Burnout Paradise scores 20k downloads on PSN

by Andrew Yoon { Oct 31st 2008 at 10:30AM }

Sorry Gamestop, but publishers are increasingly turning towards digital distribution. EA experimented with Burnout Paradise, by releasing the full retail game on the PlayStation Network. Its budget price ($30) certainly attracted quite a number of fans, as it was able to earn 20,000 downloads since its release, only three weeks ago.

20k is a small figure compared to the total number of units the game has sold since its release in January (at least 1.6 million units). However, EA is able to make a greater profit off of direct-to-consumer sales. The digital release of Burnout Paradise is quite late -- we're certain it would've done even better were it to have launched simultaneously with the retail release.

Still, digital distribution has many hurdles to overcome. For many, digital distribution isn't a viable means of acquiring games, due to slow connection speeds or bandwidth caps. For others, the lack of packaging far outweighs any other potential benefits, like launching from the hard drive and lessened load times. As the industry progresses, it's clear that publishers will continue experimenting with digital distribution.

Tags: burnout, burnout-paradise, digital-distribution, ea

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ranben @ Oct 31st 2008 10:37AM

Ugh, looking at that picture,

I'll just stick with the old HUD thanks.

Kspraydad @ Oct 31st 2008 1:00PM

Thats only the HUD in Party I assume...not the whole game.

Syn @ Oct 31st 2008 12:19PM

Party Mode doesn't sound appealing at all anyways.

drdre74 @ Oct 31st 2008 10:38AM

I love having it downloaded. When i quit a disc game I don't have to get up and load another disc. Plus it didn't take that long at all to download when i bought mine.

nakedatthecomp @ Oct 31st 2008 11:08AM

the epitome of laziness right there

D_Average @ Oct 31st 2008 12:30PM

I hate getting up to put a new game in. My legs are usually asleep by then and I end up spilling Pringles all over the bathroom.

ratphour @ Oct 31st 2008 5:39PM

I thought I was the only lazy one out there.. :) At least I now know "I am not alone... "

Nate @ Oct 31st 2008 10:46AM

I'm about 10x more likely to buy a downloadable game than I am a disc game. Why? Because I can do it from my couch. Also, I love the ability to switch from game to game without getting up, taking out the old disk, putting it in its case, getting out the new disk, putting it in the PS3... Plus load times are faster, etc.

Resale value is only a small concern to me. Generally by the time I'm ready to sell a game, I can only get like $20 on ebay, if I'm lucky, and that's a lot of work. If the downloadable game is even $10 cheaper than the disk game, it's well worth it to me to get the downloadable.

Devin @ Oct 31st 2008 12:22PM

For me, it's the fact that I don't have a lot of HDD space to download every game I own. I have music, pictures, videos, etc. on my PS3 and I also want to be able to sell my games after I beat them, especially if I don't want to play it anymore and if someone else is willing to give me 75%+ of what I spent on it.

But I do like the idea of faster load times and not having to get up every time, but I usually play 1 game until I beat it so getting up isn't a big deal to me.....

Steve Childs @ Nov 1st 2008 7:32AM

Downloading them is fine if a) the price reflects this, no I don't really want to put more money into EA's coffers thanks, I want to save whatever the retailer's cut was and the packaging costs were. Just because its downloadable doesn't mean its a license for the publisher to make more money out of you.

And secondly, as long as you can play the game when offline and from other PSN accounts on the PS3 its alright. GT5P had similar issues when launched online that you could only play it when signed in and other accounts on the same PS3 couldn't play it. Both issues are totally unacceptable and I won't buy any game from the PSN until these are fixed.

Kspraydad @ Oct 31st 2008 10:55AM

Andrew...where did you get the 1.6 million sold number (not VGChartz is it????!!!).

Critierion 'just' celebrated its 1 millionth online player on Oct 21, 2008 across BOTH systems.

Considering many of those 1 million are a: renters, b: bought the game second hand and don't count as a sale and c: are console owners with multiple accounts accessing the game (ie I have 5 people in my family that have played online with this game) I can't see where the 1.6 million in sales is from.

If this is a real number from EA and not just a VGC number I'd like to see the source (yes...I do have a reason to know...I'm not 'just' ragging on VGC)

Vcize @ Oct 31st 2008 1:57PM

44% of Gears of War owners played the game online, and that game basically made its mark online.

If a single-player oriented game like Burnout has had 1 million players online, I would imagine that the actual number of people that have played is well over 2 million (I doubt even 35% of Burnout players have played online, so it's probably even higher than that), so when you take out renters and used buyers 1.6m sounds about right, if not even a little low.

Kevin PSN: Keviseg15 @ Oct 31st 2008 3:25PM

yeah i hate online i tried it once and i love the game offline

stop being so ignorant not every single person who bought the game has played online you moron

Kevin PSN: Keviseg15 @ Oct 31st 2008 2:39PM

yeah i hate online i tried it once and i love the game offline

stop being so ignorant not every single person who bought the game has played online

Krycek @ Oct 31st 2008 10:58AM

I guess I'm in the minority, I enjoy the process of opening the wrapping and then reading the instruction manual and the fresh ink smell (yes, I know it's strange) and then putting the case into the collection so that they're all lined up nice in the game drawer

nakedatthecomp @ Oct 31st 2008 11:10AM

I'm with ya!

reson8er @ Oct 31st 2008 11:43AM

Daniel @ Oct 31st 2008 12:01PM

Yes indeed!

