GameFly

GameFly, Inc.

Gamefly logo
Company type	Private
Industry	Rental
Founded	2002
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Key people	David Hodess, CEO & President Sean Spector, Co-Founder and VP of Business Development and Marketing Jung Suh, Co-Founder and VP of Content and Strategic Alliances
Products	Video games for video game consoles
Revenue	unknown
Number of employees	unknown
Website	GameFly.com

GameFly (also known as Gamefly) is a United States online video game rental subscription service, whose niche is in providing games for game consoles and handheld game consoles.

Primarily, GameFly is similar to the DVD rental subscription service Netflix in that games are sent to subscribers via the United States Postal Service in re-mailable, pre-paid mailers. (Non-US residents are ineligible for the service, as GameFly does not ship overseas.) The subscriber then can keep the games for as long as desired while paying the monthly fee, although the number of games is limited by the type of subscription plan chosen by the subscriber. Additionally, the user can create a queue, known as the "GameQ", of up to 50 games. Upon returning the game to a GameFly distribution center, GameFly automatically ships out the next game in the "GameQ", making the process cyclical for as long as the user is a subscriber and updates his or her "GameQ". Customers typically expect delivery of their requested games within 2-5 days of shipment. If the received game disc or cartridge is damaged or unplayable for some reason, or if the wrong game was received, the customer can return it for a replacement or have the next item in their rental queue sent instead.

Subscribers also have the added benefit of buying selected pre-played games at a reduced price, should they choose the keep the game. Subsequently, subscribed users will get the jacket and instruction booklet for the game mailed to them for free. Non-subscribers may also buy games, though not at a discounted price afforded to subscribers.

The caveat is that all this is done online, where the user must provide a credit card as a form of payment and means of verification.

Also, retail outlets such as Best Buy offered "pre-paid" versions of GameFly for new subscribers (where they pay one month for two months worth of service), and gift certificates can be sent to friends and family -- although these require the people receiving the "pre-paid" pack or gift certificate to furnish a credit card as a means of verification and incurring future charges.

Rental offerings

At launch in September 8, 2002, GameFly boasted 1000 titles for the Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox, and the Nintendo GameCube. A few months after launch, GameFly began offering Game Boy Advance games in addition to disc-based games.

In November 2004, GameFly added Nintendo DS games to rent. On March 21, 2005, GameFly added Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) games to their offerings, and near the end of April 2005, GameFly also added UMD movies to their catalog for the PlayStation Portable. [1]

GameFly also began offering Xbox 360 titles prior to the launch of the console in November of 2005.

On July 6th, 2006, Gamefly offered approx. 30 games for Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 each for preserving copies for rentals.

GameFly does not support older game systems, such as the Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo, PlayStation One, or the Sega Genesis as of this writing. GameFly already has plans to add games for the remaining next generation consoles — the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii — when they become available in addition to the Xbox 360.

GameFly does not plan on adding PC games to its catalog, due to legal issues. [2]

Service plans

GameFly offers four different plans, depending on how many games are rented at a time. All plans are for unlimited games, meaning that the user is not charged on a per-game basis, but on a monthly basis.

1. One game out at a time costs $14.95 per month.
2. Two games out at a time costs $21.95 per month. (This is the most popular and promoted plan.)
3. The three game out at a time plan, which is only eligible to users in good standing for a duration of 60 days, costs $28.95 per month.
4. The four game plan, which is only available to eligible users in good standing for about 60 days as well, costs $35.95.

Plans are priced using US dollars and sales tax is charged in most states.

Criticisms

Many have criticized GameFly, as well as other online game rental sites, for the slow turn around in game rental times. Some have reported times as long as two weeks. The worst cases have occurred mainly along the East Coast and Midwest, the areas furthest from GameFly's California-based distribution cnter. The most frequent complaints regard games lost in the mail and customers subsequently having their accounts locked until all lost games are returned. Distribution problems aren't limited to the East Coast, however, as some customers living near as an hour away from the distribution center report three to four day waits for game rentals.

Distribution centers

• Inglewood, California

See also

• Lists of games
• Video game

External links

• [http://http://servedby.advertising.com/click/site=707956/mnum=359350

GameFly's Official Site]