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MS & Game Rentals

Posted by samzenpus on from the your-games-have-been-assimilated dept.

pin_gween writes "Technology News says Microsoft has entered an agreement with Exent to provide On-Demand Video Games. So far, only 6 Microsoft games are licensed to the on-demand service (which costs from US$4.95 to $14.95 a month for access to anywhere from 50 to 300 titles). MS titles are "Age of Empire," "Age of Mythology," "Dungeon Siege," "Mechwarrior," "Rise of Nations" and "Zoo Tycoon." Exent lured MS with the "the shelf life can be prolonged and create additional revenue for the publisher not generated by the retail channel"."

7 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. How long until this is cracked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is going to be like that Quake shareware CD, free games for everyone!

  2. SegaChannel by blueadept1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In the 90's there was a thing here called "SegaChannel" by the local cable company (Rogers). It was $30.00 a month, and you got access to about 50-100 games, that changed about half of them every month.

    We need that back! It was probably the most value that I have ever gotten for my money to do with games. (excluding free)

    1. Re:SegaChannel by damiangerous · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It wasn't something dreamed up by your local cable company. The Sega Channel was created by...Sega, and it was pretty much everywhere in North America (and I think the UK too). It was a cool concept, it actually worked, and it had "exclusive downloadable content" like import-only games way ahead of its time. I seem to recall it being $24.95 here (from the now defunct TCI cable). Unfortunately, it came too late in the life of the Genesis to really catch on.

  3. Sure, why not? by phaetonic · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd rather download a program via my broadband in a few minutes to an hour sometimes than go to a video rental store only to find the copy they said was available over the phone is not able to be found. However, the titles MS is offering leaves much to be desired.

  4. a more likely reason by frovingslosh · · Score: 3, Interesting
    "the shelf life can be prolonged and create additional revenue for the publisher not generated by the retail channel"

    I'm not very familiar with the Microsoft game line, but are not most or all of the games offered ones that there has been a follow-up sequel to? Might Microsoft not see this as a way to gain revenue while at the same time use an old version of a game to promote a newer version of the game? I noticed the obvious absence of the Microsoft "Train Simulator" here, the game that even beta testers reported in bug reports "Unable to have fun with this game" and suspect it's because there is no sequel (the game rapidly lost it's shelf space). So while other companies sometimes release an older title into the wild as a way to promote a newer version, Bill has decided to charge users a reoccuring monthly fee for people to receive such promotions of new games. Nothing new there from the way Microsoft normally views their customers.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  5. Re:Yes... Just what the doctor ordered... by d34thm0nk3y · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Most of the time I finish a game I never play it again. Most of the movies I watch I never watch again.

    I think a subscription business model for video games and movies is a good idea. You can always buy the ones you want to play over and over...

  6. What a Pathetically Stupid Idea by ewhac · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I'm pleased to see that Microsoft has started early in pissing off their distributors and retailers, who really don't appreciate vendors doing an end-run around them, leaving them with shelf stock that's harder to sell.

    That said, I don't think the retailers have anything to worry about immediately, as you'd have to be an idiot to pay $14.95 a month to rent a game you can buy for $20.00.

    I just bought a copy of Dungeon Siege, which included the Legends of Aranna expansion pack, for $20.00 at Fry's. Not only do I own the damn thing and not get dunned every month, but I also don't have to install some insidious piece of spyware/copy-protection enforcement sh*t which phones home reporting my usage and any other damn thing they "need" to know about. Mechwarrior 4 can also be found on the cheap rack for $20.00. And if you really want an amazing bargain, grab Loki's Descent 3 for $4.95, which includes the Mercenary expansion pack.

    This is a really, really dumb idea.

    Schwab

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    Editor, A1-AAA AmeriCaptions