Physical and digital distribution sales for games nearly equal, GameStop CEO thinks people like boxes

There are two methods to investigate physical media. Some see it as needless clutter; useless relics taking on shelf space and collecting the airborne remnants of your dearly departed skin cells. Others, however, see rows and rows of boxes and books with a sense of pride — proof that they’ve incredibly good taste in terms of spending free time. In keeping with the NPD, those two parties are rapidly becoming equal on the subject of gaming, with 21.3 million \” full-game\” PC titles downloaded (legally) in 2009 and 23.5 million boxed copies sold. That\’s awfully close, and ignores the complete PSN and XBLA titles which might be currently making our console hard drives cry for mercy. Should brick and mortar software stores be nervous? Not in step with GameStop CEO J. Paul Raines, whose franchises are decidedly ceramic and paste-based: \” The arena won\’t be all digital tomorrow… In this business, users still want physical content.\” And he\’s right, you know. We\’d say it\’ll be more like 18 – 24 months.

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This post is tagged: boxes, ceo, digital, distribution, Games, GameStop, people, sales, Thinks