Apple now allows game subscriptions on the App Store (updated)

Apple is now letting game companies to offer monthly subscriptions like newspaper or magazine subscriptions according to Bloomberg report. Currently game developers could only sell in-app purchases and required users to download the game. With the new subscriptions users can buy a package and play all the games offered under the package without downloading.

Big Fish Games is the first game developer who got the Apple App Store approval and offering $6.99/month subscription to dozens of title according to bloomberg. The games will need Wi-Fi access to play as they are streamed directly from big Fish data centers. The subscription model is available for iPad, soon it is will available for Android devices as well.

Currently Big fish app is being offered as a streaming application for iPad, subscribers can get access to games such as “Mystery Case Files” and the “Mahjong Towers” from the app. Initially the subscriptions will cost $4.99 and will increase next year to $6.99 with more game titles added to the service. There will also be a subscription free model where users are restricted to 30 min of game play daily.

When Apple introduced its subscription feature earlier this year, Paul Thelen, the founder of Big Fish, saw it as an opportunity to offer an “all-you-can-eat” service. That lets players jump in and out of different games without having to make a bunch of downloads. While game-subscription services have a mixed record of success, the popularity of the iPad, along with the easy payment method provided by Apple’s App Store, will make the offering attractive, Thelen said.

With the launch of subscription model we can soon find other game developers following the suite and users can play games without purchasing single titles and downloading all of them to their devices.

Update: Apple removed the Big Fish App from App Store

Big Fish games co-founder explained yesterday to bloomberg how much he is excited about the game subscriptions. But Apple removed the app from the App Store shortly after the announcement came Big Fish games. The app had been available since Nov 18 acrroding to Big Fish Games.

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