Wired News: Columbia House Jumps in the Game Biz

In a move that Wired News says is "another sign that the gaming industry is maturing", Columbia House entered the game-selling business last week. Vice President Evan Schwartz told Wired,

"We do see ourselves as a market expander. As the PS2 becomes more mass-market, you're seeing a more mass-market consumer who is not buying games the day they come out, and we can reach that consumer, plus grab some of the share that the used market is getting."

Wired says that physical game stores control 90% of game sales, in spite of on-line offers from Amazon.com and others. I remember having pre-ordered AC2 from Amazon and cancelling it because it was on the shelf at WalMart on release day and Amazon.com hadn't shipped my order yet.

At any rate, Columbia House wouldn't have been competing for my dollar in that situation, but I never did get Warcraft 3 or CoC:Generals and they just might be able to get me to buy those kinds of titles from them, if the price is right. :)

Read the story at Wired News.