Wow no surprise there, my local EB Games won't even order SOE game cards anymore and I knew one of the clerks there that always dissed SWG when the NGE came out. Last time I saw a SWG game it was in a Sony Station pass package.
Something's definately up, all we can do is wait and see, LA may be doing something right here.
The same thing happened to me when I went to the Gamestation at my local Blockbuster. When I asked for a SOE game, the clerk behind the counter opened up with two Uzis, hosing down the whole store with red hot death, and then, when I jumped through a plate glass window to save myself, fired a TOW missile at me from 200 yards like he was Duke Nukem. That's how low SOE's reputation is within the retail sector.
SWG should die ! SOE should give up on that WoW clone of a game and let a real star wars fan companie make a real game that follows ther time line of the LAST MOVIE where there are not millions of jedi running around like a bunch of fool !!! SwG was the only game i was playing for year till SOE change the game to somthing i never would have payed one penny for !!!
Originally posted by hubertgrove Originally posted by sookster54 Wow no surprise there, my local EB Games won't even order SOE game cards anymore and I knew one of the clerks there that always dissed SWG when the NGE came out. Last time I saw a SWG game it was in a Sony Station pass package.Something's definately up, all we can do is wait and see, LA may be doing something right here.
The same thing happened to me when I went to the Gamestation at my local Blockbuster. When I asked for a SOE game, the clerk behind the counter opened up with two Uzis, hosing down the whole store with red hot death, and then, when I jumped through a plate glass window to save myself, fired a TOW missile at me from 200 yards like he was Duke Nukem. That's how low SOE's reputation is within the retail sector. LMAO I can picture that.
Everquest 1 is still going strong but you cant buy the disk as you have to download so are you saying EQ1 is dying too?
EQ has a new retail box coming in two weeks (with the new expansion). EQ is still doing well enough to get expansions. SWG is doing poorly enough that they canceled the last expansion they were working on, and now they are ceasing production of retail boxes. This isn't a good sign of anything other than LEC and SOE have given up on attracting new players in any significant number.
Each chapter the team developers a mass of content that replaces the expansions, except you don't have to pay, I'm just glad were updating to the more accessable digital download , It's the future.
"Don't hold breath about another KOTOR game coming from Bioware" - Chris Preistly
"Bioware is more intrested in pursueing development of it's own Intellectual properties"
Interesting, but you can still buy a WoW game disc correct? hmmm i guess if your not making money on swg its a good way to save some. Digital download works well enough.
And SOE has said there will be no expansions for a while right?
Yeah its not looking good for SWG then, oh well the vets tried to tell them.
I'm waiting for the next xpac. It will be all about dropping your toon into the trash compactor on the first deathstar where you have a choice between being eaten by the monster or crushed by the closing walls. Incidentally it is the same xpac where they introduce mandatory permadeath. True story.
D.
p.s. Sorry, couldn't resist, feel free to ignore my post, I'm just bored and hoping to get a laugh or three.
It's veteran's refuge! You can say whatever you want!
Played (more than a month): SWG, Second Life, Tabula Rasa, Lineage 2, Everquest 2, EvE, MxO, Ryzom.
Wow no surprise there, my local EB Games won't even order SOE game cards anymore and I knew one of the clerks there that always dissed SWG when the NGE came out. Last time I saw a SWG game it was in a Sony Station pass package.
Something's definately up, all we can do is wait and see, LA may be doing something right here.
Yeah my game store was so pissed with the NGE that they were giving people refunds on game cards and of course they don't order them anymore.
Also, I just saw a boxed copy of Jump to Lightspeed at a store reduced down to 9 bucks from the original price. Man that was sad. I still remember how excited I was to get that when it first came out. Got myself a new laser mouse too so that my space combat maneuvers worked better. That was sweet. Yacht parties etc... memories. Ah well I had some good times and met some awesome people that I'm still pals with. I'm thankful for that stuff.
Wow no surprise there, my local EB Games won't even order SOE game cards anymore and I knew one of the clerks there that always dissed SWG when the NGE came out. Last time I saw a SWG game it was in a Sony Station pass package.
Something's definately up, all we can do is wait and see, LA may be doing something right here.
The same thing happened to me when I went to the Gamestation at my local Blockbuster. When I asked for a SOE game, the clerk behind the counter opened up with two Uzis, hosing down the whole store with red hot death, and then, when I jumped through a plate glass window to save myself, fired a TOW missile at me from 200 yards like he was Duke Nukem. That's how low SOE's reputation is within the retail sector.
