Topic: MS does on-demand software printing at retail

[idolminds]

Now thats pretty cool.

At Microsoft Stores, customers will be able to purchase anything in the Microsoft catalog of PC software, even if the retail box is not carried in the store. Using a kiosk with a touchscreen display that resembles a stripped down, user-friendly version of the Microsoft online store, customers will be able to add products to a cart. Once finished, you save your cart with a name and approach any of the store's representatives with a handheld computer.

After paying with cash or credit card, the disc, cover and manual are printed in the back of the store. The entire process takes about four minutes and the final result looks just as good as if you'd purchased the retail box.

[MysterD]

Idol, that's freakin' sweet.

I'd love to see Microsoft start publishing PC games again and doing this kind of thing w/ those games - especially X360 games that I been wanting for them to bring to the PC, such as Fable 2 and Gears of War 2.

I'd so be all over that shit.

[Quemaqua]

That's kind of cool, actually, but also kind of scary.  Seriously, in 10 years are we going to be walking into tiny stores that have no real inventory except for empty boxes, paper, and blank DVDs?  It's just such a weird thought.

[MysterD]

That's kind of cool, actually, but also kind of scary.  Seriously, in 10 years are we going to be walking into tiny stores that have no real inventory except for empty boxes, paper, and blank DVDs?  It's just such a weird thought.

Maybe not just in stores, but also maybe see some of these kiosks in say grocery stores like Redbox has.

EDIT:
I think what'll be awesome about this thing is if say the game is riddled w/ no DRM and no CD-keys, this thing can probably spit out as many copies of a game as necessary. If a game does have DRM and CD-keys, I guess they'll just have to get the developers and publishers to just generate more codes.

Also, retailers won't have to worry about stocking inventory and letting it sit there to depreciate in value if nobody decides to buy a fair amount that they decided to stock of X game. Hell, it's up to you the customer to decide what gets printed and where.

Also, if Microsoft has these kind of stores all over the place - why the hell would they need to deal w/ retailers? They can just cut the middle-man - like Best Buy and GameStop - right out, if necessary.

[Pugnate]

That's kind of cool, actually, but also kind of scary.  Seriously, in 10 years are we going to be walking into tiny stores that have no real inventory except for empty boxes, paper, and blank DVDs?  It's just such a weird thought.

Well, maybe for older games, but I think even four minutes would be too much of a wait (in terms of store efficiency) for a super hot new release.

Though perhaps improvements in printing and burning technology would have cut that down to less than a minute....

All this is pointless to discuss anyway. We all know the MysterD apocalypse is coming...

[W7RE]

This means you can go into a store and buy a 10 year old game without having to worry if they have it in stock anymore. (assuming they keep them in the system)

[MysterD]

We all know the MysterD apocalypse is coming...

Define that apocalypse named after me that you speak of.