Digital Distribution

Digital distribution of computer games (and indie games on the console) are starting to become the norm within the gaming industry with the rise of platforms such as Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/) and Direct 2 Drive (http://www.direct2drive.com/). Despite the majority of games still being bought as boxed copies rather than being downloaded, many people within the gaming industry are arguing that digital distribution will completely replace its counterpart within the next few years (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97509-Industry-Vet-Predicts-Full-Digital-Distribution-by-2011). They argue that retailers themselves are causing the rise in popularity for digital distribution, through their lack of advertising of computer games and even lack of computer games within their stores choosing to favour console gaming. But other than this, other reasons for the rise in digital distribution could be one of convenience, as people are able to download games straight off the internet (especially for countries that don't have internet download caps), less frustrating copyright protection as gamers don't have to deal with DRM (digital rights management) and SecuRom, and final better online support for the games such as Steam which keep games updated and allows for gamers to play their games on different computers.

Due to the popularity of digital distribution, Gabe Newell (one of the people behind Steam and the company Valve) has been awarded Game Developers Choice Awards Pioneer Award for his work on Steam, the platform that has been argued to have revolutionised digital distribution.

Interesting facts about videogame piracy- only 4% of gamers are actively downloading pirated games and majority those that do, pirate pc and mac games.