Rofl man that cracked me up, thanks for the chuckle
they are finishing this crap slowly and preparing for the new one with BioWare.
I would get rid of the physical too. They have had better sales over their digital download ever since they introduced it. Smart I say.
None the less even if BioWare does release a KoToR it doesn't fall under Lucas Arts direct competition clause due to one is extended universe and the other isn't.
I was at Target today saw SWG:TCOA selling on clearance for 13.78 or something like that. They had like 2 copies on the clearance shelf. I looked at it and kinda laughed to myself. I haven't seen any conformation or rock hard evidence supporting the Bioware MMO is KOTOR, but damn am I hopeing it is.
Its a 4 year old game thats not had an expansion for 2 years its no surprise at all this is it?
Think about it how many games do you see stocked retail that date from 2003? not many if any at all tbh
Good point... at this point I see it this way... SOE has already done ALL they could in their power (or rather... wanted to do in their power) to try and spread the word about SWG, TV ads, interviews etc. But this eventually is just too expensive, and so is putting retail boxes on the shelves. So now basically, to save themselves some money and "earn" money in the same process, they're relying now on word of mouth of current players to visit the site and hope that maybe they'll be gullible enough to buy the full version online.
Interesting observation. And if its true it would explain the recent influx of people saying "OH THE GAME IS GREAT! YOU HAVE TO COME BACK!" and all the obviously bogus staged interviews that don't answer any real questions. Like why don't you just bring pre cu back?
I would have to say... stand strong brothers, for if this really is them trying to rely on word of mouth then that means the game is truly on its deathbed and on its last breaths. And lets all hope that someone else is trying to grab that ip right to make a better mmo.
"Do not fret! Your captain is about to enter Valhalla!" - General Beatrix of Alexandria
"The acquisition of knowledge is of use to the intellect, for nothing can be loved or hated without first being known." - Leo da Vinci
That is AGAIN based on ONE AND THE SAME source: Primotech. Check the other articles. Basically the ORIGINAL rumor mongers say they have an unnamed source in Bioware who CLAIMS the game Bioware is developing, is a KOTOR MMO. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER, INDEPENDENT SOURCES. So for crying out loud, don't get your hopes up.
It's likely that LucasArts grants a temporary exclusive license for the companies they work with, so that not two identical games are released (e.g. two Star Wars RPGs at the same time). Yet, exclusive licenses will be temporary and after a given period of time translated to simple non-exclusive licenses.
Therefore, John Smedley and Jake Neri can talk about long-time commitment with Star Wars Galaxies for another ten years or more but that doesn't prevent LucasArts (with another company) from producing a second Star Wars MMO title. Star Wars Galaxies is over four years old. It was just around five years between the two EverQuest titles.
In case LucasArts wants to stay in the MMO market, they probably produce another MMO and in fact, they were approached several times (but declined officially). Star Wars Galaxies was always discussed controversially and was never as successful as it should have been, yet was still successful from the business perspective.
Finally, both companies cooperatively produce and work on Star Wars Galaxies. Any change and addition needs approvement from LucasArts. It's entirely wrong to blame SOE alone. So when LucasArts decides to work with someone else (like Bioware), it's probably not based on incompetence on SOEs part, but probably to exploit the highly successful KOTOR brand (which is partially Biowares franchise!).
I think it is likely due to a number of reasons:
Nancy McIntyre (LucasArts marketing) hinted in the infamous NGE interviews that they like to have a »SWG2« at the end of the decade (look it up, I am not sure if she even talked about 2008/2009). Of course, a lot will have changed since then (especially due the the NGE debacle), but that indicates the willingness to continue in the MMO market.
The MMO market is dominated by large brands and franchises. Part of World of Warcrafts success is the known and acclaimed Warcraft brand, established years before. KOTOR is similar in this regard, as that it created a known and acclaimed franchise known among PC gamers (unlike Star Wars for itself). The KOTOR franchise belongs partially to Bioware (as George Lucas himself has noted that he maybe wants to take the franchise someday to make something out if it, e.g. TV).
