NEWS
“You need to diversify, give customers more reasons to come back to your store.” MCVtalks to the UK’s most innovative indies p18
New service turns indies into digital retailers
Download specialist Ztorm helps independents set up their own Steam rival White label service fee starts at €200
by James Batchelor
THINK the digital market is only open to the big players? Think again. Ztorm has launched a new white label service that will allow any independent retailer to set up its own downloads store online. The Gem-owned firm’s new
API-plugin for popular blog platformWordpress makes it easy to advertise and sell download codes or full clients.
All product information, such as activation keys, can be either stored on Ztorm’s servers or handled on the indie’s blog.
Indies can even run price promotions or highlight featured products on their site. Customers can then make their purchases in just a few clicks.
The software integrates
with WooCommerce, a free plugin that enables online transactions through
This is a self- publishing solution that’s
easy to manage. Anders Emblad, Ztorm
“ by James Batchelor
ROKU, a leading TV and games streaming company, has joined forces with Gem for its UK debut.
Gem will bring the US
firm’s platforms to the High Street, starting with two models: the Roku LT and the Roku 2 XS.
Both devices stream content straight to users’
TV screens without the need for a PC. The 2 XS model also supports games including Angry Birds, Pac-Man Championship Edition and Galaga. All Roku models grant access to thousands of movies and TV shows from Netflix and Crackle, as well as up to 100 UK channels. Gem’s purchasing director Anthony Haworth told
MCV: “At Gem we’re always working to bring new revenue streams to our partners and Roku offers diversification for our gaming customers without moving too far away from their core business. “£49.99 for the Roku 2 LT which has over 100
channels, most of which are free, is an excellent offer for consumers.”
Gem: 01279 822800
Gem’s Haworth (above right) says Roku offers excellent value for money
Disc demand dwindles, duplicators dying out by James Batchelor
Garfunkel and Ranshaw (below left to right) lament the decline of physical product
MANUFACTURERS predict a steady decline in the use of game discs as digital gains a tighter grip on the market. The firms responsible for duplicating physical games report that a number of their competitors are on the verge of going out of business. “We believe the European
market for replication will shrink by about 10 to 15 per cent per year as more and
6 May 18th 2012
more games, audiobooks, DVD and so on are being distributed digitally rather than physically,” said Doron Garfunkel, UK commercial director at OK Media. “More pressing plants will get into financial difficulty and will have to close.” The firms that hope to survive are seeking new sources of revenue, such as music and film distribution. While they say there will always be a need for physical
More pressing plants will get into financial difficulty and will
have to close. Doron Garfunkel, OK Media
“
product, many argue that the disc’s role will change. CD Writer’s Nic Ranshaw said: “Manufacturing will become increasingly specialised and niche, with physical product being used to build brand awareness and generate a buzz on the streets with the publication of limited collector’s editions that sell for premium.” Read more about the changing role of disc duplication on page 25.
www.mcvuk.com
WordPress. Ztorm hopes to make it compatible with other e-commerce plugins. “We can offer both a full package deal complete with game hosting and DRM services, as well as enabling you to sell your own Steam product,” Ztorm CEO Anders Emblad told MCV. “We have priced our part of the service as low as possible to give anyone the incentive to start selling their own products and take
ownership of the consumer, pricing and promotions. “This is a cost effective way to offer a self-publishing solution, a product-centred e-commerce solution that you could set up quickly with free base tools that are easy to manage. Startup fees begin at €200. A demo store and information is available at
ztorm.com/wpshowcase. Ztorm:
+46 (0)8 5000 46 58 Gem brings streaming platfrom Roku to UK
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