Plus, I like taking my games to friend's houses.

Name: @ Oct 31st 2008 11:03AM

not everybody has the internet to play online or even if they do don't play online. there is your reason wizkid

Kspraydad @ Oct 31st 2008 11:13AM

You think 38% of users don't play this online? A. Doubtful and B. The number that don't play online would be offset to a good extent by the renters/mulitple account/2nd hand purchasers.

Thanks for YOUR input 'wizkid'

Bdub? @ Oct 31st 2008 11:26AM

Most colleges don't allow internet access for the ps3, so I think that takes a large chunk out of the online user base.

Popfrogs @ Oct 31st 2008 2:15PM

"Most colleges don't allow internet access for the ps3"

Seriously? How can they do this? You throw a router in your dorm room and plug the PS3 in, you're done.

Fharding @ Oct 31st 2008 11:11AM

Is it me or are the graphics in this screenshot different to the ones in the game. By graphics I mean all the different coloured swirls.

Kspraydad @ Oct 31st 2008 11:14AM

Burnout Paradise Party!

http://www.criteriongames.com/article.php?artID=367

CsMisi @ Oct 31st 2008 11:14AM

I like as nobody cares to mention the biggest disadvantage of digital distribution: PSN is only present in what, about 18 markets? what about the remaining markets? It isn't enough to distribute a game on USA, Japan and the bigger markets from Europe. What about the remaining 170 countries of the world? There is still selling potential but no PSN Store to buy from ...

Jerses @ Oct 31st 2008 11:24AM

I think thats where the PSN cards are needed.Im from Mexico and i buy games from the US store via those cards, they only need to seel them here ( i cross the border to get them). I understand why we cant use the video store ( youre rentals are our theather premiers :P ).but the implementation of the PSN cards i think they can reach that 170 countries. :D

HAAS599 @ Oct 31st 2008 11:26AM

For me digital distribution only makes sense for a portable device.

DeathroW @ Oct 31st 2008 11:29AM

Bring more on!

paul @ Oct 31st 2008 12:22PM

Im cool with just the multiplayer aspect of the game for psn downloads. I dont need the full disc version. Ie: just sell me COD4 multiplayer and Im all over that. I love my COD4 blu ray , but i rarely play the campaign. That is where PSN downloadables will suceed. That an downloadable ps2 games because they will require less hd space. I say sell both and 4 or 6 months later, sell the multiplayer part of the game on psn. BUT it needs to be at a very reasonable price. For Example, warhawk and socom should be 19.99. Game makers are saving money not havin to package. share the profits guys! dont be greedy.

Biznass @ Oct 31st 2008 12:36PM

Digital distribution won't overtake a hard copy anytime soon but it would rake in money if they cut the freekin' price. Ex. Socom hardcopy w/ headset $60, Socom hardcopy $40, Socom dl $40. The dl should have been $30. I would have dl'd it, instead I got the bundle. I can now give/sell the hardcopy and the devs lost a sale. If I dl'd it I would keep it "forever". Price the dl right and I will come. I didn't dl Burnout because I got the disk for the same price.

Dr. Strangepork @ Oct 31st 2008 12:59PM

For those not interested in Party Mode . . . the Crash games on Burnout 3 produced some of the best non-traditional-gamer involvement at some of my parties. Once people saw it they wanted to play.

Paradise's crash mode isn't as fun IMHO, but there is potential with the other modes.

TinyTim121 @ Oct 31st 2008 12:59PM

Anybody know Warhawk Retail sales vs Digital sales?

Both require an online connection to use/play, both cost about the same, both released same time.

Surely that would be a better comparison for companies thinking of using Digital Distribution.

Or if anyone knows the same for GT5:Prologue then yeah, share with us.

money_mike_preme @ Oct 31st 2008 1:01PM

i think warhawk is priced right because of the cost of running the servers (in warhawks case...its stacked ps3's!) Plus have you played warhawk? i still havent got any of the expansions (work too much i guess) and im still not tried of it...got it for my birthday last year on the 29 of august. havent tried socom (like i havent played any of them...never looked like something id play) but im sure it cost the developer money to keep the servers up hence the not so 19.99 ish price

SnazzyD @ Oct 31st 2008 4:10PM

There are many titles I would consider downloading if they were considerably cheaper, and the industry gets to keep its money instead of seeing 70% of it (my guess) going to the used market which they don't see a dime of.

BUT, one factor most pundits seem to miss is that most ISPs are clamping down on high speed bandwidth which will prevent most people from taking advantage of many direct-to-home movie and game offerings. And that will only get worse as games start getting into the tens of GBs in size.

Ain't gonna happen...

Kruegmeister @ Nov 2nd 2008 11:31AM

I prefer Disc Based for the Following Reasons:

1) I cannot Trade in a Digital Download.
2) When I get a PS4 I do not want to Download 500 Terrrabytes of Games to Get my Collection on my New System...