This year, numerous retailers (GameStop (GamesIndustry.biz sucks) , HMV (GamesIndustry.biz sucks) ) have been whinging and crying that they can no longer make huge profits out of selling computer games. Publishers have often jumped on the same bandwagon, but tended to blame retailers for selling 2nd-hand games (oh my! shock! horror!).
You might think that developers would agree, would sympathise – after all, they’re losing money too.
Not really. Here’s the historical perspective:
“Industry: Hey, Retail. Take your dick out of my arse!
Retail: You love it you little bitch.
Industry: Grr!
<Time passes>
Retail: OMG THERE’S A DICK IN MY ARSE! I DON’T LIKE IT! HALP! HALP!
Industry: You cheeky fecker.”
— ForkBoy
…at the end of the day, there’s no drop in demand for computer games; there’s only drop in demand for the weak ways that those games were traditionally *sold* to the consumer. Developers (and publishers) aren’t facing doom. And after many years of having to “bribe” retailers to even be “allowed” to send their products for sale, no-one’s feeling much sympathy for the retail sector…