GameTap should appeal to all gamers, PwC analyst says

A year after its launch in the US, Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (TBS) broadband video game and entertainment network GameTap is now available in Canada. With more than 600 games offered through a monthly subscription, the service should have broad enough appeal that it won’t necessarily have to dominate any particular demographic market, an industry watcher says. "Any source of games which is easy to access and not too costly – and typically that is the case subscription services – I would imagine would be quite attractive to people across all age groups," says David Jacobson, director of technology in the advisory services practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. The service, which features on-demand video content as well as games, is initially being offered in Canada for as low as US$6.95 a month. Subscribers simply download GameTap to their PC and select games or videos from the interface. With a breadth of content ranging from classic arcade games like Asteroids to emulators based on consoles like Atari Inc.’s 2600 and Sega Corp.’s Genesis, Dreamcast and Game Gear, to PC game titles that are less than a year old, TBS is banking that there’s at least one game on the system for everyone. "Once you find a title that somebody’s really interested in…then it’s really simple to introduce them to other stuff they might like, new and old," says Ricardo Sanchez, GameTap’s VP of content. Because the service should have broad appeal, Sanchez says GameTap is focusing on gamers’ propensities rather than their demographics, with two distinct groups in mind. The first group is hardcore gamers, those who cannot get enough. Sanchez calls GameTap an incredible value for this audience because it provides original titles and popular PC games at a yearly cost equal to one new console game. The second group is comprised of people who play games, but on a more limited – and less fanatical – basis. GameTap allows them to expand their gaming options without the cost of updating their console or buying new games. "We always thought of GameTap being the HBO for the game industry," says Sanchez. "You pay a flat fee and you get all of our games as much as you want whenever you want." Jacobson says both the savings and the payment method should resonate with consumers. "The flat-rate approach is well-accepted," he says. "Many people now subscribe to broadband Internet services and those are flat-rate. It’s a way of charging for things which has acceptance in the user community." GameTap also beefs up its offering with exclusive episodic games, including a new game from Nelvana Ltd.’s Sam & Max franchise being released each month for the next six months – Sam & Max: Episode 1 "Culture Shock" is currently the most-played title at GameTap. As well, with challenge games subscribers can compete with each other at games like Pac-Man from their own homes. In terms of game selection, GameTap had to consider TBS’ family-friendly image. The service launched with all games rated T (teen) or below. Now that there are mature titles available, GameTap comes with filters that allow parents to set up sub-accounts for their kids that restrict which games are made available according to rating. Sanchez says GameTap is hoping that 10% of its signups will come from Canada. The fact that expanding to Canada was one of the top requests in the GameTap suggestion box, not to mention our 77% broadband penetration rate, give Sanchez optimism. "Based on what I’ve heard in the market and availability of game content in Canada, we actually think there’s a chance that could be higher," he says. "But we’re going to be very happy if it’s 10%."

GameTap should appeal to all gamers, PwC analyst says

News | 10/31/2006 5:00 am EST

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