APRIL 8, 2009 • Accelerating its forays into online game distribution, Amazon.com launched a beta Xbox 360 Live store. Selected Live Arcade and Marketplace games are available for purchase, as well as Live gift cards and Microsoft Points.

Impact: Historically, Amazon.com is very much a traditional bricks and mortar retailer without a great deal of the physical overhead.  A move into digital distribution makes a great deal of sense, considering the company now has experience with music delivery.  Amazon.com has the advantage of offering consumers the option of physical delivery or digital delivery.  Most competitors tend to focus on one or the other.