With the rise of subscription-based services for movies like Movie Pass, TV like Netflix and Hulu, music like Spotify, and books like Audible, it is no surprise that video games is the next big addition. Microsoft has already released its Game Pass that, for a small sum of $9.99 per month, you can enjoy any game in its lineup as much as you want similar to what Netflix does for movies and television.
A new leaked advertisement (via NeoGAF) from GameStop shows that the major video game-centric retailer is now dipping its toe in that same realm of subscriptions. Called Power Pass, this subscription will allow for “unlimited gaming” through GameStop’s own stores. For $60, you get six months of unlimited pre-owned gaming at your leisure.
How it works is that you get to pick one used game – any of them, no matter how new – and take it home to play on your system for as long as you want in that six month-period. Whenever you beat it or get bored, you simply walk up to your nearest GameStop and exchange it for the next used game that you are interested in.
Also: Game Deals – Super Mario Odyssey, Destiny 2 PC, and Spooky Games
The cycle rinses and repeats as much or as little as you want during those six months. At the conclusion of the six months, the final game you select will stay in your hands forever. Essentially, you are getting six months of unlimited play for the full price of a single, brand new $60 game.
This is similar to what GameFly has been doing for years. Its service, however, costs more for the same deal at $15.95 per month for one game, and you have to pay a little extra to keep any game you like, contrary to the GameStop Power Pass’ guaranteed “free” game at the end.
The advertisement states that sign up for the service will begin November 19th. The fine print states that you must a PowerUp Rewards member to access this service, though, it is unknown if you need to be a Pro member or not. Also, even though the sign up begins next month, it also states you must sign up by January 31st, 2018 to participate in the program.
Opinion: For the price of a $60 game, this is a good deal but probably only for a specific group of people that have the time (and desire) to play several games, so they can get the right bang for their buck. It also would be disappointing if the games you’re interested in aren’t in-stock, such as brand new titles. Hopefully, this and the Xbox Game Pass leads to more subscription services like these.
