PC Downloads Overtake Retail Sales

Honolulu Blue · 09-21-2010, 05:23 PM

On my way to somewhere else, I was pointed to this article: PC Downloads Overtake Retail Sales

Which shows how far we've come in the past decade or so. I was just remembering the first game I bought by digital download (other than the odd shareware game). Why, it was FOF2, of course. 25 MB download on a 56k modem, fun...

I know some of you guys are excited about another game that's available for download today, so I'll let you get back to that.

Passacaglia · 09-21-2010, 05:35 PM

My first was FOF2 also -- I remember ordering it a couple days before my exams so it would arrive right after my exams were done, then getting all giddy when I realized I was going to be able to play it instead of study!

cartman · 09-21-2010, 05:45 PM

I think my first digital download buy was Wolfenstein 3D

sovereignstar · 09-21-2010, 05:47 PM

Digital River ftw

Mota · 09-21-2010, 08:16 PM

I think that is in part due to the major retailers essentially abandoning PC gaming over the past few years. I begged with the buyer at EB Games to keep their PC section in but the used games make so much more margin for them that this choice was not available to her.

Groundhog · 09-21-2010, 08:21 PM

With video games as they are in Australia, I wonder what the ratio is down here.

A new PC game costs generally around $20 more to buy (at least) from EB Games than it would for me to buy from Steam or any other online retailer.

A new PS3 game sometimes costs up to $40+ more for me to buy from EB Games than it would for me to buy from play-asia (not digital, but just to show how crazy prices are here).

stevew · 09-21-2010, 09:00 PM

I'd say in 10 years physical games are done for consoles. Our grandkids will laugh about our midnight launch stories.

Drake · 09-21-2010, 09:26 PM

FOF2k1 was my first digital download. Now I prefer those, especially if I can download the whole package, save the key to a text file and back the whole thing up to external storage.

Not having to fuck with disks in my drive to play games I own is good thing (and saves me from having to search unsavory sites for no-cd cracks that gamecopyworld might not have).

Along the same lines, I saw yesterday that gog.com has apparently gone out of business already. That makes me sad. I probably bought 20 games from them in the last year.

Matthean · 09-22-2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drake

Along the same lines, I saw yesterday that gog.com has apparently gone out of business already. That makes me sad. I probably bought 20 games from them in the last year.

They are claiming that they aren't 100% gone. They maybe back, but in a different form.

Ksyrup · 09-22-2010, 08:01 AM

I don't recall my first download. I know I had the original Baseball Mogul before I'd heard of FOF (that's what got me searching for similar games to begin with) and I'm fairly certain I didn't buy that in a store, but I don't remember if it was a download or I bought it online and had a disk sent to me. Probably the latter.

spleen1015 · 09-22-2010, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I don't recall my first download. I know I had the original Baseball Mogul before I'd heard of FOF (that's what got me searching for similar games to begin with) and I'm fairly certain I didn't buy that in a store, but I don't remember if it was a download or I bought it online and had a disk sent to me. Probably the latter.

This is exactly my situation. Mogul led me to find OOTP and I found FOF from there. I can't member how I got Mogul though.

I am firmly in the boat of downloading now. No going back unless I can only get things in the store.

Groundhog · 09-22-2010, 06:30 PM

My first digital download was probably Arlie's Coaching A Dynasty. I still have fond memories of that game.

Sun Tzu · 09-22-2010, 06:55 PM

TNM...definitely TNM. Followed by FOF.

09-21-2010, 05:35 PM	#2
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	My first was FOF2 also -- I remember ordering it a couple days before my exams so it would arrive right after my exams were done, then getting all giddy when I realized I was going to be able to play it instead of study! __________________ Pride and Prejudice -- an FOF9 Lions dynasty, starting 1966

09-21-2010, 05:45 PM	#3
cartman Death Herald Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Le stelle la notte sono grandi e luminose nel cuore profondo del Texas	I think my first digital download buy was Wolfenstein 3D __________________ Thinkin' of a master plan 'Cuz ain't nuthin' but sweat inside my hand So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent So I dig deeper but still comin' up with lint

09-21-2010, 08:21 PM	#6
Groundhog Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia	With video games as they are in Australia, I wonder what the ratio is down here. A new PC game costs generally around $20 more to buy (at least) from EB Games than it would for me to buy from Steam or any other online retailer. A new PS3 game sometimes costs up to $40+ more for me to buy from EB Games than it would for me to buy from play-asia (not digital, but just to show how crazy prices are here). __________________ Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. --Ambrose Bierce

09-22-2010, 08:01 AM	#10
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	I don't recall my first download. I know I had the original Baseball Mogul before I'd heard of FOF (that's what got me searching for similar games to begin with) and I'm fairly certain I didn't buy that in a store, but I don't remember if it was a download or I bought it online and had a disk sent to me. Probably the latter. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

09-22-2010, 06:30 PM	#12
Groundhog Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia	My first digital download was probably Arlie's Coaching A Dynasty. I still have fond memories of that game. __________________ Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. --Ambrose Bierce

09-21-2010, 05:47 PM	#4
sovereignstar Pro Starter Join Date: Feb 2004	Digital River ftw

09-21-2010, 08:16 PM	#5
Mota College Starter Join Date: Jan 2001	I think that is in part due to the major retailers essentially abandoning PC gaming over the past few years. I begged with the buyer at EB Games to keep their PC section in but the used games make so much more margin for them that this choice was not available to her.

09-21-2010, 09:00 PM	#7
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	I'd say in 10 years physical games are done for consoles. Our grandkids will laugh about our midnight launch stories.

09-21-2010, 09:26 PM	#8
Drake assmaster Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Bloomington, IN	FOF2k1 was my first digital download. Now I prefer those, especially if I can download the whole package, save the key to a text file and back the whole thing up to external storage. Not having to fuck with disks in my drive to play games I own is good thing (and saves me from having to search unsavory sites for no-cd cracks that gamecopyworld might not have). Along the same lines, I saw yesterday that gog.com has apparently gone out of business already. That makes me sad. I probably bought 20 games from them in the last year.

09-22-2010, 06:55 PM	#13
Sun Tzu Pro Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: In the thick of it.	TNM...definitely TNM. Followed by FOF. __________________ I'm still here. Don't touch my fucking bacon. Last edited by Sun Tzu : 09-22-2010 at 06:55 PM.

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