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Amazon.com Launches PC Digital Download Service

by Chris Faylor, Feb 03, 2009 8:36am PST
Related Topics – PC, Amazon.com

Online retailer Amazon.com today launched its Game Downloads service, officially expanding its offerings to include digital downloads of PC games.

The store offers a number of casual games priced between $9.99 and $6.99, with would-be buyers able to sample a trial version of a title for 30 minutes. Three games--Jewel Quest II, Build-a-lot, The Scruffs--are free "for a limited time."

Though the offerings don't presently include major PC games priced above $10, Amazon VP of video games and software Greg Hart suggested that those may eventually follow.

"We always want to offer the widest selection possible, just like we've done with our boxed games over the past two years," he told Kotaku.

To receive a game, patrons must download and install the 3MB Amazon Games & Software Downloader. The move to digital distribution follows Amazon's acquisition of casual games developer and distributor Reflexive Entertainment last fall.

As with other digital distribution platforms, such as Valve's Steam, Amazon.com allows buyers to download a purchased game multiple times from a variety of computers.


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Comments

11 Threads | 44 Comments
  • #40
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    By: Mad_Doggie x
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    Bastards. I thought I had some leeway for setting up my VMware gaming session. Everything that I have that doesn't need 3d acceleration (and is 16bit) will (I plan) end up on that virtual box. Forward thinking, for Win7 and 64-bit.

    Of the Free Amazon offerings... yea, they are all casual gameplay. Jewel Quest 2 is Bejeweled, under a different wrapper. The Scruffs is the "find the parrot and other crap" in this wacky picture we give ya.

    Buildalot is actually fun. As I type, I'm itching to go back and play it some more. Not a bad game.

    But damn Amazon. I've got a week to get my virtual machine working, so I can lock these (and other) games in within an environment where they are authorized, despite how many upgrades I perform.
    Feb 03, 2009 5:32pm PST