Downloadable retail needed?

[Maltrease]

It doesn't have to be a choice between downloadable and not downloadable. I think the biggest draw is simply "I want more right now!" And if you have to wait several days it is a lot easier to just wait and not buy it.

If you've in a hot demo game, hit turn 40, and continuing the game is only $60 and 15 minutes away (with a fast connection) its very easy to drop the cash.

I'd say you still purchase the game, manual and pay shipping as normal. Then you are able to download the CD immediately. The only real copy protection is your CD-KEY. They could zip up the install CD for download and it would work fine.

I've bought a couple games this way (after being sucked into a demo) that I wouldn't have bought if I had to wait... and some frankly I shouldn't have bought... but immediate gratification is so tempting!