A Christmas List For Next Year´s Game Stores
Remember Blockbuster? The game stores of the future will make today’s game stores look like Blockbuster – we will miss the nostalgia but we won’t go back. Gamers are frustrated – games are getting bigger and game delivery, account access, and financial transactions are more complicated and time consuming than ever. Just like Netflix pioneered easy, instant, click-to-play access to movies, soon we will have instant access to games. Infrastructures will operate more efficiently and affordably so more value can be delivered to gamers and developers. How? Through technology that reduces friction to play and enables game stores to reduce costs and lighten their global impact.
Gamers hate waiting! Gamers are blowing their top over long download times, large patches and login procedures. This is a solvable problem. Today, cloud gaming offers instant access, but with lower quality graphics, higher latency, at significantly higher prices than traditional game downloads. Gamers are not willing to take one step forward and two steps back. Games need to start faster, without sacrificing gameplay.
DACSLABS developed ROCKITPLAY using machine learning to deliver games that start almost instantly, with as little as 1% downloaded and reducing patch sizes and therefore delivery costs by 50%. Today, we are the only company that offers this technology, ready to scale as a cloud or licensed service. In September, Valve shared that they are working on a game delivery system that starts games more quickly. Speeding up game delivery and patching is absolutely critical to provide a better experience, and it is now apparent that the rollout of fast start solutions is inevitable.
A Lower Carbon Footprint
Today, game downloads in the US are already responsible for up to 10% internet traffic. Game stores are expected to address the massive carbon footprint of gaming. Based on our block-patcher data, we estimate that patches contain over 50% redundant data. Every redundant byte delivered is an opportunity to save bandwidth, reduce friction for gamers, and increase profits for game stores and publishers. Unlike cloud streaming, ROCKITPLAY actually uses less bandwidth and reduces the carbon impact of gaming.
From Fair Share Publishing to Shop in Shop
The game store of the future might be an un-store, a direct to consumer publishing engine that helps publishers build direct relationships with consumers. Today game publishers pay up to 40% of revenue to game stores. A solution that enables a low cost, easy to manage game distribution infrastructure would enable direct to consumer game publishing, and allow alternative game stores to differentiate and create value.
Ownership and Transferability as a Service
Game stores of tomorrow will remove barriers between games, social spaces, and stores. Free-to-Play and subscription services can provide gamers with flexibility like the ability to buy virtual goods in one game and move it to other games, trade or share on social media. Users may want to resell games. Instant access will move game logistics out of the way, so stores can focus on games and the user’s experience across games.
Ready for the Future
At DACSLABS we are on a mission to power game stores of the future. ROCKITPLAY is available today, and yes you can try it out. You don’t need to take our word for it – let’s ask your gamers! Setup is easy (click for video) and, for a limited time, completely free. Just email me at frank@dacslabs.com or reach out here on LinkedIn.