EXNOA Talk Points To End Of Physical Package Distribution
If the largest package distribution route for Japanese PC bishoujo games closes, makers who still sell DVD-ROMs at retail lose that channel while download sales continue, which pushes the industry further toward download-only releases.
Reporting from 1 source: Game Spark.
Industry insiders say EXNOA, which runs DMM GAMES, will withdraw from packaged game distribution. EXNOA took over the package distribution division from the now-defunct Hobibox and was the largest distribution route in Japan for PC games, especially bishoujo games. Comments came from kazami of Jitensha Sogyo, Hayama Koyote of Inre, and Ishikawa Yasushi of Purple software.
EXNOA is the company behind DMM GAMES, spun off from DMM.com and renamed in 2020. Its package distribution division came over from the now-defunct Hobibox, and for PC games it became the largest route in Japan, especially for bishoujo titles. The insider talk is that this business ends, and the people who used it say download sales continue while package versions are planned to end.
EXNOA is not the only company handling bishoujo game packages. The reaction from within the industry, where large boxes and bonus items are part of the appeal, is that makers will move toward download-only releases.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.