With Nintendo coming out of its great financial loss, the company told its investors that it would allow their retail games to be available for download with the 3DS and Wii U.
"In August, New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the Nintendo 3DS system will launch both as a packaged game at retail stores and as a digital download in the Nintendo eShop. The majority of future Nintendo-published Nintendo 3DS games will have the same dual-distribution strategy. Likewise, the majority of Nintendo-published Wii U games will be available both as packaged products and as digital downloads starting on launch day," Nitendo told Kotaku.
The earlier trend was that games were downloaded only through Nintendo's eShop after purchase. However, with this new distribution strategy, fans can now purchase from the company's eshop as well as through a code from a retail store. This is the first time the company will be allowing third party retailers to offer options for downloadable versions on 3DS and Wii U.
"So the future will be one in which you'll have three choices. You can buy and download a game straight from Nintendo's eShop; you'll be able to buy a download code from a third-party retailer in a more conventional way; or you'll be able to buy a physical copy of a game just as you always have done," as posted in N-Europe.
"To adapt to the changes in circumstances surrounding the video game industry, Nintendo is intending to deploy its digital business significantly. We would like to prove that our challenges in the digital business will result in an expanded business sustainable for the long term," Digital Trends quoted President of Nintendo Satoru Iwata as saying.
Nintendo looks to move forward with digital distribution and giving its retailers hands on with their titles. Let's see how successful it will be against the Microsoft and Sony, who are already well ahead in the game.
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