We are currently in the 7th generation of gaming which is the longest gaming generation, most video games in this generation are distributed through shops however recent moves mean digital distribution is becoming more and more common. Digital distribution is when the game is either fully or ‘partially’ distributed/downloaded through the internet. If games did become digital distributed then it would maininly be the developers and platform holders who benefit from this most, this is because it will save them money as they dont have to pay lorry drivers to drive games to shops, they also dont have to buy discs and game cases for the games to go in. Also if games became digitally distributed i think there would be more people buying the game because it would be advertised everytime they turn on their console so it would be much easier to purchase it. Game shops would feel a negative impact of digital distribution, this is because people would lose jobs and shops would close down as game shops would no longer be needed as everything would be digital. It is now estimated that each person by the age of 21 will of played 10,000 hours on a console, because gaming is so common now and there is that many people playing on them people now believe digital distribution can take off and within years game shops will be extinct. To make digital distribution work consoles will have to be connected to the internet in order for people to be able to purchase the games.
You can now purchase games digitally however it has not taken off yet as some imagine it may in upcoming years. The games digitally are the same price as games in the shop so possibly to get things moving digitally games should be cheaper.
In conclusion i believe that within the next 5-10 years digital gaming will of taken off and game shops will be gone as people will decide to buy them online but not in the near future because no console is capable of handling such a large demand of full games or the memory space to hold them. However in order for the market to broaden internet on all consoles should be made free so digital distribution would be easier and able to advertise.
