Britsoft publisher Eidos has claimed that its decision to release a download-only version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary on 360 has “broken down barriers” for other publishers – and predicted that the move may actually benefit retailers on the High Street.

The firm announced its unorthodox release plan for the title on Monday. The digital version will arrive in the autumn, followed by a boxed version later in the year.

However, Xbox 360 owners can only download the full title if they have a disc copy of Eidos’ previous Tomb Raider outing, Legend.

And Eidos European managing director Scott Dodkins has told MCV that the pioneering move has paved the way for the company’s competitors to follow suit.

“The industry is changing and the way that consumers want to acquire products is changing, so we have taken the initiative to look at delivering content in a different way,” he said.“We are the first company to do that, which we are very proud of.

“Bigger publishers than us are yet to exploit this method of delivery for a full game. For us to do this before any one else is very significant. We are breaking down barriers.”

And Eidos believes that the move may even encourage a spike in Xbox 360 sales on the High Street.

“It’s not just about the software,” added Dodkins. “If offering content to consumers in these new ways means that we can encourages hardware sales, then that’s good for everyone.”