14 DAY TRIAL // GameStop, the biggest video game-focused retail chain in the world, is apparently evaluating the idea of getting involved with game development at an early stage on a number of projects in order to be then able to deliver exclusive downloadable content associated with the supported titles.
Colin Sebastian, an analyst watching the industry for R.W. Baird, is quoted by VentureBeat as saying that the company is currently evaluating which projects might be suited for the new initiative and how it can contribute funding while making sure that it still gives developers space to express their own ideas.
He says GameStop “indicated that software publishers are more enthusiastic about partnering with it. For example, by offering exclusive content on each major game release, and longer term, future models may include GameStop offering exclusive gameplay.”
Traditionally, the company was able to work with platform holders and with publishers in order to make sure that at least some interesting exclusive content could only be obtained by purchasing a title in the brick and mortar stores.
This drives traffic to them, which in turn means that customers are more likely to pick up a second-hand title or other content, the sector where GameStop makes most of its money.
Jackie Smith, a spokesperson, explains that “We are working with our partners to build in a longer lead time. And we are working with them to get both physical and digital exclusives for our customers.”
Because the strategy is at the moment in its early stages, GameStop cannot yet say exactly what kind of exclusive content we might have access to in the future.
Recently, financial info has shown that a greater number of players are getting their content for the new PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One at the specialist retail chain than for the older generation from both Sony and Microsoft.
It’s unclear how major publishers, like Activision, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft, will react to the new initiative, given that they tend to control the exclusive distribution for all the titles that they are funding directly.
GameStop will probably first work with smaller companies in order to test out its core strategy and only then will it try to get involved with major franchises.
The retailer is already facing a long-term threat from digital distribution services, which are at the moment dominant on the PC and are already making big progress on next-gen consoles.