There is the likelihood that the exlcusive license is translated into a non-exclusive license after a couple of years, so that Star Wars Galaxies cannot be the reason that prevents another Star Wars related MMO. Five years of an exclusive lifespan seems reasonable (see EverQuests). SWG is more than four years old. Another Star Wars MMO game till the end of the decate and the KOTOR rumor fits that schedule perfectly.
A final sentence on topic. The lack of Expansions and the relatively long interval between chapters as well as the known and visible lack of new art and content are no good omens, not the fact that it is available as Direct Download only. Star Wars Galaxies improves somehow (just into another direction than many of us would like to see).
First off on SWG no longer having any Cd printings... Get used to this not just with SWG but with many other PC games as well... The downloads are just cheaper to do rather then come out with a new box, and believe it or not getting a game in stores is NOT that cheap. Granted it's not the days of 3.5 Floppy Disks, but still there is a good amount of cost going into printing the disks, makings boxes and the like. Dare I say in the next few years your no longer going to see PC Games as they are now in the stores. Rather you will see Collectors Editions, with the plan old copy of the game on Steam or D2D.
Wall of Text has hit for 235000 damage. It's likely that LucasArts grants a temporary exclusive license for the companies they work with, so that not two identical games are released (e.g. two Star Wars RPGs at the same time). Yet, exclusive licenses will be temporary and after a given period of time translated to simple non-exclusive licenses. Therefore, John Smedley and Jake Neri can talk about long-time commitment with Star Wars Galaxies for another ten years or more but that doesn't prevent LucasArts (with another company) from producing a second Star Wars MMO title. Star Wars Galaxies is over four years old. It was just around five years between the two EverQuest titles. In case LucasArts wants to stay in the MMO market, they probably produce another MMO and in fact, they were approached several times (but declined officially). Star Wars Galaxies was always discussed controversially and was never as successful as it should have been, yet was still successful from the business perspective. Finally, both companies cooperatively produce and work on Star Wars Galaxies. Any change and addition needs approvement from LucasArts. It's entirely wrong to blame SOE alone. So when LucasArts decides to work with someone else (like Bioware), it's probably not based on incompetence on SOEs part, but probably to exploit the highly successful KOTOR brand (which is partially Biowares franchise!). I think it is likely due to a number of reasons:
Nancy McIntyre (LucasArts marketing) hinted in the infamous NGE interviews that they like to have a »SWG2« at the end of the decade (look it up, I am not sure if she even talked about 2008/2009). Of course, a lot will have changed since then (especially due the the NGE debacle), but that indicates the willingness to continue in the MMO market. The MMO market is dominated by large brands and franchises. Part of World of Warcrafts success is the known and acclaimed Warcraft brand, established years before. KOTOR is similar in this regard, as that it created a known and acclaimed franchise known among PC gamers (unlike Star Wars for itself). The KOTOR franchise belongs partially to Bioware (as George Lucas himself has noted that he maybe wants to take the franchise someday to make something out if it, e.g. TV). There is the likelihood that the exlcusive license is translated into a non-exclusive license after a couple of years, so that Star Wars Galaxies cannot be the reason that prevents another Star Wars related MMO. Five years of an exclusive lifespan seems reasonable (see EverQuests). SWG is more than four years old. Another Star Wars MMO game till the end of the decate and the KOTOR rumor fits that schedule perfectly.
A final sentence on topic. The lack of Expansions and the relatively long interval between chapters as well as the known and visible lack of new art and content are no good omens, not the fact that it is available as Direct Download only. Star Wars Galaxies improves somehow (just into another direction than many of us would like to see).
Originally posted by MikeMB First off on SWG no longer having any Cd printings... Get used to this not just with SWG but with many other PC games as well... The downloads are just cheaper to do rather then come out with a new box, and believe it or not getting a game in stores is NOT that cheap. Granted it's not the days of 3.5 Floppy Disks, but still there is a good amount of cost going into printing the disks, makings boxes and the like. Dare I say in the next few years your no longer going to see PC Games as they are now in the stores. Rather you will see Collectors Editions, with the plan old copy of the game on Steam or D2D.
ummmm wow... don't take this personally, but you couldn't be more wrong. While I do understand that download is cheaper than box retail(I agree with you there) from a marketting point of view, this is retarded and if WoW decided to do this with their products, somebody's head would be rolling. It doesn't make perfect business sense because... while digital downloading is cheaper than putting retail boxes on the shelves. The game gets NO exposure to the public! If the game doesn't get exposure to the public, nobody will want to buy it, nobody buys it, no word of mouth spreads, no subscriptions come in, you get the point.
