Which leads to the question – how did digital downloading become so popular, so quickly? Well, it’s a matter of developers taking advantage really.  On the one hand, you’ve got people providing additionally charged (and occasionally free) DLC to add on to their games, like the Battle For Forli chapter in Assassin’s Creed II and the upcoming maps for Modern Warfare 2.  It could be said that this is a way to make a few extra bucks on an already sold product, but by the same token, it provides fresh content for the game and gives developers the chance to add something on, should they not be able to add it into the initial product or realize an innovation for it a week too late.

Then there are the games themselves. Microsoft’s got a slew of titles between Games On Demand and its Arcade service, PlayStation Network is picking up steam with a fresh variety of original games (most notably PixelJunk Shooter, too awesome for words), and even the Wii Shop Channel is seeing a little more diversity, between its new WiiWare games and its classic Virtual Console titles.

And that’s not even mentioning the possibilities for indie developers.  More and more are popping out of the woodwork, thanks to the Xbox Live Indie Games program, where we’ve seen some great stuff from James Silva (I Made a Game With Zombies!!!) and several others.

So is all this a good thing, or should we shift back to the physical property of gaming?  Well, to be honest, this digital download idea is something that really serves us for the better.  There are a few reasons for this…

1. You never have to worry about getting your discs scratched.  OK, sure, your hard drive may be corrupted or what not, but as long as you have the evidence that you downloaded the item in the first place, couldn’t it be replaced? Both PSN and Xbox Live keep records of everything you download right on your account, and should anything go wrong with your Wii, the games will still be there in system memory when you get it back.

2. Reasonable pricing. Back when the NES was around, games went for $50 a pop.  $50!  Nowadays, however, most downloadable games, Xbox Live, PSN or WiiWare, go for around $10-$15. That’s quite considerable where we’ve been in the gaming market, and a cheap alternative for going out and buying a $60 game outside of your reach. All you need to do is make sure you pay for a proper Internet connection. And, if you’re reading this, you probably have that already.

3. There’s something for everyone. This boom in the digital downloading market is a huge plus for everyone involved when it comes to game variety.  PopCap can flourish with its releases such as Peggle and the upcoming Plants Vs. Zombies; Capcom is no doubt taking advantage with Mega Man 10 and Final Fight: Double Impact; and several other retro favorites are making a return, including Sparkster (Rocket Knight), Bonk and Perfect Dark.  There’s no question that we’ve come a long way on the downloading front, and it can only get better from here (as long as price gouging never comes into play – and we know some of you spotted the 1200 Microsoft point titles, but that’s probably as insane as it’ll get).

4. Less money for GameStop. Even if you go to the store to buy point cards, very seldom will you be charged tax on it.  More profits for the guys behind the games and less for the employees who wouldn’t know how to sell a copy of Modern Warfare 2 to a military veteran (sorry, GameStop).

5. Independent developers finally have a foot in the door.  With downloadable games up-and-coming developers finally have their shot in the limelight, their chance to really show what they’re made of. Case in point – this week on Xbox Live Arcade, you’ll be able to check out The Odd Gentlemen’s The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. This game originally started out as a flash game, first shown at the E For All Expo in late 2008. Since then, 2K Play has picked up the title, enabling the developers to recreate it specifically for Xbox Live Arcade and make it the game they always wished it could be.  As a result, I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it even more. And this is just the start, too. We know several other developers just itching to get their shot, and you can bet they will.

6. Developmental costs won’t run so high. I’ve read how some games have an astronomical budget, like Gran Turismo 5 with a $20 million price tag and so forth. But not everyone can afford such a luxurious spending spree.  On the downloadable front, games aren’t just easier to develop, but also distribute.  None of that printing crap to get in the way, just pass it along for certification and you’re good to go.

Argue all you want about how digital downloads are “lazy” or “uninspired”, but you’re wrong. The fact of the matter is, it’s grown into an effective part of this business, and it will just get better over the next few years. At GDC alone, we’ll probably see dozens of games that will define the future of downloadable games as we know it.  Hey, as long as our Internet connection stays strong, I’m in.