Gamestop has begun selling downloadable 3DS games.
That’s right; even though the whole point of purchasing games through Nintendo’s 3DS eShop is that you can pay for something and have instant access to it, Gamestop thinks you’ll find value in still buying them from a traditional retailer.
The retailer has become the first to offer eShop titles. So as it stands now, consumers are able to go to Gamestop.com, search for downloadable 3DS content, pay for it through the store’s website, and then follow the steps to activate that content on the 3DS.
It’s the latest in Gamestop’s quest to remain relevant in a market that seems to be leaning increasingly heavily on digital distribution, something that should cause a lot of concern for traditional brick-and-mortar companies.
Gamestop has been offering DLC for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for quite some time now, and of course also sells gift cards for Xbox Live and Nintendo Wii points, and Playstation Network wallet funds.
The pros for consumers are that they can use Gamestop gift cards to buy digital content, and can also trade in physical games to earn discounts on downloadable goodies. In addition, users can go into a Gamestop store and pay cash for said content.
The cons, of course, are that it takes out the primary benefit of digital distribution, which is instant access to content. Gamestop isn’t alone. Best Buy also offers a myriad selection of digital content through its website and retail locations.
