Mario meets cloud computing.
There’s more to digital distribution than just online sales – being able to instantly buy and (sometimes) play games online is only a part of the puzzle. Where the game runs, where the game is stored, and how you “own” the game are equally important. Steam, Good Old Games, and similar services are the simplest model; by and large, they replicate bricks and mortar stores by providing a catalogue and a distribution system (in their case, the internet). As a category, these “Games on Demand” system are most likely to be the dominant model for the foreseeable future. Continue reading →