'Digital accounts for 70 per cent of our sales'

Speaking at the Paradox Interactive Convention in New York this week, CEO Fredrik Wester took a chance to mock digital distribution nay-sayers and reveal just how well the Swedish publisher is doing without retail support.

'In 2008 the CEO of GameStop said that digital distribution was 10 years away still,' said Wester. 'And our response was like "who hired this guy"?'

Wester revealed that Paradox Interactive, which runs the GamersGate digital platform, now sees 70 percent of its revenue coming from digital distribution and that total revenue is up 1000 per cent since 2003.

The 2008 quote was originally made by GameStop's Dan DeMatteo, who said there were several technical and financial reasons why digital distribution wouldn't roll out properly until 2020 or 2025.

'Video game publishers sell me games today for $48 wholesale, DeMatteo told 1Up in 2008. 'If they go direct to the customer they'll probably get about $30 for them. They'll get less for the game if they bypass retail.'

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