So you guys know of the Nintendo's retail downloads strategy thing they have when NSMB2 launches right? Where one of the options is where you purchase a 16 digit codes from retailers. Here is a little idea I was thinking about today (after downloading the Rhythm Thief demo in sleep mode last night).

Pre-purchasing/Sleep-mode download games. You pay the normal game price(whatever price the retailers choose) and get the 16 digit codes for the game weeks before it's release date. You enter the code in the e-shop and hit download later(download later is the only option because the game hasn't been released yet) and forget it. Then the game would be automatically downloaded(sleep mode download) at mid-night launch (or even before?).

Of course the unique aspect about this is the sleep mode download feature on the 3ds. This means the customer don't have to power up the system to start the download on launch day (or maybe even a lil before actual launch day XD). As soon as you wake up the morning the game is already on your system.

A lil side note:The publisher distributes  codes (digitally?) to retailers before months release date and retailers can only sell the codes after the game is finished(publishers gives the the green light when they know how many blocks of memory the final game needs).

Thoughts on this...

steam says hi. 

...but it would be a good feature.  well worth copying.  i have hopes sony copies this at some point too.

That would be a pretty cool idea for people who enjoy Digital Retailing. I probably wouldn't use it but that doesn't mean much. It could potentially download 1-3 days before the games actually hit stores? Then it would actually give you a reason to get it digitally.

That game store looks really nice, btw.

Can steam download when the system is powered down (sleep mode)? That the main thing about this.

well i'm not sure a PC has the exact equivolant of a sleep mode.  but it does do it completely in the background so you get the same effect, on launch day the game is ready and waiting for you without delay.  I know i get annoyed with this on my ps3 sometimes.  It will download things in the background but for big games i have to find something else to do for 30min or more (on launch day) while it downloads ... certainly not ideal for a digital marketplace.

Yeah thats background downloads, Sleep mode download is where the game is already downloaded before you even open the system.

Its a big difference and what makes it unique.

EDIT: Think I'll edit the OP to focus on this aspect so there is no misunderstanding

EDIT: Oh, you mean as of the retailer purchase it begins the download process, no need to select a DL on the system.

A PC does have a sleep mode...!!! Laptops use them a lot.

You buy the game weeks before, enter the code on the e-shop that day and hit 'download later'. It will do 'download sleep mode' thing automatically on mid night launch

Can PC even do that?