Does Digital Distribution Do More Harm Than Good?

Isn’t moving from disc-based software to downloadable digital products a step in the right direction? Commenter Paradox Me isn’t so sure, and explains why in today’s Speak Up on Kotaku.

I think I might be a bit of a technophobe. I love technology to a certain point, where my interest begins to fade and rather quickly turns into intense dislike. Modern video games, Blu-ray movies playing on crazy TVs and sound systems, PC hardware, etc. It’s great.

Then, as things began to go digital, something changed. I hate digital distribution, DLC and the concept of cloud-based media. I don’t really like smartphones, tablets or this supposed ‘Post-PC Era’.

I also got to thinking about how things like digital goods seem like they can potentially do more harm than good. I mean, a lot of peoples’ livelihood depends on the production, distribution and management of media and content creators. If you cut out things like physical media and then content creators begin offering their goods directly to consumers, you’re rendering many positions useless. That’s just an example by the way, I’m not opposed to the people actually creating content having more control.

About Speak Up on Kotaku: Our readers have a lot to say, and sometimes what they have to say has nothing to do with the stories we run. That’s why we have a forum on Kotaku called Speak Up. That’s the place to post anecdotes, photos, game tips and hints, and anything you want to share with Kotaku at large. Every weekday we’ll pull one of the best Speak Up posts we can find and highlight it here.

However, I also look at works of sci-fi that deal with the colonization of space, intergalactic travel, cybernetic bodies (think Ghost in the Shell), etc. and find that stuff to be incredibly cool and get bummed out that it won’t happen in my lifetime. That makes the above seem all the more strange.

It’s not on a fanatical level (not gonna go around throwing paint on peoples’ iPhones or anything), but these are things that come to mind every now and then. Still, most folks’ ability to just shrug and go with the flow sort of makes me think I’m batshit insane, which is definitely a possibility.