The use of special editions and physical goods in an expanding digital video games market.

1. Video Games Market 101
by Philip Driver
Special Editions
Why in a digital age we all still love extra stuff!

2. Retail Gloom or Boom?
• Whilst standard video games retail may be in full
decline.
– Game plc enters administration
– GameStop net earnings down $63M
• Digital is in ascendance.
– EA passes $1 billion in digital business in 2011
– GameStop digital receipts up 57%
– According to Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation
(DADC), digital downloads now comprise more than
half of all PC games sold in the United States and the
United Kingdom

3. DHL or UPS?
• Whilst no one is in any doubt that digital goods
are overtaking physical at an exponential rate it
may be too early to say goodbye to physical
goods altogether.
• Are we simply confusing the loss of a disc with a
simple change in delivery method?
• Whilst publishers rush to invest in the digital
market the number of special, limited or exclusive
editions has never been stronger. Many of these
are physical products.

4. Assassins Creed Revelations
• At launch there were over 7 different editions of
ACR available. Another (The Ottoman Edition) has
just been released.
• Editions
– Special Edition
– Signature Edition
– Ultimate Bundle (USA)
– Ultimate Edition (Canada)
– Collector's Edition
– Templar Collector Edition
– Animus Edition

5. Assassins Creed III
• Whilst currently there are just 4
versions of the next Assassins Creed
game available to pre-order 3 of
these are physical “Special Editions”.
• Editions
– Freedom Edition
– Join Or Die Edition
– Special Edition
– Standard Retail

6. But….Why?
• So far special editions account for 90% of UbiShop
Assassins Creed III pre-orders.
• If in 5 years time we will all be downloading games why
are physical special editions so popular?
• Because we all want something….special.
• As a fan of Assassins Creed I not only want to play the
game, I want to immerse myself in the experience. I
want to prove that I love the game and have mementos
of my journey.
• This is something you cannot get from digital alone.

7. Digital Special Editions
• Digital is of course no
stranger to specials
editions.
• Many digital titles come
with additional DLC
bundled as a special
edition.
• But several also come as a
digital download with
additional physical items.

8. Conclusions
• Whilst digital sales are increasing, the market
still demands variety.
• Hard core gamers and enthusiasts will always
want something different to just a disc or
download.
• Special editions offer an essential point of
difference whether digital or physical.
• Physical can compliment digital and vice versa.

9. Game Over
About the Author: Philip Driver is a digital distribution, online retail and marketing expert specialising in the field of
video games.
A video games industry veteran of nearly ten years he lives in the UK and finds that having children really gets in the
way of playing Skyrim.
You can follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/PobiWan