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MTV’s Multiplayer Blog has pics of people lining up for the World of Warcraft expansion pack release. What do you suppose the odds are that these folks will spend more time outside waiting in line than they have in the entire previous summer? Or just more time outside in a two-day period since the Phantom Menace premiere? I kid because I love.
But come on people, it’s an expansion pack.
Is it being digitally distributed as well? If no, why the hell not?
Plus, Blizzard’s digital distribution system is based on BitTorrent, so if all of these people downloaded it around the same time they could actually be helping each other (and Blizzard) out.
Blizzard doesn’t turn on their digital distribution until after the brick/mortar stores have had their fill.
These people are crazy. I saw them lined up at that same exact store in the picture on my walk to work the other day.
@Mark: That makes no sense. Their profit margin is much smaller with brick and mortar.
I guess since they make umpty gajillion dollars off subscriptions though, they want the free advertising of people seeing others line up for it.
@Zack: There may be better margins in digital distribution, but the amount of box sales probably makes up for it.
I guess that WOW already has digital distribution built into it complicates the matter, but personally I would not go against the wishes of huge stores that can dictate so many of your sales. People like their boxes!