GameStop wants to sell directly on XBL/PSN

As bricks and mortar looks to increase its digital footprint, GameStop has outlined plans to begin selling content directly into customer’s Xbox Live and PlayStation Network accounts.

It would work by linking a user’s GameStop ID to their XBL and PSN accounts. The content would then be downloaded automatically when the machine is later turned on.

Though some may laugh off the idea of retail being a necessary or wanted part in a purchase that can easily be made directly through consoles themselves, the retailer claims that it sells as many, if not more, Microsoft Points and PSN Payment cards as Microsoft and Sony themselves.

"We have been a huge seller of those points in the marketplace," GameStop’s senior vice president and general manager of digital Shawn Freeman told Ars Technica.

"As I understand it, we’re neck and neck, or we sell even more, than they sell directly through Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. Which speaks to our access to gamers who care about playing those games.

"Today you pick the card up off the rack that’s associated with that map pack, we ring it up as part of your transaction in the store, and then we give you the code that allows you go home and [access the content].

"Ultimately, we want to reduce even more of that friction, so when you buy that map pack in our store, we’re going to be able to associate your Xbox profile with your GameStop profile, and then automatically push that to your download queue.

"We’re the ones that do a great job of helping consumers understand what their opportunities and options are for playing games. By providing an opportunity for our sales associate to sell the games themselves to consumers, we can drive more of those sales."