id Software's digital distribution general manager Steve Nix has left the Doom and Quake developer for major U.S. game retailer GameStop, he confirmed this week.
The executive said on his Facebook page this week that he's joining Grapevine, TX-based GameStop after spending over four years with id Software. He'll be divisional VP and general manager of digital distribution at the retailer.
Prior to serving most recently as digital distribution general manager at id, Nix was director of business development and director of digital platforms at the studio, which was acquired by Bethesda Softworks parent ZeniMax Media in 2009.
Nix's business profile on LinkedIn also confirmed the move to GameStop. Prior to id, Nix was CEO of Dallas-based Ritual Entertainment for nearly six years before the studio was acquired by casual game company MumboJumbo.
GameStop said in a statement that Nix will "lead the strategic development and execution of GameStop's digital download business, working in collaboration with ecommerce, internal marketing, merchandising and operational teams to optimize GameStop’s digital download shopping experience."
Nix's appointment as GM of digital distribution at GameStop comes as the primarily packaged goods retailer realigns its business to be more inclusive of digital models. About half of GameStop's profits come from the sale of used disc-based games.
One of the bigger steps in GameStop's move towards digital was the acquisition of web-based gaming community Kongregate last year. The company also sells digital content in-store and has been working towards making its website a better hub for digitally-distributed games and content.
In November 2009, the retailer also established a digital business group, an acknowledgment of the impending threat of digital business models on the packaged goods business.
While the game industry's move to digital appears to be a foregone conclusion, market research firm Interpret said in September last year that "It is critical that both the publishing and retail sides of the game industry avoid overreacting to a vision of rapid transition to digital distribution that fails to reflect reality."
