As seems to be the norm around these parts, I believe an introductory post is in order. I am, as you may have guessed, Matthew Gildea; I’m the latest contributor to the talented bunch at TGH. Now, I find it hard and somewhat arrogant to orchestrate an autobiographical piece, so I’ll offer a little musing instead. You didn’t want to hear about my dull hobbies anyway.

If you enjoy this piece, hate it or just want to ramble on about last nights EastEnders, please do leave a comment.

Digital Downloads: A Convenient Solution For Our ‘Outdated’ Industry Ways?

Videogames have since their existence generally been found lurking on all manners of storage devices, be it cartridges, discs and the newer Blu-ray alternative. However, with the ‘digital revolution’ looming over us, are we really going to see a change in the way games are distributed?

Looking around at the other media an their respected industries, we have seen a large uptake of digital goods, especially with the likes of music and films. 99% of music is now bought online and films and television can be rented, bought or even streamed freely across the net, all offering a convenient alternative for those unable to get to a local town or store. But, what really links these industries together, is the lack of ‘death’ caused to the tangible goods. We still have our HMV’s and our Blockbuster’s, despite the rising competition from digital alternatives. And, compared to the music and film industries, gaming is a whole other ball game.

How long does it take to download or stream music files and videos? Seconds. Sometimes even instant as it buffers whilst you are consuming. Gaming on the other hand, digitally requires the download, which for arcade or indie games can be a quick and painless process. When it comes to retail games however, many packing in well over 5GB’s, you can see the lack of enthusiasm as you spend the next couple of hours downloading, wasting away your recreational time for a supposed ‘convenience’. With internet speeds and more importantly ISP throttling causing this digital ‘speed-bump’, we are very cautious of driving full steam ahead.

It’s not just technologies that are hindering this movement, but the bizarre pricing scheme. Whilst digital distribution cuts out the packaging and delivery costs for a high-street store, these savings are not reflected in digital pricing, as can be seen on the Xbox Live Games on Demand (GoD) service which lists outdated retail games at up to twice the price of the copies in your local Gamestation. Not so appetising for an ‘alternative menu’.

Until we are able to instantly indulge in our gaming the instant we purchase the game, much as we can do with products bought in a store, it seems the digital distribution method we are constantly heralded as ‘entering’ is nothing more than a sidekick to the more popular and more consumer friendly protagonist, the good old fashioned high-street shop.