The one thing that makes video game retailers more mad than the idea of unlicensed titles is the idea that they might become obsolete altogether. Welcome to the digital age. Consumers want to get access to their purchases instantaneously, which means that they are more likely to surf the web until they are able to download the newest video game rather than to risk taking a trip to the local mall.
Some video game retailers have responded by setting up their own web portals. Gamestop offers almost all of the games that it sells in stores online, but there’s a catch – gamers have to wait for their new titles in the mail. Even video game console manufacturers are somewhat worried. Downloadable expansion packs were profitable at first, until gamers realized that they could bypass consoles altogether.
There will always be those that prefer to play their games on the television sets, but a growing group of game players are looking for savings first and experience second. Cloud technology and more advanced peripherals for computers have helped to popularize online gaming. Video game consoles have been around for 40 years – just a few years shy of the invention of the personal computer. While Microsoft and Nintendo are coming up with exciting new ways to introduce gaming to people who have never been interested in the pastime before, the state of the economy is causing others to shy away. Hopefully, gamers will learn how to live with their computers and consoles in harmony one day.
