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Microsoft retail store lets you print your own physical copies of PC games
BY Jarrod Johnston Oct. 23rd, 2009 More on:

October 22nd marked the release of Windows 7, and to go along with that, Microsoft also opened up the first Microsoft store in Scottsdale, Arizona. From most reports, it’s pretty much what you would expect: Windows 7, Zunes, Xbox 360s, and all the fixings that go along with it.

However there seems to be one very neat surprise up Microsoft’s sleeve.  On top of each store having a selection of PC games, there will also be a PC game kiosk where you can select from a wide array of PC games. Once you pick your games, head over to a customer service rep, tell them your name, and pay for your games, they print the disc, case, insert, and instruction manual right then and there in the back of the store. They are retail quality and the whole process takes about four minutes.

I once thought this would be a fantastic idea, but I didn’t think anyone would actually do it, so kudos to Microsoft (of all people!) for their forward thinking. Imagine a day when games are no longer rare, and instead of searching eBay for a game that is out of print, you could just head to the mall and get whatever game you wanted. The problem is that, given the transition from physical games to everything going digital, this might be too little to late, but it’s still pretty damn awesome.

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    1. Max
      October 23rd, 2009
      at 11:53 am

      This is pretty genius, actually. Let me tell you as an employee of both GameStop and Radioshack having an Inventory of PC games is terrible because you never have the games people want and you have hordes of shitty games no one wants, all just taking up space that should go to home telephones or something. This way Microsoft can have a limitless storage space for game software and never worry about keeping dumb copies of games. This also gives me, a person who already owns all the other things Microsoft offers, a reason to go into a Microsoft store as opposed to gamestop, who will no doubt NOT have what I want.

      Granted Steam has really dominated most of my PC purchases but every now and then I’d like to have a physical disc. I wonder when Apple stores will do on-demand printing of Mac games.

      OH WAIT!

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