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Comcast Tries Online Game Subscription Route

Posted by simoniker on from the rent-a-ghost dept.

WebGangsta writes "Comcast announced a new gaming service available to anyone: for a monthly fee of $14.95, subscribers will have unlimited access to more than 60 PC-based games, from mainstream titles to educational software. New titles will be added each month. Games referenced in the press release included Atari's Dead Man's Hand [plus other largely Atari titles from the recently launched, similar Atari On Demand, including Neverwinter Nights and Civilization III: Conquests]. Is this one of the revenue streams Comcast was thinking about developing when they combined G4 with TechTV? Is there really a market for pay-service video games, and was there a lesson to be learned from Sega's attempt at this market (which was priced $2 less just nine years ago)?" Update: 06/02 17:06 GMT by S : Commenters point out Yahoo! is offering a similar service, currently with a greater variety of games.

2 of 25 comments (clear)

  1. Yahoo! has something similar. by MeenMunky · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://gamesondemand.yahoo.com/play

    They've had that for quite some time now. Same price and a lot more games. Never tried it; though.

  2. Mod parent down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
    Subscribers have a finite amount of cash they will spend on games per month. If games turn to US$15-20/mo each, then subscribers will only play 1, maybe 2-3 games.

    Isn't that the whole point of the service? I took a look at the yahoo link and, unless I'm mistaken, you can play as many titles as you want for $15. At $50 a title in the store, I only buy 2-3 titles a year.

    so you will only play a few games, thereby fragmenting the player communities. but who cares about that? divide and conquer! turn gamers into an even more splintered, more easily manipulated, and most importantly billable consumer group.

    Xbox live is owned/managed by the most draconian company in the world (at least we at /. like to think so). But there seems to be a pretty healthy community of online clans.