Video Games have been around since 1962 and I got thinking about the myriad ways they’ve been delivered to players. The list below is a comprehensive collection based on my research and is shared as a repository that others may find interesting.
There are three broad categories of delivery: location, format, and style.
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Delivery via location (physical to digital):
University Labs
Coin up / Arcades
Retail / Consumer purchase (computers and consoles)
BBS / Dial-in Service
Shareware/Freeware mail-order
Online / Digital download
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Delivery Format (physical to digital):
Server repository (computers)
Cabinet (arcade)
Printed code that you input (computers)
Cartridge (consoles)
Diskettes/CD/DVD (consoles, computers)
Digital download (consoles, computers, smart-phones)
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Delivery Style (continuation & content):
Session-limited
Save games
Save codes
Save points
Persistence / MMO
Demo/Full version
Episodic
Downloaded Content
In-App Purchase
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