Interview With Publisher X - Digital Distribution
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
Gamer Investments recently had the opportunity to talk with Doug Kennedy, co-founder of Publisher X. The company specializes in publishing video game software on digital distribution platforms, such as the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, WiiWare and the iPhone App Store. As part of the interview Doug was kind enough to share some of his thoughts on digital distribution in the video game industry verses the traditional brick and mortar retail model.
Gamer Investments: Why did Publisher X decide to focus solely on digital distribution?
Doug Kennedy: I think if you take a look at the way the industry is moving retail really is that broken model. It’s very difficult to get titles into the retail space. If you are not one of the super publishers you have a hard time getting your title in front of the consumers, whether it be at a Wal-Mart, Best Buy or another retailer. And I think that there are a lot of great games out there that never make it to market or never get the attention that they deserve because there is a limited amount of shelf space.
Now with the advent of digital the developer, the publisher, and even the kid in a dorm room that’s developing a game has the ability to take that title out through a distribution mechanism on the same level playing field, in most cases, as those same large mega publishers. So we looked at it as a means to get some of our up-and-rising developers the opportunity to get on new platforms and get some revenue coming into the company.
GI: Do you ever see a time when digital distribution replaces retail outlets?
DK: I do. I think that it could have potentially already been pretty close to doing that. This is just my personal opinion but I think that the retailers are not prepared for that yet. At the end of the day you have to have a retailer to buy the hardware components for a console or handheld device. Until the retailers develop their own type of digital distribution model I think that the console manufactures, and this is just speculation on my side, are going to want to support those retailers on whatever avenues that they can.