If you honestly think that the game would get good, or even better subscriptions JUST with digital downloading, then you are being deluded. In fact I had to think really REALLY hard before even making a decision to buy ToOW on digital download since I don't trust doing a lot of purchasing online. Digital Download also kills another one of retail box Marketting's advantages.... that is Impulse Buying. When you're at a Best Buy and you see it you end up asking yourself "hmm maybe I should get it because there's only 2 boxes left! If I don't get it now, then it might be sold out when I come back."
With digital downloading and free trials (as opposed to WoW and Guild Wars $1.99 trial disks) Customers will have ALL the time in the world to think about whether they want to buy the game or not. Which is great for the customer, but not great for the company. Once customers read all about the horrors of the NGE they won't want to buy it. Which explains SOE's Forum strict policing, to make sure customers don't get to hear the story behind the NGE. Also the big problem with this is that, unlike the customer, SOE doesn't have ALL the time in the world to wait for customers to make up their mind whether they want to do digital download. SOE's got bills to pay, workers to pay etc.
So while Digital download might sound good IN THEORY, it's ridiculous from a business stand point and frankly, the only reason I see SOE doing this instead of trying to make more aggressive advertisement (retail box, tv ads, tv interviews as opposed to cheap controlled website interviews) is a sign that SOE is at their last rope (with SWG) and they know pretty much that it won't be long before SWG dies out.
Believe all you want that digital downloading is revolutionary and great. But I happen to know that my business teachers (and GOOD business men trying to sell their product to the public) see the internet not only as the cheapest method for advertising, but also its down towards the BOTTOM of methods to use. Cheap? yes (depending on your web host) efficient??? questionable. Again, because of the product not getting any actual exposure to the public it's trying to reach.
Originally posted by MikeMB First off on SWG no longer having any Cd printings... Get used to this not just with SWG but with many other PC games as well... The downloads are just cheaper to do rather then come out with a new box, and believe it or not getting a game in stores is NOT that cheap. Granted it's not the days of 3.5 Floppy Disks, but still there is a good amount of cost going into printing the disks, makings boxes and the like. Dare I say in the next few years your no longer going to see PC Games as they are now in the stores. Rather you will see Collectors Editions, with the plan old copy of the game on Steam or D2D.
Yeah 25 cents a CD and 50 cents a case. :P
I still think it's viable to sell games in stores, not everyone hears about new games and when someone goes to shop and sees a new title on the shelf they'd grab it, how would you find it on the internet unless you're actually looking on sites like EBGames or Amazone.
Digital downloads is OK, but mostly for those who know about the game already. Also not everyone (like me) likes to use credit cards over the net. Although it would be nice if more major companies supported PayPal transfers, I know WoW already accepts PayPal for subscription payments.
LucasArts and BioWare Corp. to Create Ground-Breaking Interactive Entertainment Product
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and EDMONTON, CANADA -- October 30, 2007 -- LucasArts and BioWare Corp. today announced that they have entered into an agreement to create an interactive entertainment product. The product, details of which will be unveiled at a later date, will be developed and published by BioWare and LucasArts, and will push the boundaries of the gaming market by utilizing the strengths of both companies to deliver an innovative, high-quality experience. [Read More]
Comments
The same thing happened to me when I went to the Gamestation at my local Blockbuster. When I asked for a SOE game, the clerk behind the counter opened up with two Uzis, hosing down the whole store with red hot death, and then, when I jumped through a plate glass window to save myself, fired a TOW missile at me from 200 yards like he was Duke Nukem. That's how low SOE's reputation is within the retail sector.
SWG should die ! SOE should give up on that WoW clone of a game and let a real star wars fan companie make a real game that follows ther time line of the LAST MOVIE where there are not millions of jedi running around like a bunch of fool !!! SwG was the only game i was playing for year till SOE change the game to somthing i never would have payed one penny for !!!
LMAO I can picture that.
EQ has a new retail box coming in two weeks (with the new expansion). EQ is still doing well enough to get expansions. SWG is doing poorly enough that they canceled the last expansion they were working on, and now they are ceasing production of retail boxes. This isn't a good sign of anything other than LEC and SOE have given up on attracting new players in any significant number.
Each chapter the team developers a mass of content that replaces the expansions, except you don't have to pay, I'm just glad were updating to the more accessable digital download , It's the future.
