14 DAY TRIAL // Large games retailer GameStop has just revealed that the possibility of extending its used business to downloadable content is possible, but that it won't happen anytime soon.
Seeing as how digital distribution is becoming more and more popular, and with publishers like EA saying that it will overtake the traditional retail model, it seems that brick and mortar outlets will soon go extinct.
Not so, at least according to Shawn Freeman, senior vice president and general manager of digital business at GameStop, who talked with IGN about the company's online strategies.
According to Freeman, GameStop is already deeply involved with downloadable content through its exclusive pre-order bonus items for a large variety of games.
"Having that exclusive content gives consumers reason to pre-order with us," said Freeman.
But that's not all, as stores are already offering special physical cards that allow players to unlock downloadable content for their game, including tokens for Halo: Reach's Noble Map Pack and more.
GameStop will continue to partner with publishers and sell virtual content in its retail stores, Freeman added.
But the most interesting statement of the GameStop executive concerned downloadable content and the company's extremely successful used game business.
When asked if downloadable games or DLC could be traded in at GameStop for store credit, Freeman replied that, "It is totally possible, but it may not be as popular as physical sales."
Freeman once again emphasized the fact that his company doesn't see digital distribution taking the lead anytime soon, saying that, "When the largest hard drive you have is 250GB, you're not going to buy a lot of digital games."
In conclusion, Freeman expressed his desire to make GameStop the "Netflix for games," seeing as how the brand is much more recognizable than Steam, Xbox Live or PlayStation Network, and will attract a lot of users to the service.