On a $40 game we net about $15 these days at retail. 

There's MDF, which is effectively a slotting fee, as well as the manufacturing, the distributor's cut, the retailer's cut and that's before taking into account the costs of having a retail sales force to go out and negotiate with each retailer, attend their shows, etc. 

That's just how retail is.  They still sell more units than digital (at least for us) but there is also a lot of risk and cost associated with it.

One more nail in the retailcoffin.

I really wonder if Playstation 4 and Xbox 720 will have STEAMlike ways to forever stop secondhand sales. I believe it, but am not certain.

It is rumored, at least for the 720.

When this system happens, Gamestop will not last a decade- their business model is built on secondhand, and the way they treat folks guarantees no customer loyalty.

The only bad thing I can think of from a lack of retail presence is getting your game into the hands of folks that haven't/don't use online distribution. And possibly a level of marketing (getting your game out into the public more). But, Elemental is more of a niche title. Sins could probably stand alone in retail since it's an RTS.

What avenues will be selling these two games? Steam? Impulse? Origin?

Personally, it doesn't bother me.  I buy all my PC games digitally and am happy to do so.

I will say I do like the box art idea though.

That is assuming that you can get decent retail space.  Walk in to a Best Buy lately and see how many titles they carry?  Retail doesn't care about PC games anymore.  If they don't care about us, why should we be on the shelves?  Much rather concentrate on the game and ignore the retail politics.  In the end, it's much better for the gamers.

I was think art prints or posters or some collectable, personally.  Could have something much cooler than a box and we could mail it direct.  We'll need to see what doors open once we adjst to the "no retail" idea.

Up until just about 6 months ago I had to buy everything retail because I live in a very rural area and we have yet to see decent internet. We still don't have decent internet, but it is a little better because we have HughesNet now. They're still those people who rely on retail copies for games.

Are we going to get any of the saving passed on, or is it you will just be making more? Just curious.

I suspect two endgames for DD.

Either Steam will be broken up via Antitrust, or each AAA publisher will have their own DD service, with mid-range and lower publishers using Steam and possibly others.

There will still be a market for collector's editions.

In that case, they would have to do the same to Xbox live, PSN and all other monopoly platform holder - which is simply not going to happen.

i used to be against this, but I think the last boxed PC game I purchased was sins original release.  Boxes just take up too much space if you ask me.  So I say good riddance.  Just give me a color PDF of the book .  I hate Black and white PDFS

Well, I for one wish you guys the best, but between this and the steam requirement, I'll be moving along.  Good luck.