Direct2Drive
 | |
Type of site | Desktop video gaming |
|---|---|
| Owner | Atgames |
| URL | direct2drive.com |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | To purchase |
Direct2Drive (commonly D2D) was an online game store offering PC video games via direct download. On May 25, 2011, GameFly acquired Direct2Drive from IGN Entertainment, Inc..[2] On Oct 20, 2014 the following statement was released on the companies website "GameFly digital customers: GameFly has sold its digital download business to AtGames Holding Ltd. GameFly will continue to operate the digital download business for AtGames until later this year or until the transition is complete. " AtGames has relaunched the service under the original name of Direct2Drive (approx. October 2014).
Competition with Steam
It was one of the major competitors to Valve's Steam digital storefront and has been described as "the other major purveyor of digital distribution".[3] A non-scientific survey run by gaming news site Kotaku in 2010 indicated that of around 30,000 respondents, 8% had purchased a game from Direct2Drive.[4] While Steam customers can browse the storefront via the downloadable client or the website, the D2D store was only available on the website. D2D did not offer a full fledged client, however, the service did have a free download manager. Additionally, many of the services features, including downloading, were available from former sister site GameSpy's software Comrade.
Business
Launched in 2004, IGN has claimed "exponential growth in sales" since that time. It offered over 3,000 titles through relationships with more than 300 game publishers.[5][6] Direct2Drive sponsored a $10,000 award at the Independent Games Festival called the D2D Vision Award, which "celebrates independent developers exemplifying innovation in design coupled with excellence in game-play".[7] In 2009, the site made headlines by refusing to sell Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 due to that game's integration with Valve's Steamworks service. Users buying Modern Warfare 2 from a reseller such as Direct2Drive would be forced to also download and install the Steam client.[8]
References
- ^ "Direct2drive.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
- ^ GAMEFLY, INC. ACQUIRES DIRECT2DRIVE FROM IGN ENTERTAINMENT
- ^ PC Sales Charts (Now With Added Direct2Drive) - Kotaku
- ^ Kotaku Census 2010
- ^ GAMEFLY, INC. ACQUIRES DIRECT2DRIVE FROM IGN ENTERTAINMENT
- ^ Interview: Direct2Drive's Berger On The Evolving Digital Distro Space - Gamasutra
- ^ GDC: IGF, Direct2Drive Announce $10,000 D2D Vision Award Finalists - Gamasutra
- ^ Direct2Drive Tussles With Valve By Declining To Sell Steamworks-Powered MW2 - Gamasutra Was acquired by GameFly in.2011