Back in March GameClub announced their intentions to the world, and our former Editor in Chief Eli Hodapp announced that he would be leaving TouchArcade after ten years and joining those efforts. What are those efforts you might be asking? Well, GameClub hopes to bring back many of the classic premium mobile games that have been lost to time over the past ten years, either due to compatibility problems with Apple’s hardware or software or due to a developer not having the means to continue maintaining the game for modern requirements. In just the two months or so since that announcement, GameClub has signed on more than 50 different games for their service, and by way of an Early Access program ran through Apple’s Testflight beta testing service players have been able to take some of these resurrected titles for an early spin.
A new title hits the Early Access program every week, and so far we’ve seen a return of such amazing mobile games as Hook Champ, Sword of Fargoal, Incoboto, Plunderland, and more. For those of us who were around when those games were new, being able to revisit them again is a shot of nostalgia and a reminder of just how many amazing experiences have graced the App Store over the years despite its terrible reputation from the larger gaming world of being filled with nothing but crap. More importantly is that a service like GameClub gives players who weren’t around for these titles a chance to experience them for the first time, and not only enjoy an excellent game but also see the historical value of these games that are by some of today’s biggest indie developers. For example, Rocketcat Games got super popular with Death Road to Canada, and it’s extremely awesome to be able to go back and see their roots with games like Hook Champ and Super Quickhook.
GameClub’s focus has been strictly on bringing back premium games, and they’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response since their unveiling to the world back in March, especially by those who know how many quality games have been on mobile over the years and by those who feel jaded by the free to play world that exists in the modern App Store. There’s really only been one huge question hanging over the whole thing: How will GameClub make money? Or more specifically, how will gamers pay for these resurrected titles? We now have an answer, as revealed by GameClub to FastCompany earlier today. GameClub will run on a subscription model similar to Apple’s own Apple Arcade service which is set to launch later this fall.
CEO of GameClub Dan Sherman thinks that the subscription model is “the next emerging trend in games" and that it “has the potential to be every bit as large as in-app purchases, or the ad market." While some people will instantly shun a subscription model right from the gate, I feel like that’s a bit of a myopic view. And hey, I get the notion of “subscription fatigue" as someone who subscribes to Netflix, HBO, Apple Music, Hulu, Twitch Prime, etc. I mean the last thing I’m ever looking to add to my life is another thing to subscribe to. But at the same time, at least with a subscription you KNOW what you’re paying upfront and you know what you’re getting in return. I can’t say the same thing about a freemium game, where it may or may not be “fair" and it’ll take you months of your life to even find out. More often than not a freemium game you get heavily into turns into a money pit whether you’re planning on it or not.
There’s another huge aspect to the subscription model though, and I think most people don’t tend to think about it: Sustainability. We live in a time where it’s just expected that games will receive updates after they launch. It’s great because if a nasty bug or ten sneak into a game, you’re not stuck with a physical version that can never be fixed. And of course that also means game experiences can grow by way of content updates, and it’s also pretty much expected that new content will be added to every game after it launches nowadays. The problem is that updates, whether bug fixing or adding content, cost time and money. A mobile game that sold for a one-time price of a dollar or two can’t be continually updated until the end of time. But that’s what they NEED in this day and age of frequent software and hardware updates.
So as much as many of us who grew up just buying a game for a fixed price might struggle with the notion of a subscription service, the model suits modern games. You’re not just subscribing to something like GameClub so you can play a library of old games, but you’re subscribing to create a sustainable revenue stream that ensures these games can remain updated and playable into the future, and that more and more new games can be added to the service down the road. Of course there’s also the elephant in the room that is Apple Arcade, another gaming subscription service launching this year. But I think, at least for the time being, GameClub and Apple Arcade are offering pretty different experiences. The former focuses on bringing back classics with modern updates, while the latter is focused on strictly brand new games. They should actually complement each other rather well.
Much like Apple Arcade, no pricing has been announced for the GameClub subscription service, but Sherman does go into several more details about the company in the article over on FastCompany, so definitely give that a read. I’d also love to know what you all think about subscription models and the direction of GameClub. Would you subscribe to it? Will you be subscribing to Apple Arcade? Would you subscribe to BOTH? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Since I’m new to mobile gaming in the past 2 years there’s just one title, Pulse, that I would love to get back. The nostalgia sell for me is nonexistent.
Subscriptions in general are a big no for me, which is sad because there are many great games here.
Whatever the price, the value is indisputable -- supporting a bevy of known good developers, and a guarantee that's they'll work.
I've spent many hundreds of dollars on now-dead apps, but GameCenter should be a sure thing, even if everything goes away if I stop paying.
I plan to look at it like Playstation Plus or Xbox Live which gives you tons of free stuff over the year for the price of a single game.
