DailyTech - GameFly's PC Client Enters Open Beta, Offers Unlimited PC Play

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Software GameFly's PC Client Enters Open Beta, Offers Unlimited PC Play
Tiffany Kaiser - December 20, 2011 8:57 AM

11 comment(s) - last by Wolfpup.. on Dec 22 at 12:45 PM

(Source: flickr.com)

Unlimited PC Play was announced back in August and available only to some users -- until now

GameFly announced the opening of a public beta for its new PC digital download client yesterday, which features Unlimited PC Play.

GameFly, an online video game rental subscription service, has finally made the PC client available to all GameFly subscribers for free. The client offers the latest news on PC games as well as an Unlimited PC Play library, which has core, classic, casual and independent games that subscribers can download for free.

Unlimited PC Play was announced back in August and available only to some users -- until now.

Publishers involved in Unlimited PC Play include the following: 1C, 2D BOY, Atari, Bohemia Interactive, Capcom, Iceberg Interactive, Interplay, iWin, Kalypso Media, Layernet, Legacy Interactive, Meridian4, MumboJumbo, Paradox Interactive, PlayFirst, Playrix, SelectSoft, SouthPeak Games, Spicy Horse, Square Enix, Strategy First, Telltale Games, THQ, Ubisoft, and Viva Media.

"We are thrilled to finally be able to open up the beta so anyone interested in video games can start using the client, and we are hard at work expanding our catalog of PC titles for our users to play for free in the Unlimited PC Play section," said Sean Spector, GameFly co-founder and SVP of Business Development and Content. "Casual to hardcore gamers can enjoy titles like 'Assassin's Creed,' 'Deus Ex' or 'Saints Row 2,' to 'Earthworm Jim,' 'Jewel Quest,' or 'World of Goo' at no additional cost to their GameFly subscription."

There are a little over 200 PC games available for now, and some reports are calling most of the content "filler." While this service alone likely won't draw new customers, it's a little something extra to enjoy if you're already a subscriber.

Sources: Gamefly, PR Newswire

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Ran through the lineup

By Mitch101 on 12/20/2011 10:31:12 AM , Rating: 3

Got to agree its filler material but its free and there are some decent titles in there worth playing. No one should complain it has to start somewhere in fact I give the studios who are allowing this credit and will take it into consideration when they have a new title release.

While on the free bandwagon. I run a free network of various sites and interests. Every now and then I get someone complaining that my free site didn't seem to solve their financial situation. Its amazing what some expect of free.

RE: Ran through the lineup

By Gondor on 12/20/2011 11:25:10 AM , Rating: 1

What filler material ? Those were all top titles back when they came out and let's be honest - they just don't make as many good games these days that they used to.

The last offline (= non-multiplayer) game I actually played more than once dates back 2+ years (Hearts of Iron 3). Vast majority of quality single-player titles that I replayed over and over again date back into 90s or early 2000s (Pirates!, Sid Meier's Pirates!, UFO1&2, Master of Orion 1&2, Civilization, Colonization, Jagged Alliance 1&2, Sierra's Aces series of flight and submarine games, Medieval & Rome TW, Railroad & Transportation Tycoon, etc.).

I could never get myself to replay any RPG even though I really wanted to (= to start Baldur's Gate II with my own Baldur's Gate character ready for some Carsomyr abuse after I first finished BG2 with a useless Ranger :) ), ditto for adventure games, even though some were awesome to play through ONCE (Maniac Mansion II, other Sierra and LucasArts titles, etc.) and platformers (Lost Vikings was fun ... to play through exactly once, just like majority of button mashers of the 80s/90s).

I'm currently hooked up on World of Tanks. My Baldur's Gate game is close to the end (beat Durlag's Tower and cultists already), I fire up OpenTTD (Transportation Tycoon Deluxe opensource clone - it's AWESOME free game, give it a try) and Jagged Alliance 2 v1.13 (also free update with plenty of enhancements and a handful of new bugs) every now and then and that's about it. New "games" (= console ports) just aren't interesting.

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RE: Ran through the lineup

By Iaiken on 12/20/2011 12:15:46 PM , Rating: 2

This is largely to do with the continued hollywoodization of the video game market and the ruthlessness of the publishers/owners towards the studios themselves. It doesn't matter if a studio turned out 10 smash hits, if they turn out one flop, there is a good chance that the publisher will shutter them and sit on the IP or hand it to another studio.

There are even examples where the resulting game was a financial success, but not a smash hit and the studio was shuttered and it's IP redistributed (Westwood Studios is a perfect example of this). The funny part about this is that Hollywood has been expanding back into the sort of scheme that allows small film makers like Kevin Smith and Guy Richie to turn out small commercial successes one after another.

You only need to look as far as games like Bastion, Minecraft, Terarria, Meatboy that have been massive financial successes in spite of only achieving cult-moderate distribution. I've basically concluded that the people running the studios are morons.

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How will it compare?

By waydiddy on 12/20/2011 12:02:46 PM , Rating: 2

I understand that a lot of gamers are watching their wallets (and purses) in the days that big-budget titles cost $60 a piece, but I'm unsure how this service would compare to game clients like Steam or Origin.

Just this week alone I've spent a total of $30 on over $100 worth of gaming content. With the constant sales of high-profile games in the range of $5-$10 dollars, a smart shopper would be much more likely to make a one-time investment on a top-tier title with unlimited access vs. a monthly investment for what could be called rotating "filler" material.

To each their own, but holiday sales at Steam are pretty legit for those looking for a deal. Any thoughts?

RE: How will it compare?

By waydiddy on 12/20/2011 12:03:51 PM , Rating: 2

P.S. Still a worthwhile add-on to a Gamefly account, but just a comment on its relevancy compared to Steam

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GameTap partnership?

By CZroe on 12/20/2011 3:51:25 PM , Rating: 2

I would have expected a partnership with GameTap. Without it, I'd prefer ConsoleClassix.

Free!!?

By Autisticgramma on 12/20/11, Rating: -1

RE: Free!!?

By woofersus on 12/20/2011 11:45:53 AM , Rating: 3

I seriously have no idea what this means.

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RE: Free!!?

By Rookierookie on 12/20/2011 11:57:20 AM , Rating: 2

Look at his screen name. Makes perfect sense, no?

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RE: Free!!?

By TSS on 12/21/2011 4:24:50 PM , Rating: 2

I think the point is it's only free if you have a subscription with gamefly. So technically it's not free at all.

With which i don't see a problem with since it's a video game rental service. Nowhere does it say free on the website, it says "Unlimited PC play". From which i gather, as long as you pay the subscription, you can play as much as you want.

Atleast that's what i think. It's pretty incoherent even for what i'm used to.

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RE: Free!!?

By Wolfpup on 12/22/2011 12:45:57 PM , Rating: 2

LOL yeah...I read it, and I don't understand it at all.

Regarding this service, remember it's sort of like Gametap. I loved Gametap but quit it when they moved from a nifty client to a web browser plug in.

I theoretically could have been in the beta for months, but can't motivate myself to install it, as I assume it installs some stupid DRM drivers or something, and I just hate mucking up my OS *sigh*

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