The popular video game rental service is branching out into movies on April 4th. The beta phase of “GF Movies” will be available to subscribers on the 2-Game Plan or above. Members can simply add DVD or Blu-Ray movies to their game queues and, beginning April 4, Gamefly will send the next available game OR movie to the members provided they have an open slot.
The FAQ section given to members invited to the beta indicates that this test phase doesn’t guarantee that Gamefly will get into the movie business. “This program is a test, so we are offering it initially to our 2-Game Plan or above members. Based on the demand, we hope to expand this service to all of our members.” The page also clarifies its position on movie-only subscription plans: “We will be monitoring closely the GF Movies *beta program and will consider offering a movies-only plan in the future.”
The GameFly movie section is already up on the website. Members can search by new release, coming soon, popularity, genre, or rating. The service currently lists 57 Blu-Ray titles and 57 DVD titles that will be available for rental in April. The FAQ section indicates that this number will increase as the beta test grows. The service has not affected membership price yet, which still stands at:
1-Game Plan – One game out at a time $15.95/month + applicable tax
2-Game Plan – Two games out at a time $22.95/month + applicable tax
3-Game Plan – Three games out at a time $29.95/month + applicable tax
4-Game Plan – Four games out at a time $36.95/month + applicable tax
The 3 and 4-Game Plans require an active membership with 60 days of good standing. In other words, you have to have had a one or two game membership for two months without losing or damaging a game or having payment issues.
(Source: GameFly Customer FAQ)
This is the most recent of several expansive endeavors on the part of GameFly, which remains a private company. In 2009, it purchased the gaming journalism site Shacknews. In 2011, it purchased the online computer game store/client Direct2Drive from IGN. This service allows members to buy PC and Mac games via the GameFly website. These games can be redeemed on Steam, Origin, UPlay, and other game-specific services that are often required for online play. The service also offers free PC and Mac game downloads. This announcement comes about a year after Netflix’s decision to drop plans for a video game rental service. GameFly has no plans at this time for any streaming services.