The Changing Face of Retail Games
Digital gaming has definitely taken over the landscape.
It’s just more convenient now to buy a game online and then download it to your device of choice. This was especially true with the pandemic, when there were literally no GameStops open to get your game on.
That said, there could still be an argument made for the power of physical games. Having a collection that you can actually look at on a wall, compared to a list of digital purchases that, frighteningly, can vanish in the blink of an eye if someone hits the wrong server button.
Granted, that’s a longshot for dedicated companies like Microsoft and Nintendo, but there’s something about the nostalgia of going through a mom-and-pop video game store and seeing what they have to offer.
I can remember a simpler time at retail when stores did this as well, and you were just in awe of what you wanted to buy on your birthday. Remember the good ol’ days of Toys ‘R Us? Even if games weren’t physically on the shelves most of the time, you could grab a ticket, take it to a counter, pay for it and hold the game in your hands.
There’s just something about seeing the games on a shelf, compared to reading its digital listing on, say, PlayStation’s marketplace. Maybe it’s just the box art, or the idea that you can read the back of a game’s box and know what you’re in for (even if, ahem, technically Superman 64 did lie to you about offering a great experience).
Alas, the scene is changing. Walmart is slowly but surely working on phasing out games from its stores, though it’s likely to have a setup where you can still get currency cards or buy digital games. Best Buy is doing away with physical movies, and one day it might do the same for video games, though its deal with Limited Run Games and other companies may have that stalled for a bit.
Eventually, who knows, maybe it’ll get to one day where you just have cards to choose from, instead of looking through a number of box arts to decide what game to add to your collection.
Honestly, that’s depressing. The idea of going to the store and looking through the video game section was really something. “Hey, I didn’t know this came out!” or maybe “hey, I wonder what The Ocarina of Time has to offer to Legend of Zelda fans.” Thoughts like that can’t be replaced by digital cards, even with the convenience of downloads.
I just like the fact we have older video game stores (the mom-and-pop ones) that are thriving with business, and companies are still busting their butts to get games out physically. I’m not a fan of Limited Run Games’ hiring and firing practices, but they do know how to get their franchises for publishing. Still torn if I want Rocket Knight Adventures Re-sparked or not.
And, of course, shoutout to Premium Games for being awesome as well. I just hope they keep the party going, particularly with Retroware and releases like Toxic Crusaders and Prison City. That’d be right up their alley.
Anyway, I was just trying to say that there should always be some sort of game aisle for people to go down, where they can actually see what they’re buying and get a good idea of what they’re in for — compared to a plain card that says, “Just get what you want.” It’s inspiration like that which made some games sell pretty well.
But, like I said, we have the game companies that are out there still trying to make the most out of physical. I’ll take what I can get. Here’s to the collectors!
See you guys next time. Thanks for reading and have a great week!
