Half of GameStop DLC buyers never bought digitally before
Retailer says brick-and-mortar sales of downloadable titles expanding the market
GameStop is attempting to convert its brick-and-mortar business for the digital age, and in so doing, the retailer says it's converting a number of its customers as well.
Speaking with Gamasutra, GameStop director of digital content Brad Schliesser said that half of the customers who purchased digitally distributed games and add-ons from the retailer were buying downloadable content for the first time. While core gamers are already happy buying such DLC directly through the Xbox Live Marketplace or PlayStation Network, Schliesser said GameStop's efforts are appealing to those who either lack a credit card, or simply aren't comfortable submitting their card info online.
"I always believed if all we did was take customers who were shopping at the Microsoft storefront or the PlayStation storefront and make them our customers, that doesn't benefit the whole," Schliesser said. "If we were going to be a significant player in the content market, we had to widen the pie."
As for what they buy, Schliesser said Xbox 360 digital goods account for 65 percent of GameStop's DLC revenue, with the PlayStation 3 taking up another 28-30 percent. The remainder (less than 10 percent of all sales) is split between other platforms, including Steam.