GameStop has officially entered the digital distribution realm, it seems

GameStop: Winner of the Internet's
"Most Hated Retailer" award.

So GameStop revealed some of their plans for handling digital goods -- videogames, downloadable content, etc. -- recently. The retailer is currently offering PC games through their Website for the same price of a brand new physical copy, but plans to offer Xbox Live (as well as PlayStation Network and Wii and DSWare titles, no doubt) content in the future.

Once bought, customers are sent a code -- if you're buying console-based goods -- via e-mail that you may then enter to initiate the download. PC game buyers are simply sent a download link along with an activation key. PC titles also come with a limit on how many computers the game may be downloaded on. GameStop claims that buyers will also be able to gain a refund on titles as well, but only for titles whose publishers allow for such an option.

Now, that sounds all fine and dandy, but what point is there in buying from GameStop when digital items are always available elsewhere, sometimes for less? If I wanted to buy an Xbox Live title, for example, I would just log onto the ol' Xbox and buy it there. What incentive is there to go through other channels?

If it worked for Patapon 2, why not other games?

That's always been my main issue with this matter. I can understand why retailers are trying, but they seem to forget that the consoles for where they're played are also where most -- if not all of us -- buy digital content for games. It's not much of a hassle to add money or points in order to buy games. And really, who's going to choose GameStop over Steam or the service your respective console uses for buying downloadable games?

I could see some use in having download codes available in stores (that's what Patapon 2 for the PSP did), but then, with stuff like Nintendo point cards for sale already, one could just buy one of those and get the same result. With that in mind, I imagine most publishers saying no to that. It'd still be a better way of handling the digital side of videogames, though, since then the retailers still have some sort of physical item to sell. It's a win-win scenario for everyone! Now if only we could convince them to go through with it...

GameStop details digital distribution storefront, XBLA games 'coming soon' [Joystiq]