THERE IS HONOR IN PAYING FOR GOOD ENTERTAINMENT. Don't just play free games, or watch only commercial broadcast TV, or read only books that people give you for free.
Unfortunately, none of these games have really aged all that well, and with so many new games coming out, I don't think I have the time or money to bother with GameClub.
How will this work though? Will there be an app where the games act like DLC and you load it through their app? I feel like there will be some problems getting whatever their doing through Apple’s approval process. If the price is right though, I’m in.
Subscription model? Pass from me, sorry. Shame - I had been interested otherwise, having been into the iOS gaming scene pretty much from the start.
This news kills all my interest in this. Oh well. Guess I'll need to keep my iPad 4 around for Incoboto after all.
Rip
Imagine bringing back dead games, only for them to die a second death. Not a fan of subscription service, I'd much rather buy if any interested me and be able to own and keep them. Pass.
Well, this is ultimately what is going to happen. The original developers don't mind because it is another way to get revenue from their game without having to do the work to support past purchases.
With the ever changing hardware and software, these services makes sense for premium games. There are very few premium games on mobile that I would pay over and over again to play, though. And they aren’t included in this or Apple’s service. But, fortunately for me, they are all still being supported since I initially bought them. However, hopefully some of these games are that way for others, and this service can succeed!
I hate buying a game and then not being able to play it, down the road. Then, years later, the developer brings it back through another feasible avenue, making more money off of a new set of people and purchases. All this, while completely ignoring the initial purchasers that made their game successful in the first place. No thanks. Support your product to all purchasers or GTFO.
Nothing against GameClub, or their service, but I dislike the idea of the game's developers, of the original games, double dipping while ignoring original purchases.
I expected it to be a subscription service, so I’m not surprised. Whether I’ll sign up for it or not depends entirely on how much they plan to charge, and what games are added. Sword of Fargoal is the only one in the beta that I’m putting much time into so far, and I won’t subscribe to any service for only one game.
Right now I’m subscibed to Humble Monthly for around $13/mo, but there I “own” the games that come out each month (insomuch as you own any Steam game), and have access to their “Trove”games which are all DRM free, and I don’t lose those games if I cancel as long as I’ve already downloded them.
I also have a PSPlus subscription, but that has a dual purpose of allowing me to game online and access to 2-3 games per month as long as I’m subscribed. And it’s a once-a-year payment, instead of a monthly drain.
So it will depend whether I’ll joing GameClub. As for Apple’s Arcade, I’m feeling stubborn about giving them monthly money for games when they’ve been horrible for years when it came to gamers and game developers. I’m reluctant to reward them any more than I have to at this point.
Nope. Bring the games BACK to the APPSTORE. I PAID for these games already. In some of them that were IAP models I can assure you I spent Atleast $20 in each. I have a rule that if I like a game I’ll spend $20. If it has IAP that makes it essentially premium I will spend even more to make the game so if I really like the game. Why would I buy a subscription service for games I’ve already paid for? This is a slap in the face. The devs should be updating their games. Especially their earlier titles that were great. I actually LOOK for and play earlier titles of devs. I’m playing Pixel craft right now before I try one of their other titles. I bought the no ads and coins and one ship. I spend money in games and on indie devs. I won’t spend money twice.
Was looking forward to this, but it’ll be a no thanks now.
How about this jumps into Apple Arcade? One subscription to rule them all.
no way man, this guys are mad!!! subscription model doesn’t exist for me, in any of its forms, besides i have a huge backlog of excelent premium games to play with, plus an old 4S on iOS 8 to play all this ressurrected ones by GameClub that i bought at the time... so... nice try & GFY!
Go fuck yourself for trying to bring back all these great old games? For a subscription model you are not obligated to subscribe to? You can just ignore it entirely and your life doesn't change in any way, but they can "go fuck themselves" because they're at least offering the OPTION for those that want it? Classy reaction man.
i love the idea of bring those masterpieces back on the app store, would be the first to buy them, but a full price as premium games (even at 10 bucks each!), i’m an old school gamer and i’m tired of all this nonsense modern market handlings and impositions... imho subscription model in the videogames universe is INSANE!!!
Aaaaaaaaand... just like that, my previous interest in this project has gone. :-(
I wont be joining a subscription service for games on iOS (Apple or Game Club) for the same reason I haven’t joined a subscription service for pc games. You simply don’t know what type of games will be released. You could easily spend months waiting for a game that is of interest to you (especially if you only like a specific genre of game) while constantly paying while you wait.
For instance I joined Game Club when it was released and there are only two games that I am interested in.
Game Club has another big problem with a subscription service. They are competing against newly released games. Older games are more attractive to older gamers who have a nostalgic interest in the game. Younger players understandably probably wont even look twice at them.
Now if they had seperate subscriptions for different types of games I could be interested in that.