BT Games introduces digital downloads

Gibbo

Not sure how long this has been a thing but just received the latest edition of NAG where BT Games is advertising that they've started offering PC games via download: http://www.downloads.btgames.co.za/

Some good discount deals there as part of the launch but the discounts are almost exclusively for EA titles... wonder if that's an indication of anything (following the Origin bundle and related discussion) or just coincidence. I'd assume this will also work well for download speeds with files being locally hosted, but their FAQ does mention you may still need to use platforms like Steam to complete the download (actually that said, the FAQ also seems to indicate that you'll be downloading the files from Origin or Steam anyway).

Not a big selection there yet, but having a local distribution platform sounds great, and maybe they can be approached to have a separate Indie section for local games? What do you guys reckon?

dislekcia

I wasn't sure at first if they were locally mirroring files or not, at first it seems like they are, but then later when they talk about download speeds, it seems like they're not. Most likely not, seeing as they're probably just reselling bundle codes sourced from developers. Which is what Land of Gamers (another local site) appears to be doing as well. Not sure if this sort of sale system is something I like a lot, but it's something that happens - it's not like you couldn't already buy these games for similar prices online direct from Steam or wherever ;)

We actually get quite a few emails a month from similar sites around the world, asking for 2000 Steam keys for $X total - usually much less than we'd get for selling those copies normally. Wouldn't be a bad deal if the game were already old and not selling as much though.

As for putting local games on there, I imagine you'd need to have some sort of key redemption system for them to take you, but that shouldn't be too hard. I'd just ask if the numbers would be worth it, this sort of stuff can take a lot of your time. I've had a lot of developers say that much larger web portals aren't worth the effort due to low sales, so aiming at the already much smaller SA market only seems to be a legitimate worry there.

I wonder if they'd be interested in a Desktop Dungeons local special and marketing blitz when we release on Steam?

[Deleted User]

Hi there, I'm Kevin from Land of Gamers. I thought it would be best for me to fill you guys/girls in on exactly what Land of Gamers is about.

Land of Gamers primarily deals with the selling of redeem codes which are to be used with the Steam platform. Most of the games that we have on offer are substantially cheaper than purchasing directly from Steam and our prices are updated weekly. For added convenience, all our prices are listed in Rand instead of USD. We are in the process of incorporating the Origin platform as well which will allow us to expand our variety of games on offer. Land of Gamers are firm supporters of online digital distribution and hope to eventually establish a local 'gaming hub' with dedicated servers and such to feed the gaming community within South Africa.

Land of Gamers have also recently received two Oculus Rift Developement Kits and will be showcasing them in various areas soon, so keep your eyes peeled if you wish to try them out! Our plans are steadily falling into place and hope to start an active stream of game/technology news section and perhaps write a few reviews as well. Apart from distributing games, we are also willing to put up some advertisements on our site to promote Indie games/developers in South Africa. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful in terms of getting a start-up business off its feet and we would greatly appreciate your assistance and feedback!

Gibbo

Cool thanks for the feedback @dislekcia (with the DD local marketing blitz, can't hurt to approach them at least!) and @Agera1993 (Land of Gamers looks like a good setup and cool to hear you'll be doing Oculus Rift showcases)

FanieG

Just browsed through their selection, and noted that they do have a "indie genre" listed.

http://downloads.btgames.co.za/games/category/gc14060/indie/