Tag Archives: digital media

Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada has said that the games industry must be prepared for the eventual switch to digital distribution and streaming services as consoles games “won’t exist” someday.

“In ten years’ time a lot of what we call ‘console games’ won’t exist,” he told MCV. “Somewhere around 2005 the console manufacturers’ strategy shifted. In the past the platform was hardware, but it has switched to the network. A time will come when the hardware isn’t even needed anymore.

“With that, any kind of terminal becomes a potential platform on which games can be played – that’s exponential growth in the potential of gaming. The potential size of the market is enormous.”

Wada said that Square’s preparing by producing more social and browser games along with monitoring 2010’s Beta of Final Fantasy XIV on PS3, and that in order to survive the switch, third-parties must follow suit or else “suffer a big negative impact”.

“Social and browser games are going to grow dramatically – especially in areas like Asia which does not have as big a console market,” he said.

More through the link.

GameStop has created a new Digital Media position for the company and has hired Chris Petrovic to fill it.

Previously head of Digital Media at Playboy, Petrovic will be integrating this form of media as part of the compay’s “multi-channel strategy”.

“As the digital world of gaming and entertainment evolves, GameStop is well positioned to do what it does best – help create markets,” said CEO Daniel DeMatteo. “This includes identifying and effectively participating in emerging trends in casual, browser and mobile gaming.

“While we are currently one of the leaders in the online PC game retail space through our recently relaunched GameStop Casual Digital Store, we are also committed to supporting our unique and vast footprint of brick and mortar stores and knowledgeable associates with a smart digital business platform.”

Petrovic will head a “core team of digital media specialists” and will be based out of a corporate GameStop office in Southern California.

Full release after the break.

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