Developers and publishers have found out in the past few years that adding new content to the core game over time is a good way to make an extra buck from an already released game. From new characters, weapons, vehicles, maps, and so on, a lot of companies are keeping their fans happy by adding tons of new content to give their games extended replay value.

IGN Entertainment’s GameSpy is now looking to get in on the downloadable content business and has launched Direct2Game, a commerce service that will allow publishers and developers to create in-game store fronts and get their content directly to the gamers.

GameSpy has previously cut its teeth on the multiplayer and online gaming format. The company has been successful by offering tons of Xbox LIVE-like features such as: instant messaging, friend rosters, advanced matchmaking, etc. And their system has been used in 500+ games, including Unreal Tournament 3 and Crysis.

Jamie Berger, senior vice president of consumer products and technology for IGN Entertainment, says that Direct2Game will opening up new revenue streams and business models for publishers and developers alike. Though it sounds like this whole thing would be just eliminating one middle man and introducing another. But the real question is would it ultimately be worth it to gamers ?