"Don't hold breath about another KOTOR game coming from Bioware" - Chris Preistly
"Bioware is more intrested in pursueing development of it's own Intellectual properties"
- James Henly
Interesting, but you can still buy a WoW game disc correct? hmmm i guess if your not making money on swg its a good way to save some. Digital download works well enough.
And SOE has said there will be no expansions for a while right?
Yeah its not looking good for SWG then, oh well the vets tried to tell them.
It's veteran's refuge! You can say whatever you want!
Played (more than a month): SWG, Second Life, Tabula Rasa, Lineage 2, Everquest 2, EvE, MxO, Ryzom.
Tried: WoW, Shadowbane, Anarchy Online, Everquest, WWII Online, Planetside
Beta: Lotro, Tabula Rasa, WAR.
How long has WoW or EQ2 been around?...just curious cause I still see those games stocked.
I've seen it being sold in the local Best Buy for $4.99. The soe station pass box (with EQ, EQ2, Matrix, Planetside and swg) sells for $9.99.
Is a man not entitled to the herp of his derp?
Remember, I live in a world where juggalos and yugioh players are real things.
Yeah my game store was so pissed with the NGE that they were giving people refunds on game cards and of course they don't order them anymore.
Also, I just saw a boxed copy of Jump to Lightspeed at a store reduced down to 9 bucks from the original price. Man that was sad. I still remember how excited I was to get that when it first came out. Got myself a new laser mouse too so that my space combat maneuvers worked better. That was sweet. Yacht parties etc... memories. Ah well I had some good times and met some awesome people that I'm still pals with. I'm thankful for that stuff.
The same thing happened to me when I went to the Gamestation at my local Blockbuster. When I asked for a SOE game, the clerk behind the counter opened up with two Uzis, hosing down the whole store with red hot death, and then, when I jumped through a plate glass window to save myself, fired a TOW missile at me from 200 yards like he was Duke Nukem. That's how low SOE's reputation is within the retail sector.
Rofl man that cracked me up, thanks for the chuckle
I would get rid of the physical too. They have had better sales over their digital download ever since they introduced it. Smart I say.
None the less even if BioWare does release a KoToR it doesn't fall under Lucas Arts direct competition clause due to one is extended universe and the other isn't.
I was at Target today saw SWG:TCOA selling on clearance for 13.78 or something like that. They had like 2 copies on the clearance shelf. I looked at it and kinda laughed to myself. I haven't seen any conformation or rock hard evidence supporting the Bioware MMO is KOTOR, but damn am I hopeing it is.
Good point... at this point I see it this way... SOE has already done ALL they could in their power (or rather... wanted to do in their power) to try and spread the word about SWG, TV ads, interviews etc. But this eventually is just too expensive, and so is putting retail boxes on the shelves. So now basically, to save themselves some money and "earn" money in the same process, they're relying now on word of mouth of current players to visit the site and hope that maybe they'll be gullible enough to buy the full version online.
Interesting observation. And if its true it would explain the recent influx of people saying "OH THE GAME IS GREAT! YOU HAVE TO COME BACK!" and all the obviously bogus staged interviews that don't answer any real questions. Like why don't you just bring pre cu back?
I would have to say... stand strong brothers, for if this really is them trying to rely on word of mouth then that means the game is truly on its deathbed and on its last breaths. And lets all hope that someone else is trying to grab that ip right to make a better mmo.
"Do not fret! Your captain is about to enter Valhalla!" - General Beatrix of Alexandria
"The acquisition of knowledge is of use to the intellect, for nothing can be loved or hated without first being known." - Leo da Vinci
Please let the license be axed, please let the license be axed, please let the license be axed.....
Quoting people doesn't make you clever, in fact, it makes you all the more stupid for not bothering to read the quotes you post in the first place.
It runs out June 23, 2009...it will limp on till then.
http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/49557
Linna
what's worse, it's not even an unnamed source in Bioware, it's an unnamed source close to Bioware.
So basically "an uncle of a guy who works at Bioware told me..."
Wall of Text has hit for 235000 damage.
It's likely that LucasArts grants a temporary exclusive license for the companies they work with, so that not two identical games are released (e.g. two Star Wars RPGs at the same time). Yet, exclusive licenses will be temporary and after a given period of time translated to simple non-exclusive licenses.
