Online Retailers Now Selling 3DS Retail Codes

While the rest of the world is waiting to see the 3DS retail-game download facility released to the public in mid-August, Japan is already getting the full taste of digital retail distribution on the system, anticipating the arrival of Dr. Kawashima’s Demon Training, and most notably, New Super Mario Bros. 2 releasing in the country this weekend. News has now emerged to the surface, via Andriasang, that in conjunction with the download cards that will be available from stores, other online retailers will also be selling download codes to be redeemed instantly for the game. So, basically, now you have four methods of buying a game for your Nintendo 3DS, which are:

• Buying the physical boxed game with the cartridge from any store or online retailer, as we normally do.
• Purchasing a download card from any store, which will include a download code that you must redeem within 150 days.
• Purchasing a download code from any online retailer (not the physical download card as in the second method), which you must redeem within 150 days.
• Download the retail title directly from the 3DS eShop.

And that’s that. All these details are the ones for Japan, but of course, we’re assuming that these will also be the same methods usable for other regions – if not, then that’s very unorthodox.

But the most disturbing fact that comes with this piece of news is that some Japanese online retailers are actually charging more money for download cards/codes than actual physical copies of the game – what? If there’s anything that was to be expected, it’s that there would be a discount on the digital copies of the games, not the other way round. Well, we’ll see how the pricing adjusts a few days and weeks in, and if Europe and the US will also suffer the same fate with retailers.

With the 3DS as well as the PS Vita now offering this feature, do you feel that we are entering the digital distribution face of gaming retail a bit too soon to benefit the industry? What are your opinions on the pricing of the digital copies of retail games – do you anticipate a change soon to come? Air your opinions out below.