markets being linked.” While I’ll agree it’s the users that decide, evidence that the digital and physical retail markets are linked is everywhere. If you don’t see it in the games space, what about music and home video? It’s obvious our use and consumption of media is changing.
But I agree with Fischer when he says, “People who talk about the end of physical media don’t share the same daily reality as most consumers.” The fact is, the video game industry sells to the world. And the world consumes media differently. And has different broadband access. Has different reliable electricity!
Cloud-based solutions are coming and we will watch as they take hold and grow. However, I have been hearing for years that games sold at retail is ending, but I saw the excitement over the holidays at game stores. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm killed at retail—the fastest selling PC game of all time! Physical media for an MMO!
It’s all about offering gameplay choices everywhere consumers are. And making that play seamless.
http://www.thealistdaily.com/news/nintendo-digital-market-doesnt-come-at-expense-of-retail-games/