Therefore, John Smedley and Jake Neri can talk about long-time commitment with Star Wars Galaxies for another ten years or more but that doesn't prevent LucasArts (with another company) from producing a second Star Wars MMO title. Star Wars Galaxies is over four years old. It was just around five years between the two EverQuest titles.
In case LucasArts wants to stay in the MMO market, they probably produce another MMO and in fact, they were approached several times (but declined officially). Star Wars Galaxies was always discussed controversially and was never as successful as it should have been, yet was still successful from the business perspective.
Finally, both companies cooperatively produce and work on Star Wars Galaxies. Any change and addition needs approvement from LucasArts. It's entirely wrong to blame SOE alone. So when LucasArts decides to work with someone else (like Bioware), it's probably not based on incompetence on SOEs part, but probably to exploit the highly successful KOTOR brand (which is partially Biowares franchise!).
I think it is likely due to a number of reasons:
A final sentence on topic. The lack of Expansions and the relatively long interval between chapters as well as the known and visible lack of new art and content are no good omens, not the fact that it is available as Direct Download only. Star Wars Galaxies improves somehow (just into another direction than many of us would like to see).
First off on SWG no longer having any Cd printings... Get used to this not just with SWG but with many other PC games as well... The downloads are just cheaper to do rather then come out with a new box, and believe it or not getting a game in stores is NOT that cheap. Granted it's not the days of 3.5 Floppy Disks, but still there is a good amount of cost going into printing the disks, makings boxes and the like. Dare I say in the next few years your no longer going to see PC Games as they are now in the stores. Rather you will see Collectors Editions, with the plan old copy of the game on Steam or D2D.
that sums it up!....great post!
ummmm wow... don't take this personally, but you couldn't be more wrong. While I do understand that download is cheaper than box retail(I agree with you there) from a marketting point of view, this is retarded and if WoW decided to do this with their products, somebody's head would be rolling. It doesn't make perfect business sense because... while digital downloading is cheaper than putting retail boxes on the shelves. The game gets NO exposure to the public! If the game doesn't get exposure to the public, nobody will want to buy it, nobody buys it, no word of mouth spreads, no subscriptions come in, you get the point.
If you honestly think that the game would get good, or even better subscriptions JUST with digital downloading, then you are being deluded. In fact I had to think really REALLY hard before even making a decision to buy ToOW on digital download since I don't trust doing a lot of purchasing online. Digital Download also kills another one of retail box Marketting's advantages.... that is Impulse Buying. When you're at a Best Buy and you see it you end up asking yourself "hmm maybe I should get it because there's only 2 boxes left! If I don't get it now, then it might be sold out when I come back."
With digital downloading and free trials (as opposed to WoW and Guild Wars $1.99 trial disks) Customers will have ALL the time in the world to think about whether they want to buy the game or not. Which is great for the customer, but not great for the company. Once customers read all about the horrors of the NGE they won't want to buy it. Which explains SOE's Forum strict policing, to make sure customers don't get to hear the story behind the NGE. Also the big problem with this is that, unlike the customer, SOE doesn't have ALL the time in the world to wait for customers to make up their mind whether they want to do digital download. SOE's got bills to pay, workers to pay etc.
So while Digital download might sound good IN THEORY, it's ridiculous from a business stand point and frankly, the only reason I see SOE doing this instead of trying to make more aggressive advertisement (retail box, tv ads, tv interviews as opposed to cheap controlled website interviews) is a sign that SOE is at their last rope (with SWG) and they know pretty much that it won't be long before SWG dies out.
Believe all you want that digital downloading is revolutionary and great. But I happen to know that my business teachers (and GOOD business men trying to sell their product to the public) see the internet not only as the cheapest method for advertising, but also its down towards the BOTTOM of methods to use. Cheap? yes (depending on your web host) efficient??? questionable. Again, because of the product not getting any actual exposure to the public it's trying to reach.
I still think it's viable to sell games in stores, not everyone hears about new games and when someone goes to shop and sees a new title on the shelf they'd grab it, how would you find it on the internet unless you're actually looking on sites like EBGames or Amazone.
Digital downloads is OK, but mostly for those who know about the game already. Also not everyone (like me) likes to use credit cards over the net. Although it would be nice if more major companies supported PayPal transfers, I know WoW already accepts PayPal for subscription payments.
Ok, they didn't mention KOTOR well